Is There a Ghost

I think most of the interpretations on here could be correct. That is the beauty of this song. It could mean so much. I pose one more interpretation to you though.

He used to be able to sleep "I could sleep." Now something has changed that is keeping him up at night "When I lived alone". He still lives alone, so there must be something there that is keeping him awake "Is there a ghost in my house?"

Something has changed and he knows what it is, but he doesn't want to admit it. So he try to find other things to place the lack of sleep on.

In the video the girl places the blame on her pillow and blankets, so she steals other peoples pillows and blankets. People who she sees sleeping soundly. Because if they can sleep using these pillows and blankets then maybe she can as well. She finds out that no matter how many pillows she trys, she still cannot sleep. This is a representation of how people deal with their problems. Deep down we know what the issue is, but we dont want to face it. So we search for other things to blame it on. Anything but the truth.... This is my interpretation.

Bridwell told The NME April 24, 2010 that this song was inspired by his feelings of paranoia. "I suffer from paranoia really badly," he said." And the thing that inspires me most is, once I get into that horrible isolated area, I think I'm being watched." He added: "I've written songs that are based specifically on that feeling. 'Is There A Ghost' was based on an ice-maker in my house that was freaking me out."

I believe the ghost could be the relationships, friends, family and so on that have left. We've all felt a lingering presence of people. Perhaps, I'm just thinking to metaphorically. For he may sure be singing of an actual ghost in his house. Either way, this is such a simple song, yet, it resonates so many things. I guess it depends on how you are feeling and what you are going through when you hear this song. That's what makes this song so great.

My interpretation is this.

He never lived alone, or, when he could sleep he didn't live alone. He's saying he lived alone, because when he was with someone he was so carefree that he didn't even think of the possibility of ever losing that. He was alone in the sense that he had no worries about these issues. Taking his partner (yeah, let's say it's about a love relationship to simplify it) for granted during the relationship, he was too late in realizing what he was blessed with. Once she left him, he is haunted by what he once had in flesh but now only has in memory. He can't sleep anymore, and he had no idea he was so depending on his partner until he was left alone. He did not realize what he had until it was gone. The ghost troubling him is coming to terms with being alone again, having to re-learn every-day life such as sleeping and eating, without the companionship he once had. That's my interpretation, probably because that's exactly what I'm going through right now. I was so blind to what a wonderful thing I had, and when I realized it was too late. And now I'm alone and haunted by what could have been if I hadn't been so fucking slow. I'm a moron. A heartbroken moron :(

"I really tdon't hink there's a deeper meaning to this...It's actually annoying for me to read some of these interpretations!

It seems to me this song is about the sound and energy, rallying people at a gig, rather than being scrutinized for meanings. "

Karl0s, you are posting on a site called "songmeanings". If interpretations annoy you, maybe you need to find another site?

You guys are reading too much into this.

He could sleep when he lived alone...implying that now he no longer lives alone and now he can longer sleep. Why don't you sleep when you live with someone? A myriad of reasons.

The ghost could be a metaphior for something haunting him, or he could be blaming a "ghost" for not being able to sleep instead of acknowledging what is actually bothering him.

Saw them a couple weeks ago, this was definitely my favorite song they played although all their songs were badass

yeah, they're pretty amazing. i've seen them twice in the past couple weeks, and both times they've opened with this song. it's incredible and it makes a great opener. ...really speaks for us insomniacs too. anyway, can't wait until this album comes out!

this cd is amazing i cannot stop listening to it in loops

Who hasn't felt that there's a ghost in their house? Very melodic song...I've actually seen ghosts in my house. Right after my mother passed away, I was asleep and felt a tug on my shoulder. I thought my wife was trying to wake me up, but when I finally came to, my mother, who we had just buried earlier that day, was standing beside my bed. I was not dreaming, I was awake at this point. She appeared as if in the flesh. I told her she had to leave (I thought this---no words left my lips), she had to go on. She simply dissolved from body to bones to vapour in a split second. I'm not kidding. I've had some other weird stuff happen that has totally convinced me that here are ghosts in our houses. There is more to this life than we can ever imagine.