Bling (Confession of a King)
A non-single track from Sam's Town, played live over 450 times.
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"Bling (Confession of a King)" is a song by American rock band the Killers, appearing as the fourth track on their second album, Sam's Town (2006). Written by frontman Brandon Flowers and bassist Mark Stoermer, it was produced by Flood, Alan Moulder, and the Killers. Though not released as a single, the song has become one of the band's most frequently performed tracks, with over 450 live performances as of October 2025.
Background
The song is written in the key of D major. Brandon Flowers told The Guardian that "Bling" recounts his father's overnight abandonment of alcoholism and Catholicism to join the Mormon faith when Flowers was five. Musically, the track has been categorized as alternative rock, anthemic rock, and heartland rock, with its sound compared to artists such as Springsteen.
Release and reception
Released with Sam's Town on September 27, 2006 in Japan and October 3 in the US, "Bling" received positive critical reception. Slant magazine and The Independent described it as "Springsteen-esque" and similar to Bruce Springsteen's big, vaulting chorus and bombastic tone. Bring the Noise UK highlighted its cold pianos and Flowers' belting lyrics about failure, while NME's Krissi Murison likened it to "Knights of Cydonia" without Matt Bellamy's vocals.
Live performances
As of October 2025, the song has been performed live 476 times. Its debut occurred at the Celebrity Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 23, 2006, alongside most of Sam's Town. It was a staple of the Sam's Town Tour and the Day & Age World Tour, often following "Spaceman", "Human", or "Smile Like You Mean It". Performances at the Royal Albert Hall on July 5 and 6, 2009 appear on the DVD and live album Live from the Royal Albert Hall.
More in Songs & Singles
Elsewhere in The Killers
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Bling (Confession of a King) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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