# Goodnight, Travel Well

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“**Goodnight, Travel Well**” is a song by American rock band [the Killers](/source/The_Killers). It is the tenth and closing track on the band's third studio album, [*Day & Age*](/source/Day_%26_Age) (2008). The song, which is the longest in [the Killers' discography](/source/The_Killers_discography), was written by [Brandon Flowers](/source/Brandon_Flowers), [Dave Keuning](/source/Dave_Keuning), [Mark Stoermer](/source/Mark_Stoermer), and [Ronnie Vannucci Jr.](/source/Ronnie_Vannucci_Jr.), and produced by [Stuart Price](/source/Stuart_Price) and the Killers. In partnership with [UNICEF](/source/UNICEF) and [MTV EXIT](/source/MTV_EXIT), a music video for the song was released on July 13, 2009.[2]

## Background

"Goodnight, Travel Well" was written as a tribute to guitarist [Dave Keuning](/source/Dave_Keuning)’s late mother, who had died earlier that year, as well as frontman [Brandon Flowers](/source/Brandon_Flowers)' mother, who had recently been diagnosed with a brain tumor.[3] In an interview for the Killers' biography *[Day & Ages](/source/Mark_Beaumont_(journalist))*, Keuning remarked: "Brandon chose to write a song about people dying so I guess that adds to it. I really liked the song before it had lyrics. I just thought it was a dark song - it's the only song we have like that. I was disappointed more people didn't say they liked it but I think they expect more fun stuff from us. I thought it was a quality song," with bassist [Mark Stoermer](/source/Mark_Stoermer) recalling how "everyone was aware that Dave and Brandon lost their mothers at the same time, but at the same time *Day & Age* was an effort to make more of an upbeat poppy album [...] in general everyone knew what was going on but it wasn't talked about, we were moving forward and making this upbeat pop record."[4] Flowers described the song: "It goes from being the darkest thing we've ever done before shooting up to the clouds at the end. Oh, it's a heartbreaker. It just rips your guts out."[5]

The song, which is the longest in [the Killers' discography](/source/The_Killers_discography) at 6 minutes and 51 seconds, was written by the four members of the Killers, and produced by [Stuart Price](/source/Stuart_Price) and the Killers. Drummer [Ronnie Vannucci Jr.](/source/Ronnie_Vannucci_Jr.) expressed how he came up with the drum pattern for the song "on-the-spot" to [*Mix*](/source/Mix_(magazine)) magazine, saying: "I caught a particular drum pattern and I wasn't thinking about it; I was just letting it come out. [...] I listened back, and thought 'Wow, this isn't half bad, and it sounds good, too!'"[6] The song makes use of many different instrumental choices, such as the "ominous, brooding horn section" and the "flurry of crashing cymbals that'll leave you breathless."[7][8]

## Release and reception

"Goodnight, Travel Well" was released alongside the rest of *[Day & Age](/source/Day_%26_Age)* on November 18, 2008.[9] [*Billboard*](/source/Billboard_(magazine)) praised the song, proclaiming "from the brooding intro through the epic finale, [the song] would do fine as the sonic climax to some galactic battle scene."[10] [Uproxx](/source/Uproxx) ranked "Goodnight, Travel Well" at No. 15 on their list of "The Best Songs by The Killers", calling it the "finest spooky album closer in the Killers’ arsenal."[11] [Pitchfork](/source/Pitchfork_(website)) called the song an "impressively brooding (and [Björk](/source/Bj%C3%B6rk)-ish!) closer", while [Gigwise](/source/Gigwise) noted that "the instrumentation and orchestral arrangement is incredible, rising from a brooding denial to the final euphoric farewell over the titular refrain."[12][13]

## Music video

A music video for "Goodnight, Travel Well", directed by [David Slade](/source/David_Slade), was released in partnership with [UNICEF](/source/UNICEF) and [MTV EXIT](/source/MTV_EXIT) in an effort to raise awareness about [human trafficking](/source/Human_trafficking). The video, which only features the first two-thirds of the song, features multiple scenes of trafficked women being held captive in a dark room and being sold to other traffickers as [prostitutes](/source/Prostitution), with the phrase "some things cost more than we realize" appearing at the end of the video.[2] The video premiered globally on [MTV](/source/MTV) on July 13, 2009, "reaching a potential audience of hundreds of millions of people in 168 countries" according to MTV.[14] In a statement, the Killers said that they "are deeply shocked and appalled that women and children are forced into such exploitative situations" and that the music video will help "millions of people across the world learn about this tragic form of modern-day slavery."[15] [Susan Bissell](/source/Susan_Bissell), UNICEF's Head of Child Protection, commented that she sees "this music video as a powerful way to reach out and raise awareness among young people, across borders and across language barriers.”[16]

## In popular culture

The song has been featured in many TV series' over the years, including the [Smallville](/source/Smallville) episode "[Requiem](/source/Requiem_(Smallville))", airing on February 5, 2009, [Dominion](/source/Dominion_(TV_series)) episode "[Bewilderment of Heart](/source/Dominion_(TV_series)#Season_2_(2015))", airing on September 17, 2015, and [The Originals](/source/The_Originals_(TV_series)) episode "[Wild at Heart](/source/List_of_The_Originals_episodes#Season_3_(2015–16))", which aired on February 5, 2016.[17]

## Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of *[Day & Age](/source/Day_%26_Age)*.[18]

### Studios

- [Battle Born Studios](/source/Battle_Born_Studios) (Las Vegas) – engineering
- [Olympic Studios](/source/Olympic_Studios) (London) – mixing
- [Metropolis Studios](/source/Metropolis_Studios) (London) – mastering

### The Killers

- [Brandon Flowers](/source/Brandon_Flowers)
- [Dave Keuning](/source/Dave_Keuning)
- [Mark Stoermer](/source/Mark_Stoermer)
- [Ronnie Vannucci Jr.](/source/Ronnie_Vannucci_Jr.)

### Technical

- [Stuart Price](/source/Stuart_Price) – production, mixing
- [The Killers](/source/The_Killers) – production
- Robert Root – engineering
- Tim Young – mastering

## References

1. ["Goodnight, Travel Well - The Killers | AllMusic"](https://www.allmusic.com/song/goodnight-travel-well-mt0018763336), retrieved 2025-11-08

1. UNICEF Malaysia (2012-04-04). [*UNICEF, MTV EXIT and The Killers: Goodnight, Travel Well*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3QH1fwSOAk). Retrieved 2025-11-08. – via YouTube.

1. ["Access Restricted"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/8048267/Brandon-Flowers-interview.html). *www.telegraph.co.uk*. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. Beaumont, Mark (June 16, 2014). *The Killers: Day & Ages*. [Omnibus Press](/source/Omnibus_Press). ISBN 9781783230358.

1. McLean, Craig (2008-09-13). ["Change we can believe in"](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/sep/14/popandrock5). *The Guardian*. [ISSN 0261-3077](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0261-3077). Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. ["World Radio History"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Mix-Magazine/00s/2008/Mix-2008-12.pdf). *www.worldradiohistory.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20240324042349/https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Mix-Magazine/00s/2008/Mix-2008-12.pdf) 2024-03-24 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. ((murlough23)) (2009-04-09). ["The Killers – Day & Age: Are We Human, or Are We Grammatically Challenged?"](https://murlough23.wordpress.com/2009/04/08/the-killers-day-age-are-we-human-or-are-we-grammatically-challenged/). *murlough23*. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. Joe Bosso (2008-10-23). ["The Killers: Day And Age"](https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/the-killers-day-and-age-178439). *MusicRadar*. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. ["The Killers - Day & Age"](https://www.discogs.com/master/65119-The-Killers-Day-Age), 2008, retrieved 2025-11-09

1. Olivier, Bobby (2017-09-20). ["10 Killer Killers Tracks You Don't Already Know: Critic's Picks"](https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/10-best-killers-songs-you-dont-know-7972885/). *Billboard*. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. ["The Best Songs By The Killers, Ranked"](https://uproxx.com/indie/the-killers-best-songs-ranked/). *UPROXX*. 2024-06-06. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. ["11 Underrated Songs: The Killers | Gigwise"](https://www.gigwise.com/features/3395340/11-underrated-songs-the-killers). *www.gigwise.com*. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. Dombal, Ryan. ["The Killers: Day & Age"](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12505-day-age/). *Pitchfork*. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. Casciato, Paul (July 7, 2009). ["The Killers back MTV trafficking campaign"](https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/the-killers-back-mtv-trafficking-campaign-idUSTRE56645F). *Reuters*. Retrieved November 8, 2025.

1. Gaston, Peter (2009-07-15). ["Killers Clip Exposes Sex Trafficking"](https://www.spin.com/2009/07/killers-clip-exposes-sex-trafficking/). *SPIN*. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. ["CRC launches Killers' video tonight for MTV Exit"](https://campaignbrief.com/crc-to-launch-killers-video-to/). *Campaign Brief*. 2009-07-13. Retrieved 2025-11-09.

1. ["Goodnight, Travel Well by The Killers | Tunefind"](https://www.tunefind.com/song/the-killers/goodnight-travel-well). *www.tunefind.com*. Retrieved 2025-11-16.

1. *Day & Age* (liner notes). [The Killers](/source/The_Killers). [Island Records](/source/Island_Records). 2008. B0012197-02.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Goodnight, Travel Well](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight%2C_Travel_Well) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight%2C_Travel_Well?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.