Give Up the Ghost Lyrics

Lyric discussion by matchboxmatt 

Cover art for Give Up the Ghost lyrics by Radiohead

This song is the pinnacle of the message in this album.

The entire span of the album, each song has a repeating rhythmic/harmonic figure that is consistent throughout the song, but evolves over time. This idea of repetition is "haunting" in itself, and relates to the idea of experiences and thoughts. What is "lost and sold" are the pieces of ourselves we have forgotten or chosen to forget, the "pitiful" our regrets, and the "impossible" our personal limits that define us.

Even though we dislike characteristics or events in our lives, everything that happens to us becomes apart of us, and as we evaluate ourselves and reflect on our lives, we realize that the things we want to expel or to give up make us who we are. How then can we possibly "give up the ghost", or move on from these thoughts and experiences we'd rather forget, when they become apart of who we are?

It is the ultimate irony and truth: we dwell on things and "have our fill" in order to move on, and although we are the same person we were when we endured these events, we have evolved through our experiences and reflections.

Exactly my thoughts, just couldn't put it into words! Hit the nail on the head I think.

I came to the same notions. This entire album seems to feel like Thom reconciliating with himself or something about himself.

fyi that repetition is from thom's obsession with the minimal techno of early 90s Warp artists and jonny's influence of especially steve reich and other minimalist composers. though your idea makes it seem way more romantic ha.

the best example of them ripping off minimalist composers can be found on Convergence from Bodysong (Steve Reich- Drumming) and the 2006 version of Arpeggi performed at the ether festival (Terry Riley- A Rainbow in Curved Air). check it on youtube.