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Give Up the Ghost Lyrics
Chorus:
Don't haunt me
don't haunt me...
Gather up the lost and sold
In your arms
In your arms
Gather up the pitifull
In your arms
In your arms
What seems impossible
In your arms
In your arms
I think I have had my fill
In your arms
In your arms
I've been told to give up the ghost
Into your arms
Into your arms
Don't haunt me
don't haunt me...
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
Into your arms
Into your arms
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i feel he's talking to death as an entity, kind of like in street spirit... i mean, it could easily be about a relationship or something like that, but it feels a lot deeper to me. just my opinion.
"Give up the ghost" can also mean to give up negative feelings or thoughts.
The "Don't haunt me" phrase is a mantra (or cantus firmus), and it's cycled through a loop to eventually lose it's prominence, as a second, third voice of "in your arms" cover the first loop in the second part of the song. Eventually Thom's voice becomes the forth voice over the loops singing "into your arms" at the end. It becomes quite comforting in a sad way. Three voices singing about "your arms".
There are a few haunting ideas in this song: 1. A feeling of no longer being of worth ("lost and sold", "pitiful"). 2. The unresolved issue ("what seems impossible"). 3. The missing energy to pursue a matter ("had my fill").
Maybe a wise person spoke to Thom and suggested he "give up the ghost" - negative thoughts and feelings that were haunting him.
I think it's about dying and saying goodbye to all your loved ones, and it's difficult for everyone to accept what's happening, more difficult for them than it is for you.
Many thanks, Worms!
Thom alternated singing: 'Don't haunt me' and 'Don't hurt me' in the chorus the last time this was performed, so there's a correction.
Thom alternated singing: 'Don't haunt me' and 'Don't hurt me' in the chorus the last time this was performed, so there's a correction.
I really am not sure what this song is supposed to be about except 'to give up the ghost' means 'to die', so I guess that idea is in the song. I am pretty sure there's only one narrator, and he is basically telling this person he's had a full life and--for whatever reason--he is ready to die in her arms. I also think he sings 'in your arms' every time, and not 'into your arms'. And...
I really am not sure what this song is supposed to be about except 'to give up the ghost' means 'to die', so I guess that idea is in the song. I am pretty sure there's only one narrator, and he is basically telling this person he's had a full life and--for whatever reason--he is ready to die in her arms. I also think he sings 'in your arms' every time, and not 'into your arms'. And the chorus might possibly be a different 'narrator', but not sure. Beautiful, haunting song.
It's about letting go I guess... It's odd I keep finding new radiohead/thom stuff when I've got an issue with something as if songs come in and out to help you through the thinking...
I was way off on that one.
I was way off on that one.
Maybe it's about dying.More specifically being ready to die.
Maybe it's about dying.More specifically being ready to die.
And the singer is telling someone they have to let him go,because he's been told to give up the ghost.
And the singer is telling someone they have to let him go,because he's been told to give up the ghost.
Then again it might be about ending a relationship...
Then again it might be about ending a relationship...
The ghost might also translate into spirit like with wine and strong booze. Addiction always haunts us all who has had any knows what I am talkinga about. Also everybody like the "lost and sold" and "pitifull" are strongly attracted by these ghost. They gather in bars on weekends and make the impossible happen - forgetting all your fears,tears and maybe the sorrow. And having your fill just means that you are so drunk that you again reached the level where you even begin to disgust yourself. This in your arms might mean while beeing drunk. Because everybody knows once you have eaten plenty you say to yourself - I have to give up on eating so much - I have to eat less after this etc. This is the same with every drug I have ever taken. While beeing high (in the arms of the drug) you just have this moment where you just want to stop.
Finally the "don't haunt me" sometimes sounds like "don't hurt me" and beeing hurt is the number one reason for taking drugs in the first place.
despite all my flaws and mistakes, pitiful as i may be, take me into your arms
be gentle with me. do not haunt me with my mistakes. don't hurt me
it seems impossible for both of us to take it. we are both haunted by my past
A: I've had my fill. In your arms i can recover and start fresh. B: I've had my fill of you haunting me with it all. My only way to salvation and renewal is if you nurse me to it in your arms; only if you stop haunting me
A: you want me to recover and start anew. to give up the ghost. I've had enough of the past, its time to move on. Safe in your gentle arms, keep protecting me B: the final ultimatum: start fresh and get healthy or we can't do this. Please stop hurting me. Its gentle love I need, not tough. I just wanted to be warm in your arms
are you guys afraid to think that perhaps he's accepting "god" or a higher power that he seeks refuge in? hence..."I've been told to give up the ghost Into your arms Into your arms"
dont mean to be the religious one over here but hey you cant deny the truth.
thank you syrian for sharing your sentiments.
this song saved my life this week. the only thing able to reach inside me and find the innocence and hope i thought i had lost long ago.
for me, this song is about addiction. and finding the hope to let it go.
vulnerable and hopeless.. and alone. or i thought i was. until i came across this song.
thank you radiohead. i am still alive.
It's a LET IT GO anthem. Or a it was never yours so stop the fascade anthem. Either way it's a great song by a very talented man/band. Some people were never meant to be in our lives and will never be in our lives. I just wish they'd stop crying when they're lonely and in the mood to use others.
It's a LET IT GO anthem. Or a it was never yours so stop the fascade anthem. Either way it's a great song by a very talented man/band. Some people were never meant to be in our lives and will never be in our lives. I just wish they'd stop crying when they're lonely and in the mood to use others.
What a ridiculous reply. Glad to hear you found meaning and strength in this song lostandsold! I hope you defeated your ghost or are moving in the right direction. Theres always a way. Keep it up
What a ridiculous reply. Glad to hear you found meaning and strength in this song lostandsold! I hope you defeated your ghost or are moving in the right direction. Theres always a way. Keep it up
Gather up the lost and sold in your arms Gather up the pitiful in your arms
These two statements mean just what they sound like. Help the people in this world less fortunate than yourself.
"What seems impossible" - the statements above and all the other things that you know is right but is just so difficult to do - take those on (world peace, human rights, global warming I suppose)
"I think I've had my fill" - sick of how everything is right now, sick of doing nothing about it.
"I think I should give up the ghost" - Just give up on trying to convince you (or self) to try to do the above.
"Don't haunt me" - giving up the ghost will come back to haunt us all.