I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Realization comes through reaping
Reality contained in quite
My companions are walking corpses
I am buried with your words
Turned their backs to me
Scared to see the ghost
Turned and walked away
Scared to see the ghost
Time to go one last look, one last touch. A ghost to those I love
Time to go one last look, one last touch. Goodbye to those I love
So close
So close to separation
A ghost without a grave
A ghost without a name
So close
Reality contained in quite
My companions are walking corpses
I am buried with your words
Turned their backs to me
Scared to see the ghost
Turned and walked away
Scared to see the ghost
Time to go one last look, one last touch. A ghost to those I love
Time to go one last look, one last touch. Goodbye to those I love
So close
So close to separation
A ghost without a grave
A ghost without a name
So close
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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it's about dan's problem with panic attacks.
Dude, he's singing about when he became a Christian and how his old friends were spiritually killing him and how he had to get away, his friends didn't want to see the change and the new him, so they were scared to see the "ghost" that was now him(alive in Christ dead to sin) and were also scared of the Holy Ghost who they saw in him. God Bless
Well put.
I agree w/ KoiHoshi
this is my favorite song by Zao. and i agree with all of you.
welll put Tears, but unfortunately, outsyder101 is right... Dan himself has stated in an interview that this song is about his struggle with panic attacks... a few of his songs are, another is 'Dark Cold Sound'... if you have evidence for your view, prove me wrong, but i've read any interview that might explain any of Zao's songs, and "The Ghost Psalm" was specifically mentioned once as being about Dan's panic attacks... although i think your explanation is very intuitive and thoughtful...
this song is about dan's obsessive compulive disorders. dan said it in a live version of the song available for download on the net. this is one of my favorite zao songs as i suffer with some of the problems he does as well.
just as irishkmoore said, there's a live version of this where Dan states that it's a song about his panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorders... so let's all be happy!
Well Darth. the point of writing is to let the reader/listener figure out his/her own interpertation so really there is no wrong answers.
it's a wrong answer if it's not right... and since dan's the author, he's probably correct about the meaning.