Rut (song)

"Rut" is a song by American rock band the Killers from their fifth studio album, Wonderful Wonderful (2017). It was serviced to UK hot adult contemporary radio on December 9, 2017, as the album's third and final single.^[1] The accompanying music video, directed by Danny Drysdale, was released on January 9, 2018, and depicts a woman who suffers from loneliness and depression at several points in her life, from childhood to adulthood.^[2] The single peaked at number 10 on the New Zealand Heatseeker Singles chart.

"Rut"
Single by the Killers
from the album Wonderful Wonderful
Released	December 9, 2017 (2017-12-09)
Studio	11th Street Records (Las Vegas, Nevada) The Garage (Topanga, California) Battle Born (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Length	4:24
Label	Island
Songwriter(s)	Brandon Flowers Dave Keuning Mark Stoermer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. Jacknife Lee
Producer(s)	Jacknife Lee
The Killers singles chronology
"Run for Cover" (2017) "Rut" (2017) "Land of the Free" (2019)
Music video
"Rut" on YouTube

Composition

In an episode of the Song Exploder podcast on October 6, 2017, Brandon Flowers explained that the lyrics of "Rut" were inspired by his wife, Tana Mundkowsky, who struggles with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a traumatizing childhood. "The song is from my wife's point of view, and it's from her perspective. And it's about resilience. So, she's singing to me. It's almost like this submission, it's her accepting like, 'I'm facing this thing'", Flowers said. The pitch on Flowers' vocals was altered to make his voice sound more feminine.^[3]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Wonderful Wonderful.^[4]

Recording locations

• Recorded at 11th Street Records (Las Vegas, Nevada), The Garage (Topanga, California), and Battle Born Studios (Las Vegas, Nevada)
• Mixed at Assault & Battery Studio 1 (London)
• Mastered at Metropolis (London)

Personnel

The Killers

• Brandon Flowers – vocals, keys
• Dave Keuning – guitar
• Mark Stoermer – fretless bass
• Ronnie Vannucci Jr. – drums

Additional personnel

• Jacknife Lee – production, engineering, guitar, keys, programming
• Matt Bishop – engineering
• Robert Root – engineering
• Malcolm Harrison – engineering assistance
• Alan Moulder – mixing
• Caesar Edmunds – mix engineering
• Becca Marie – additional vocals
• Las Vegas Mass Choir – additional vocals
• Nina Fechner – additional vocals
• Justin Diaz – additional vocals
• John Davis – mastering

Charts

Chart (2018)	Peak position
New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ)[5]	10