Caution (The Killers song)

"Caution" is a song by American rock band the Killers from their sixth studio album, Imploding the Mirage (2020). It was released on March 12, 2020, as the lead single from the album, and features a guitar solo by former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. The track topped the Billboard Rock Airplay and Alternative Airplay charts.

Background

Flowers described the song as “about having the wherewithal to listen to that angel on your shoulder, even if they’re telling you something that you don’t want to hear.” Flowers related this to his own decision to leave Las Vegas with his family and moving back to his childhood home in Utah, which began as a hunch, and although it was tough for him to leave, he embodied the “spirit” of ‘Caution’ in recognising that it was the right decision for him and for his family.

The end of the song features a guitar solo from former Fleetwood Mac guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. This originated when drummer Ronnie Vannucci joked over dinner that they should call Buckingham up and ask him to do a solo for the song. When the band did so, Buckingham obliged, and he turned up at the studio the next day. This was aided by the fact that the band shares a publicist with Buckingham. Vannucci said that, when recording, Buckingham “did all the sort of famed tricks”, and that the band slowed the tape to half-speed or quarter-speed when recording Buckingham’s guitar-playing to allow them to record the song's crystal-like high tinkle sounds. Afterwards, Buckingham stayed to record a solo; this ultimately became the ending of the song, as at the time the band hadn't yet written an ending.

The cover artwork is "Golden Breeze" by American artist Thomas Blackshear.

An alternative, stripped-back version of the song was included on the deluxe edition of Imploding the Mirage, released in January 2021, under the name "Caution (Wasatch Style)".

Music video

The music video is a sneak peek from a forthcoming short film with director Sing Lee tied to the Killers upcoming album Imploding the Mirage. The film will premiere on Apple Music. The music video has snippets reminding of an Americana theme. There are a number of stories going on. A stage play is being enacted, a story of young love, some family drama and family intrigue with police intervening and so on. There is also footage of the Killers performing at what is seemingly a local venue.

In popular culture

This song appears in video games Dirt 5, Forza Horizon 5 and as DLC for Rock Band 4

Awards

Pitchfork ranked Caution the 94th best song of 2020.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Imploding the Mirage.

Recording locations

• Recorded at Subtle McNugget Studios (Los Angeles), Electro-Vox Recording Studios (Los Angeles), and Battle Born Studios (Las Vegas)
• Mixed at Subtle McNugget Studios (Los Angeles)
• Mastered at The Lodge (New York City)

Personnel

The Killers

• Brandon Flowers – vocals, synth
• Ronnie Vannucci Jr. – drums, percussion
• Mark Stoermer – bass, guitar

Additional personnel

Charts

Certifications

Release history

References

1. Caution
2. The Killers discography
3. The Killers
4. Imploding the Mirage
5. List of songs recorded by the Killers
6. The Replacement Killers
7. Rebel Diamonds Tour
8. Rebel Diamonds
9. Cowboy Junkies
10. List of awards and nominations received by the Killers
11. Imploding the Mirage Tour
12. My Own Soul's Warning
13. Kansas Bowling
14. Lindsey Buckingham
15. Death on Two Legs
16. Virupaksha (film)
17. Zoo Station (song)
18. Jesse Plemons
19. John Duffy and David Mulcahy
20. List of Billboard Alternative Airplay number ones of the 2020s