Synopsis
Brandon Flowers moves through a deserted, unsettling house while singing both his own lines and Lou Reed's parts, creating the impression that Reed's voice has taken possession of him. Reed is eventually revealed at a piano elsewhere in the building. Meanwhile, the other members of the Killers gather in a dark red room around a table, their ritual-like activity suggesting a seance. The video's eerie atmosphere, shadowy interiors, and fragmented editing mirror the song's anxious, apocalyptic mood before Flowers finally locates Reed.
Factoids & Trivia
- The video was released in the United Kingdom on October 29, 2007, shortly after "Tranquilize" appeared as a single from the Killers' compilation album *Sawdust*.
- Lou Reed appears in the video, but Brandon Flowers performs the on-screen vocals for Reed's sections as well as his own. Reed is shown playing piano rather than visibly lip-syncing most of his vocal contribution.
- The song was the Killers' collaboration with Reed and was written by Flowers. Reed also contributed guitar and vocals to the recording.
- "Tranquilize" won Best International Alternative/Indie Track at the 2008 NME Awards. Its music video was also nominated for Best Video.