"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.
"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.