In an exclusive interview with Zane Lowe on BBC's 'Beats 1', Brandon Flowers, frontman of The Killers, reveals the inspiration behind their brand new song 'Land of the Free,' and why it took so long for him to finish writing it.
The Killers dropped a brand new track on Monday, ironically entitled Land of the Free. Frontman Brandon Flowers wrote the scathing song as a response to President Donald Trump's discriminatory vision of America.
In a blatantly sarcastic manner, the 37-year-old tackles the United States' lack of control on gun violence, racism and social inequity, as well as Trump's proposed plans to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Las Vegas-based rockers enlisted Academy Award-winning director, Spike Lee, to direct a short film for the song. The video documents hundreds of migrating families on their journey to the border with hopes to start a new life in the states.
The short features a variety of appalling clips which highlight the common mistreatment of immigrants, from brute encounters with the authorities to senseless tear gas attacks.
On the official Killers' Facebook page, Flowers shared exactly what inspired him to write Land of the Free. He reflected on gun violence and how such crimes against humanity "dishonour our values and heritage," by going against what our "ancestors" fought for.
The singer recollected the day he heard about the tragic Sandy Hook shooting, which took place on Dec. 14, 2012.
"The news was devastating," he wrote. "It was a gut punch. But, sadly, not as shocking as it should have been. As a father I'll never fully comprehend what that community and those parents went through.
"This stuff didn't seem to be in harmony with the values that I believe my country was founded on," he added in an interview with Beats 1's Zane Lowe.
Activists rally against President Donald Trump in Lower Manhattan, Feb. 7, 2017, in New York City.
Flowers also compared the history of immigration to what it has become today by referencing Trump's promise to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico; suggesting that the "land of the free" really is no more.
Unlike many other Killers' hits, Flowers' lyrics incorporate a pummeling shock factor which effectively highlights the song as a modern-day protest anthem.
Ronnie Vannucci Jr. (L) and Brandon Flowers of The Killers perform at Bonnaroo Arts and Music Festival on June 10, 2018, in Manchester, Tenn.
As of this writing, The Killers have no scheduled tour dates in Canada.
A follow-up to 2017's Wonderful, Wonderful album is expected to be in the works for 2019. Updates are available via the official website.