Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas

I'm sure I read this song was some kind of story as the prodigal son in the bible in a modern cool version.

"So hunt a seven" should be "It's a hundred seven" as in 107 degrees F And I think the disciples are handing out catalogs of concubines, not actual concubines lol

The long silence in the begining makes me think of a person having a hard time waking up.

"You woke up in the rusted frame Burned out old Deville Your legs are shot and they're flushed with pain But you can't keep them still"

A person was driving drunk and crashed in the middle of nowhere. Their legs are either hurt from the crash, or maybe sore/tired from trying to get away from where they were?

"The sun sets and you're afraid Of the itching in your skin You stumble down the boulevard Of neon encrusted temples"

The "itching in your skin" makes me think that the person wants MORE (alcohol?) even though they just crashed. They exit the car and find themselves in Las Vegas where the buildings are huge and covered in lights. To a drunk person, it probably seems unreal.

"You're looking for the grace of God In the arms of a fellow stranger Disciples hand you catalogues of concubines As you stumble down the boulevard crying 'Hosanna'"

Of course they probably trip and stumble around, and strangers help them up. There are men on the street handing out flyers for night clubs and strippers. Crying "Hosanna" is probably the main person saying "Oh my God" in the amazement of never being to Las Vegas before.

"Cameras on the ceiling tile no place for you to hide It's a hundred seven and you're looking for shade That no palm tree can provide"

Obviously talking about the security cameras in the casinos. They can't take shade from a palm tree because they're in a well lit casino. (?)

"But there's a little girl you remember back in Tennessee You have this reoccuring dream Where you see her playing hide and seek With a woman who used to know you very well"

The person is reminiscing back to a simpler time when she was a little girl playing hide and seek with her mother. Maybe she died, or they don't keep in touch anymore. Maybe this is why she's an alcoholic.

"Sunsets and neon lights Call girls and neon lights Black jack and lady luck Cocaine and lady luck You call upon her on holy knees tonight"

Now the person (revealed to be a girl) has turned to being a call girl who does cocaine. She calls upon "Lady Luck" to change things and make her life better. Maybe "holy knees" means that she's wearing fishnets that have tears in them? Reference to being a call girl?

"Didn't nobody tell you the house will always win?"

I think it means that Las Vegas and its gambling, casinos, alcohol and drugs can turn even the more pure of people into harlots and sinners.

Since Brandon is a rather fervent Springsteen fan, I definitely think

"You woke up in the rusted frame Of a burned out old DeVille"

is a tip of the hat to "Thunder Road":

"There were ghosts in the eyes of all the boys you sent away They haunt this dusty beach road in the skeleton frames of burned out Chevrolets"

Considering that Brandon has expressed his appreciation for that particular song (and got to perform it live with Bruce himself...HOW MUCH BETTER COULD LIFE GET?! lol), I doubt it's a coincidence. Great way to set the atmosphere for the album...so many of the songs on Flamingo are stories, and "Thunder Road" is, to me at least, perhaps the most beautiful and well-crafted narrative song in rock history.

I wonder if there will be a music video for this. It's very cinematic and grand just listening to it...it would make for a good one.

I think this tells the story of a man who ran away from his family in favor of the lust and glitz of Las Vegas. I imagine the little girl and the woman he used to know are his daughter and wife, respectively, or perhaps his sister and mother. The bridge is showing the typical, appealing side to Vegas and how alongside it is the darker part you can't ignore. Beautiful song.

I believe Brandon Flowers writes music on an incredibly deep level. Looking at Branson's path through life and the lessons he has learned, I believe the story of the narrator waking up in Las Vegas is a story of a realization he is having about a life he has led in a wrong direction, which he is starting to realize.

"You woke up in the rusted frame Burned out old Deville Your legs are shot and they're flushed with pain But you can't keep them still"

Along with the slow crescendo in the music and calm beginning lyrics, the narrator here is slowly coming to a realization that he 'woke up' and is starting to see things how they are - his car is in bad shape, his body is falling apart, but his carnal desires are urging him to keep going in the direction he was going. This could mean the person realizes their life is not in control. They're beating themselves up physically, emotionally, spiritually, because it 'feels good' or because of his life decisions leading him to this point.

"The sun sets and you're afraid Of the itching in your skin You stumble down the boulevard Of neon encrusted temples"

The sun setting is a Metaphor of another 'hard time' in life - lost job, breakup, etc. The brightness is gone, and his skin starts 'itching' again - this person is wanting to go back to the life he was leading before (bad situations, bad choices, etc). In a more literal sense, his addiction is starting to urge him to come back. The narrator tries to escape this frustration and discomfort by going to the place where he feels he can get relief - Las Vegas (symbolism for the 'worldly things' - money, sex, drugs, cars, etc.). The casinos are claiming to provide 'happiness' like a more wholesome (real) temple would, but in a shallow, 'worldly' way.

An interesting note: Brandon Flowers is LDS (Mormon), and in this religion, Temples are esteemed as a place a person can go to receive relief from the world and feel complete peace and comfort. His comparison of casinos to temples is evident throughout the song.

"You're looking for the grace of God In the arms of a fellow stranger Disciples hand you catalogs of concubines As you stumble down the boulevard crying "Hosanna""

The person now is looking for more relief from the world, opening his mind to even the idea of religion. The hard times have hit, and he's starting to realize that his former methods of 'fixing' those problems are only temporary and leave him hurting. So he looks for the 'grace of God' as he seeks for help and forgiveness. However, his carnal and do natural desires cause him to seek this in 'Las Vegas,' or the 'worldly' things of the world. All around him, as he is trying to improve and seek more goodness and forgiveness, people around him are trying to get him to go back to his former ways. Handing him 'catalogues of concubines' as he tries to stumble through the (unknown to him) steps of forgiveness and religion. (shouting 'hosanna')

"Welcome to fabulous Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas Give us your dreamers, your harlots and your sins Las Vegas"

This is Las Vegas' "calling card". Trying to pull people into these worldly things. The world is fun. It's fabulous. Bring your dreams, hobbies, sins, problems - whatever. We'll take you. It's all good! No worries! This is what the 'world' tells people.

"Did nobody tell you the house will always win?"

This, however, is the narrator realizing the truth - even though 'Las Vegas,' or 'the world' is accepting of everyone and promises big things, the truth is that it doesn't care about the person. It will take you on a ride (temporary happiness), drain you of all you have, and leave you helpless. In a 'burned out old Deville,' if you will.

"Cameras on the ceiling tile no place for you to hide It's a hundred seven and you're looking for shade That no palm tree can provide"

In Las Vegas, just like in the world, you can't hide from your past problems, choices, and responsibilities. In a religious sense, God is always watching and you will be held accountable for your actions. When life gets rough 'When it's 107,' people look for worldly ways to fix the issue (hiding under palm trees) - money, sex, drugs, cars, etc. But they won't truly provide the 'shade,' or relief, that people look for.

"But there's a little girl you remember back in Tennessee You have this reoccurring dream Where you see her playing hide and seek With a woman who used to know you very well"

Realizing that there is little credence or truth in the 'world's way of fixing,' the narrator thinks back to experience as a child. I believe, personally, that the 'little girl' is a metaphor for Jesus Christ. The narrator remembers hearing about 'her' as a child, in what seems like another life (back in Tennessee), where he used to be acquainted with 'her' and remembers building and losing faith in Christ (playing hide and seek) over the years, which, after choosing to live a life of 'worldly pleasures,' caused him to forget completely about 'her.' Now, when trying to figure out his life again, he remembers what his mother ('woman who used to know him very well') taught him about Jesus Christ.

"Sunsets and neon lights Call girls and neon lights Black jack and lady luck Cocaine and lady luck You call upon her on holy knees tonight"

Amidst all this worldly temptation the narrator has, that everyone, media, friends, etc. are all throwing at him, he learns that he most become reacquainted with this 'little girl' by calling upon 'her' (Jesus Christ) through prayer (holy knees).

"In Las Vegas Give us your dreamers, your harlots and your sins Las Vegas Didn't nobody tell you? Didn't nobody tell you? Didn't nobody tell you the house will always win?"

This time, the narrator is the one testifying and telling people that yes, the house will always win if you go down that road. The world will pick you up, throw you around, and spit you out worthless. He knows this now, because he knows the fake relief that the world promises, which is fleeting and wrong. He also knows the full relief that the 'little girl' can provide, which, interestingly, he doesn't sing much about - possibly because it is sacred? Possibly because he still doesn't feel confident or strong in his understanding of it. I'm not sure. But he testifies that the world's way is definitely not the right way.