What do Iraq War veterans have to do with The Killers’ biggest singalong?
The Killers’ song ‘All These Things That I’ve Done’ grew out of a conversation between Brandon Flowers and Columbia Records A&R executive Matt Pinfield, who described mentoring wounded Iraq veterans with PTSD while facing a divorce. Flowers began writing after hearing his story, and the lyric “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier” was intended as a tribute to that work. The song matters as both a celebrated singalong and a personal response to service, faith and uncertainty.
The track also drew on several musical influences: U2’s expansive sound inspired its gospel choir, its bass line came from David Bowie’s ‘Slow Burn’, and Flowers modelled the chorus vocal on Lou Reed. He said the song reflected his Mormon beliefs as he entered the rock world. Released as a single from the band’s debut album, Hot Fuss, it later appeared on lists of great songs and was performed at Live 8 in London, though it lost a 2006 Grammy to U2.
In short
- Matt Pinfield’s work with wounded Iraq veterans inspired the song’s famous lyric.
- Flowers also used it to explore faith and imperfection.
- Its gospel sound drew on U2, Bowie and Lou Reed.
Explained simply
The Killers are an American rock band whose singer, Brandon Flowers, writes songs that can draw on personal experience and religious belief. “All These Things That I’ve Done” appeared on their debut album, Hot Fuss, and became one of the songs audiences often sing along to.
The song’s central line, “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier”, refers to a story Flowers heard from Matt Pinfield, a Columbia Records executive who had supported wounded Iraq War veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder. The song also reflects Flowers’s uncertainty as he entered the rock world while holding on to his Mormon faith.
Its sound brings together influences from bands and singers including U2, David Bowie and Lou Reed. The song’s popularity has given its personal origins a wider audience, linking a well-known concert moment with experiences of military service and support for veterans.