ROOM 93 [halsey] // Lyric Analysis

2. Ghost

This track is very representative of her style. Appearing on her debut album, , it was originally released as a single from , her EP.

Halsey mentions in her that this was the first song she wrote in a studio, for her sound, she said she wanted "church-y, scary, shimmery." She claims this song became her signature and branched the sound of the Halsey project.

From an  with MetroLyrics: " "Ghost", for me, is a song about being in a relationship with someone who is not emotionally invested and then finally making up your mind to leave that situation and decide that you deserve better. And I did."

The opening Japanese dialogue in Ghost's video roughly translates to: "As I look back at the past together with her, suddenly she starts to disappear. Maybe she never really existed."

"Is it a friend, a girlfriend, a part of herself? I wanted to see some representation of a lesbian relationship that wasn't over sexualised. Just two people in love – or at least they used to be." – Halsey on Ghost's music video.

WeatherBy from Interview Magazine asked her: "You previously wrote and released the song "Ghost", which led you to sudden and overwhelming recognition. What was that experience like?"
Halsey answered: "We got that song out really quickly, and I wasn't in bands, I didn't have any representation, and I had no interest in being a singer. It was just a cool song and I had some friends who were like, "If you put this up and gets popular; you can make a quick thousand bucks". After I put Ghost up online, that night I was heard by five record companies. I called my friend Anthony and I said "Holy shit I'm freaking out, can you come to the city and pretend to be my manager?" He was like, "Yeah I can pretend to be your manager!" That was the moment for me, sitting on this couch and having people say, "You have a gift for this." That's when all the pieces of the puzzle came together and I dawned on me that it wasn't about making $1.000, it was about what I was supposed to do. I ha 24 hours to decide and the decision was very easy to make. From that day on I've been an artist. I didn't have to become one, I just needed someone to show me the signs."

BRIDGE:

"I'm searching for something that I can't reach"

In her Spotify Commentary, Halsey mentioned how a lot of people found it weird that the track "Starts with the bridge, it doesn't make any sense."

However, it foreshadows her diminishing grip on this person or relationship that she seems to be familiar with, but she cannot recall or reach any of it.

VERSE 1:

"I don't like them innocent /
I don't want no face fresh /
Want them wearing leather /
Begging, let me be your taste test"

She doesn't want a "face fresh\innocent" novice\guy. The image exuded in these first four lines displays the typical bad boy image: leather jackets, scarred faces, and there's probably a motorbike hiding somewhere in the background – every teenage girl's wet dream.

However, Halsey is a lonely bad boy's dream, and playing "hard to get" makes them want her more. She'll feed on their vulnerabilities in order to get what she wants because they can't resist her.

"I like the sad eyes, bad guys /
Mouth full of white lies /
Kiss me in the corridor /
But quick to tell me goodbye"

In the time they share, they exchange sweet nothings to each other just like trivial words that will comfort one another, while they exchange kisses in the corridor. Once again we find a hotel-like location.

Although we find out that his bad boy exterior is revealed by his "sad eyes", he's quick to put on his facade again and say goodbye, leaving her wanting more.

PRE-CHORUS:

"You say that you're no good for me /
'Cause I'm always tugging at your sleeve /
And I swear I hate you when you leave /
I like it anyway"

The pre-chorus is contradictory. Although she constantly tries to get her lover's attention by tugging at his sleeve like a begging child would, she also finds comfort in their absence. This helps her refrain from getting attached to something that she can't truly have – .

It could also be the feeling of hate she has when he leaves because she wants more, but likes the challenge and struggle of him leaving all the time and then coming back. Kind of what happens when two people who are not used to committing are really attracted to each other; she wants to be with him all the time, but at the same time she doesn't want to get (more) attached and lead the relationship to a more serious level.

CHORUS:

"My ghost /
Where'd you go? /
I can't find you in the body sleeping next to me /
My ghost /
Where'd you go? /
What happened to the soul you used to be?"

The chorus revolves around the loss of passion developed in a relationship by one of the partners. The ghost is the symbol of all the feelings she had for her lover – she can't find him\her anymore, 'cause even if the body of the person is still there her mind and soul is absent.

These lines also present the concept of body vs. soul: the former represents the physical part of the relationship; the latter, the emotional part. While her partner's body is present, she feels a loss of the emotions she associates with his\her soul.

VERSE 2:

"You're a Rolling Stone boy /
Never sleep alone boy /
Got a million numbers /
And they're filling up your phone, boy"

This guy is a player. "Rolling Stone" is a suitable label, since he's as promiscuous as a rock star.

He has many girls' phone numbers from his numerous hook ups, and he never spends a night without a girl sleeping next to him. Different day, different girl. It might not be actually a million of them, since that's hyperbole, but Halsey doesn't like that she's just one of many.

Like Fall Out Boy said in a famous single: "I'm just a notch in your bed post / But you're just a line in a song", or like Amy Winehouse sang: "I'll be some next man's other woman soon."

"I'm off the deep end, sleeping /
All night through the weekend /
Saying that I love him but /
I know I'm gonna leave him"

She's "off the deep end" – lets her emotions and fantasies take over, becoming heavily involved with them even though she might not be prepared.

She is the same way with boys as boys are with her. She knows she is lying when she says she loves them, but she can't help herself from doing otherwise.

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is there any female celebrity that you'd ship with Ashley?