Ghost Story

This is a man's song, in my opinion. Men are conditioned by society from a young age to repress their feelings. He's older and is reflecting on his younger years and a particular relationship. He used to pretend indifference about it, but he is ready to admit that he felt love for this person. The analogy of a court case throughout each stanza is cool -- it's like he must put himself on trial in order to admit the truth of his feelings. I love the way the music builds up along with his realization that "I must have loved you." Great song!

Beautiful simplicity. I love the key change at the end (Okay, musicians' nonsense, but it's my favorite part because of that...)

I had the opportunity to hear Sting on public radio when this album was released. He said this song was about the relationship between him and his father.

This song is definitely about his father, and how after denying it for years, he must have loved his father after all. "You were my compass star"; he was led by him. "You were my measure"; he wanted to be like him. "When everything I did sought your attention". In his book, Sting talks about that later in life, he realized becoming famous was an effort to win his Dad's respect.

Actually, "gone resistance" is correct. They interviewed Sting asking him about Ghost Story and he stated that 'That's what ghosts are,' says Sting. 'They haunt you until you acknowledge them. The song is about being haunted on a nightly basis by the past that tortures you mentally until you say, OK, this is the truth now let's move on.'

If you notice the song goes from somber to a little lighter after 'acknowleding' his ghost (his father). Btw a ghost in this sense is not a spirit but more like a haunting thought or feeling.

Very moving song, Sting is amazing!

When I heard this song, I felt a similarity. My mom died & I did not cry like a daughter who loved her mom. Rather, I was bitter & indifferent because she was emotionally, physically & mentally abusive. When he sings about about nature, It reminded me how I would look out into the distance to block off all the negative things my mom would say. I'd focus on something beautiful. As I got older, I'd lash out at my mom like a judge & jury, demanding to know y she did this or said that, but most of all, why she didn't love me? Even after everything I did to get her to love me, how I idolized her as a child. Even with her being mean, I looked up to her.It still hurts because I still cry because I know I still love her,regardless.sorry if I don't make sense.

True story.

I once loved the most beautiful young woman on earth. She told me she loved me too. We stayed together for a couple of years. Then she broke up with me. I think she got bored. I was completely heart broken, because she wasn't just a "lover", she was the best friend I had ever had.

Then one night, as the band I was in (keyboards) was playing at a very popular bar, I saw her walk in. She was NOT a bar hopper. She had come to see ME. I asked our lead singer (a very beautiful woman as well) to pretend she was my girlfriend. It didn't work - I was a puppy dog for the only one I loved. She and I got back together.

Another two years later, she broke up with me again. I was nearly suicidal. How could she do this?! This time the heartbreak was nearly fatal. But somehow I managed to go on.

About 8 or 9 months later, going home from graduate school, I found a hand written note on my car window. It was from her. My car was in a HUGE parking lot. She had to have searched for it. She said that she worked for the business school as an admin, but that she was usually home in the early afternoons if I wanted to call. My heart REJOICED!!!!

I stayed cool and didn't call right away, but you KNOW I had to call soon. After a day or two, I called. During the call I asked if she was seeing someone. Of COURSE she was. Was she in love with him? She didn't know. (???!!! Warning!)

As we got off the phone, I asked if I could call her . . . once a week or so . . . she said she "guessed so".

That next week I went to call her. I put in the first 6 numbers, and had my finger in the hole for the last number (yes, this was about 35 years ago). I couldn't dial it. I hung up. I dialed again, but again hung up. I decided to wait another week - you can always wait another week, right? But once you call, you have called, and that's that.

So the next week I dialed . . . and hung up before the last number. What was WRONG with me?! I dialed again, but hung up. It was almost like a game.

Two weeks later. Same game. Same outcome.

It's now 35 years later. I still love her. I never called her again. I can't.

The judge and the prosecutor keep quizzing me. The jury waits for an answer.

And they wait.

This is one of my favourite songs and its by Gordon Sumner (Sting) \nThe words and music are exceptional\nSting wrote it after his father died \nHe likens his love for his father to a court case as if he is being accused of not loving his father. The ghostly hauntings of his father made him write this song \nThe words are poignant and reflect how a lot of father/son or even mother/daughter relationships can be fraught with disagreements, friction, animosity, jealousy, misunderstandings but ultimately there is love. \nSting is such a master songwriter that he can encapsulate these feelings between people which I’ve felt in my own life and add a brilliant tune for a deeper effect and create this whole ghost story. Amazing work by Gordon Sumner. Thx Sting \n\nWhat do you think ?

this is my absolute favourite sting song. there's something about it that makes me want to sing.

i agree, the song is moving, but pretty simple, it's just some of that sting magic i guess