Giving Up The Ghost

Album: Cool Like You (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Cool Like You album is a journey through Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden's love life. He sings of breaking up with the same girlfriend who inspired tracks such as "Honey Sweet" and "Getaway" on the band eponymous debut album, then falls in love all over again. Ogden told The Sun:

    "Giving up the Ghost was written in the aftermath of heartache. It's about the same person that the first album songs are all about."
  • The phrase "giving up the ghost" means to die or permanently give up hope. It relates to the Old English meaning of ghost, the soul or spirit as the source of life and originates from the King James translation of Job 14 10; "Man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?"
  • Radiohead and Starsailor have also recorded songs with the same title, while Ella Henderson had a UK #1 single that contains a "Give up the ghost" tagline.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Leslie West of Mountain

Leslie West of MountainSongwriter Interviews

From the cowbell on "Mississippi Queen" to recording with The Who when they got the wrong Felix, stories from one of rock's master craftsmen.

Janis Ian

Janis IanSongwriter Interviews

One of the first successful female singer-songwriters, Janis had her first hit in 1967 at age 15.

Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket

Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet SprocketSongwriter Interviews

The "All I Want" singer went through a long depression, playing some shows when he didn't want to be alive.

Jimmy Jam

Jimmy JamSongwriter Interviews

The powerhouse producer behind Janet Jackson's hits talks about his Boyz II Men ballads and regrouping The Time.

Eric Burdon

Eric BurdonSongwriter Interviews

The renown rock singer talks about "The House of the Rising Sun" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood."

Hawksley Workman

Hawksley WorkmanSongwriter Interviews

One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.