The religious themes of this song were further reinforced when the words were set to the tune of the popular Latter-day Saint hymn, “If You Could Hie to Kolob.”
For more context, see song bio on West Hills III.
The Killers - West Hills III
—
Genius
West Hills III Lyrics: I was born right here i...
[Intro]
Alright, well, I'm 26 so I've lived here for 26 years
I married my high school sweetheart, so we've been marri—
We've been together 11 years
Um, I don't really travel much so I've just been here, ha-ha
Uh, I'm, I'm busy, John, you'll have to wait
Uh, my little brother, he moved into the community
And they tried to tape him to a flagpole or a tree up at the high school
So if you don't fit their mold—
Just a nice, small community, everybody knows everybody
Good place to live and to raise kids
We'll be here forever
So, yeah, it's a good area
[Verse 1]
I was born right here in Zion
God's own son
His Holy Ghost stories and bloodshed
Never scared me none
While they bowed their heads on Sunday
I cut out through the hedges and fields
Where the light could place its hands on my head
In the west hills
[Chorus]
Free in the west hills
Free in the west hills
[Verse 2]
She's got two full-grown children
One still on the vine
And once I got to know him
I loved him like he was mine
Some nights we'd drive up the mouth of the canyon
On hillbilly heroin pills
We get out and watch the sunset
Peaceful and still
[Chorus]
And free in the west hills
Free in the west hills
[Verse 3]
When the sheriff kicked my door down
I was sleeping in my own bed
And the mess I got caught up in
Rained hard down on my head
They got me for possession
Of them hillbilly heroin pills
Enough to kill the horses that run
Free in the west hills
They got me for possession of enough to kill
The horses that run
[Chorus]
Free in the west hills
Free in the west hills
[Verse 4]
If this life was meant for proving
I could use more years to live
But fifteen in a guardhouse
That's more than I'm willing to give
And if there really is a judgement
When He pulls my chart
He'll reject my actions
But He will know my heart
And He'll prepare a place for me
Where happiness instills
And the light puts its loving hands on my head
Free in the west hills
They got me for possession of enough to kill
The horses that run
[Chorus]
Free in the west hills
Free in the west hills
Free, free in the west hills
In the west hills
In the west hills
Free in the west
West Hills was written by Jonathan Rado & Brandon Flowers.
West Hills was produced by Jonathan Rado & Shawn Everett.
The Killers released West Hills on Fri Aug 13 2021.
There’s a whole subculture in Utah, in my experience, because we associate Utah with Mormonism. Having grown up there, a lot of people [outside of Utah] aren’t aware of people that don’t adhere to religion. There’s this whole thing of dirt bikes and four-wheelers and beer and finding different ways...