Tyson vs Douglas
The Killers Lyrics


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Looking out the window out on the street
I don't know what happened, I'm out on my feet
I hear my mother calling my name
I still come running but I ain't the same

You can change the channel
Take the phone off the hook
Avoid the headline but you'll never grow up baby if you don't look

When I saw him go down
Felt like somebody lied
I had to hold my breath till the coast was clear
When I saw him go down
Felt like somebody lied
I had to close my eyes just to stop the tears

You're used to winning, how did it feel?
Did you hear the screaming? It was unreal
What did they pay you? What did it cost?
How long did it take you to know that you lost?

You can hit the shower
Fill the place up with steam
And close the curtains
But when you woke up, man, it wasn't no dream

When I saw him go down
Felt like somebody lied
I had to hold my breath till the coast was clear
When I saw him go down
Felt like somebody lied
I had to close my eyes, close my eyes
Just to stop the tears

Looking out the window out on the street
My boy and his mother and I think of me
I'm feeling the slip again, I don't wanna fall
You said it was nothing
But maybe you're wrong

'Cause when I saw him go down
Felt like somebody lied
I had to hold my breath till the coast was clear
When I saw him go down
Felt like somebody lied
I had to close my eyes just to stop the tear




Just to stop the tears
Just to stop the tears

Overall Meaning

The Killers’ song Tyson vs Douglas is a contemplative and nostalgic reflection on the 1990 boxing match between Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas in Tokyo, Japan, that saw Tyson lose for the first time in his career. The song takes a personal approach, with the lyrics beginning with the singer looking out the window onto the street feeling lost and disoriented, eventually leading to him recalling his memories of the fight. Throughout the song, the lyrics switch between the perspective of the singer and the perspective of a fan watching the bout unfold.


The song suggests that the event had a great impact on both the singer’s personal life and the world around him, confronting the tough realities of life, the inevitability of age, and the crushing disappointments that come with failure. The lyrics also highlight the importance of facing difficult truths rather than avoiding them, with the chorus urging the listener to “look” and to not “avoid the headline”.


Overall, the lyrics in Tyson vs Douglas provide a deeply personal and moving interpretation of a historic moment in sports and popular culture, while urging the listener to confront their own struggles with honesty and integrity.


Line by Line Meaning

Looking out the window out on the street
I am gazing out of the window onto the street outside.


I don't know what happened, I'm out on my feet
I am unsure about what just occurred, and it has left me feeling disoriented.


I hear my mother calling my name
My mother is shouting for me to come to her.


I still come running but I ain't the same
Even though I respond to my mother's call, I feel like a different person than I used to be.


You can change the channel
You have the ability to switch the TV station.


Take the phone off the hook
You can remove the telephone receiver from the hook.


Avoid the headline but you'll never grow up baby if you don't look
If you choose to ignore what is happening in the world and don't take action, you will never mature.


When I saw him go down
The moment I witnessed him falling to the ground.


Felt like somebody lied
It seemed as if someone had deceived me.


I had to hold my breath till the coast was clear
I needed to hold my breath until the danger had passed.


I had to close my eyes just to stop the tears
I needed to shut my eyes to prevent myself from crying.


You're used to winning, how did it feel?
You have become accustomed to succeeding, so what was it like when you didn't win?


Did you hear the screaming? It was unreal
Could you hear the intense noise from the crowd? It felt surreal.


What did they pay you? What did it cost?
How much did you receive in compensation, and what were the consequences?


How long did it take you to know that you lost?
How much time passed before you realized you had been defeated?


You can hit the shower
You have the option to take a shower.


Fill the place up with steam
You can create steam by running the hot water.


And close the curtains
You can shut the window covers.


But when you woke up, man, it wasn't no dream
When you opened your eyes, you could tell that what had occurred was not a dream.


My boy and his mother and I think of me
I imagine my son and his mother reflecting on my actions.


I'm feeling the slip again, I don't wanna fall
I sense myself slipping once more, and I am afraid of failing again.


You said it was nothing, but maybe you're wrong
You claimed that it was insignificant, but perhaps you were mistaken.


Just to stop the tears
I need to prevent myself from crying.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALEX CAMERON, BRANDON FLOWERS, MARK AUGUST STOERMER, RONNIE JR. VANNUCCI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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