Not a Robot But a Ghost

Album: Noble Beast (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Not a Robot But a Ghost" has a typically ambiguous lyric from Andrew Bird, who sings about cracking the codes that end the war. What's it all about? He told Drowned In Sound: "I wrote these lyrics and wrestled with over a hundred tracks we painted on then peeled away with a heat gun. You could read this as a protest song, a break up song or some vague geopolitical quagmire instantly resolved by a brilliant algorithm."
  • Bird wrote this song with Martin Dosh, a musician who records simply as Dosh. The song first appeared as an instrumental called "First Impossible" on Dosh's 2008 album Wolves And Wishes. Bird added lyrics, renamed it "Not a Robot But a Ghost" (the title doesn't appear in the lyric), and included it on his fifth album, Noble Beast, in 2009. It was the last song he wrote for the album.

Comments: 1

  • Mel Mason from FloridaCorrect me if I’m wrong. Is this song not a nod to Alan Turing?
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.

Jon Oliva of Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Jon Oliva of Trans-Siberian OrchestraSongwriter Interviews

Writing great prog metal isn't easy, especially when it's for 60 musicians.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal Tap

The 10 Bands Most Like Spinal TapSong Writing

Based on criteria like girlfriend tension, stage mishaps and drummer turnover, these are the 10 bands most like Spinal Tap.

Trucking Songs That Were #1 Hits

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.