A ghost story? In a way, yes. Though there is no "real" ghost
(whatever that might be) involved. A ghost is something immaterial,
but appears to be real, that haunts you and you can't get rid of it -
just like the "visions of the past".
The lyrics and the sparse guitar chords create the imagination of a
lone lady walking along a railroad through a desert, from one ghost
town to another. Can't you almost see all those empty saloons and
stores and office buildings, with those hollow windows and with the
open doors flapping in the wind?
"Ghost Town" is merely a metaphor for a relationship that was broken
up at some time in the past. It was alive back then, just like the
town in the ages of the gold rush. But now there are only dead ruins
left - and "visions of the past" that haunt her like ghosts.
Her partner had already let her participate in his plans for the
future: living in Paris or New York. A kind of vision as well, that
now no longer can come true, because he is already married to another
woman and apparently lucky hith her. Our lady is "lost somewhere" in
his mind, once again immaterial like a ghost.
She is somewhat undecided. She knows that the ghosts would disappear
if she just left this railroad track to walk in some other direction,
not touching any ghost town again. But as long as she adheres to the
illusion that she "will come back to him some day", she cannot leave
the railroad track and cannot get rid of those ghosts - the visions of
the past.
An awesome song. And sad at the same time. Bittersweet like most of
the songs by "First Aid Kit".
A ghost story? In a way, yes. Though there is no "real" ghost (whatever that might be) involved. A ghost is something immaterial, but appears to be real, that haunts you and you can't get rid of it - just like the "visions of the past".
The lyrics and the sparse guitar chords create the imagination of a lone lady walking along a railroad through a desert, from one ghost town to another. Can't you almost see all those empty saloons and stores and office buildings, with those hollow windows and with the open doors flapping in the wind?
"Ghost Town" is merely a metaphor for a relationship that was broken up at some time in the past. It was alive back then, just like the town in the ages of the gold rush. But now there are only dead ruins left - and "visions of the past" that haunt her like ghosts.
Her partner had already let her participate in his plans for the future: living in Paris or New York. A kind of vision as well, that now no longer can come true, because he is already married to another woman and apparently lucky hith her. Our lady is "lost somewhere" in his mind, once again immaterial like a ghost.
She is somewhat undecided. She knows that the ghosts would disappear if she just left this railroad track to walk in some other direction, not touching any ghost town again. But as long as she adheres to the illusion that she "will come back to him some day", she cannot leave the railroad track and cannot get rid of those ghosts - the visions of the past.
An awesome song. And sad at the same time. Bittersweet like most of the songs by "First Aid Kit".