Ghost Towns

Radical Face

I've got no need for open roads
'Cause all I own fits on my back
I see the world from rusted trains
And always know I won't be back

'Cause all my life is wrapped up in today
No past or future here
If I find my name's no good
I just fall out of line

But I miss you
But there's comin' home
There's no comin' home
With a name like mine
I still think of you
But everyone knows
Yeah everyone knows
If you care, let it go

I've seen more places than I can name
And over time they all start to look the same
But it ain't that truth we chase
No, it's the promise of a better place

But all this time, I been chasin' down a lie
And I know it for what it is
But it beats the alternatives
So I'll take the lie

I still miss you
There's no goin' home
There's no goin' home
With a name like mine
I still dream of you
But everyone knows
Yeah everyone knows
If you can, let it go


Lyrics submitted by MrImSoGreat, edited by Atlantius, SephNite

Ghost Towns Lyrics as written by Benjamin P Cooper

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Ghost Towns song meanings
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13 Comments

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  • +2
    My Interpretation
    To me, this song is about a person who is trying to break free of their roots, hence the name of the album, but not directly responsible for the theme of this song, just related. ;-) I also think this song is about someone realizing that they have done serious damage to a person that meant a lot to them and they are dealing with the repercussions. The worst part is that their roots and their anguish come from the same place, so then they're just admitting that they fucked up and that they miss someone dearly, a long time ago.
    EuroRubishon September 11, 2012   Link
  • +2
    My Opinion
    I think this song is related to someone that wants to put his past behind,his past relationships "I still think of you,everyone knows,if you care let it go" and so he broke up with a girl and now even if he doesn't want to,he needs to let her go,also this song relates to his past life and friends. He's trying to build a new future but he obviously can't and he says: "I'm still thinking of you" so that he just simply can't carry on and keeps thinking at that girl that he once loved. Sorry for my bad english,English isn't my native language!
    AndreiSLSon February 25, 2013   Link
  • +2
    Song Meaning
    At the Oct. 15 show in Chicago Ben explained that Ghost Towns is about a drifter who has left behind his family and friends. He now travels across the country by train, taking odd jobs and refusing to settle down. The song deals with coming to terms with the finite nature of life, and that all things eventually go away. On the second album of The Family Tree the song "Reminders" revisits the character from this song, and explains how he has become a bitter, jaded, cruel man after abandoning his family and losing his belief in the inherent good in men.
    SephNiteon October 20, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Haven't heard the song, but it looks like someone who's trying to get away from their past,but each time their name is discoverd, be they yank,paddy,frog or jap they get turned away, maybe more name-genic than racist at this point. I'll youtube it now.
    MayorofNeptonshnakableon March 30, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation
    Ben is talking about a character who has became invested in their home town/city but has to leave his past, family, friends & memories behind for whatever reason. He is now a travelling man, possibly a wanted man, and he must keep moving onward. On his ventures he keeps passing through towns which haven't gave him much fulfillment, entertainment or memories as his home town, hence why he misses it.
    leelawsonon August 20, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Not sure about the actual meaning, but to me, this is about getting older, and getting away from your childhood.
    nono_ononon March 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Sean Penn directed a film, a true story of a lad who went lookin for life and reasons in Alaska, maybe this might help.
    MayorofNeptonshnakableon March 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Sean Penn directed a film, a true story of a lad who went lookin for life and reasons in Alaska, maybe this might help.
    MayorofNeptonshnakableon March 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    The song seems to reflect on a lot of subjects. On his (the artists) site he says its about family (the album as a whole) but its a bit about his own, as well as some fiction in there. But as some have pointed out, it also seems to reflect on past relationships and how someone is trying to move on but still think of that special person. For me this is the feeling i got from the song and can relate the most to, but i can also see it as just being about a journey and about experiences in general and how the person reflects on those and wished they had done some things different.
    malciteon April 12, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    He made a statement on Pandora Radio saying this song was about a man who murdered someone in his home town and ran away. This is not at all what I thought the song was about!
    megann0pon June 02, 2016   Link

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