Buffalo Bills Fans Get Local Twist on ‘Mr. Brightside’ Anthem

BUFFALO, N.Y. — As the Buffalo Bills prepare for their divisional playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens, a new local twist on The Killers‘ hit song “Mr. Brightside” is capturing the attention of fans. The 2004 anthem has become a stadium favorite, but Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robby Takac and local band Letter to Elise are giving it a Buffalo makeover.

“I got caught up in it man,” said Takac, a Western New York native and proud member of Bills Mafia. “I’ve got Bills Fever.” Takac, inspired by the energy at Highmark Stadium, teamed up with other local musicians to create a version of the song that celebrates Buffalo pride.

The Killers’ original track, which recently set a record for the longest stay on the U.K. singles chart at over 416 weeks, has become a rallying cry for Bills fans. Played during the fourth quarter of home games, the song has united players and fans alike. “If you’ve got a stadium of how many thousand people singing it along, it should be by a Buffalo band,” said Elliott Hunt of Letter to Elise.

Takac and his collaborators are working quickly to finalize the cover and produce a music video ahead of Sunday’s game. “We’re just kind of doing it for fun,” Takac said. “We’re gonna see what happens, do a little video, and you know, support the Bills. Go Bills!”

Videos of Bills players like Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, and Spencer Brown singing the song have already gone viral. Takac hopes the team and fans will embrace the local version and sing it loud as they push for a playoff victory.