When I was a baby, I was blessed by a stranger
In waters I didn′t understand
And now I'm infected with disbelief and blasphemy
I′ll never have a holy land
I am a ghost in the eyes of my God

But I will transcend
And vomit this loser out of me
I will become the next big thing
I will light myself on fire
It's time to get out of bed
And be the starchild I can be

A billion light years away, someone's thinking the same thing
But he′s already turned to dust
And the starlight I see is a billion light years old
A ghost just like the rest of us
Nothing I see is here anymore

But I will transcend
And vomit this loser out of me
I will become the next big thing
I will light myself on fire
It′s time to get out of bed
And be the starchild I can be

(Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh)
(Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)
(Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh)
(Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ghost Quartet’s song Starchild explore themes of spirituality, self-discovery, and the passage of time. The song begins with the singer reflecting on a blessing they received as a baby from a stranger in unknown waters. However, instead of feeling guided or fulfilled by this experience, the singer feels infected with disbelief and blasphemy, lamenting that they will never have a holy land. The singer, therefore, feels like a ghost in the eyes of their God, unable to find a place where they truly belong.

Despite these feelings of uncertainty and restlessness, the singer is determined to transcend their current state and become something greater. They vow to “vomit this loser out of me” and become the next big thing, even if it means lighting themselves on fire. The lyrics suggest that this desire for change is universal, and that there are others in distant corners of the universe who are thinking the same thing but have already turned to dust. The starlight that the singer sees, even though it is a billion light years old, helps to remind the singer of the fleeting nature of life and the importance of embracing who they truly are, a starchild.

Overall, the song encourages listeners to embrace their own individuality and not be afraid to break free from societal norms or predefined paths in order to become the best version of themselves. The haunting melody and ethereal vocals further underscore the song's themes of transcendence, isolation, and the eternal beauty of being one with the universe.

Line by Line Meaning

When I was a baby, I was blessed by a stranger
As a child, an unknown person granted me with some type of gift or blessing.

In waters I didn't understand
This blessing occurred in a situation that was unfamiliar to me.

And now I'm infected with disbelief and blasphemy
Despite this blessing, I have become tainted with feelings of doubt and rejection of religious beliefs.

I'll never have a holy land
As a result of these feelings, I have come to the realization that I will never feel a sense of religious belonging or connection to a holy place.

I am a ghost in the eyes of my God
In the eyes of my God or religion, I am considered to be a spiritual entity that has not properly fulfilled the expectations of the faith.

But I will transcend
Despite this perceived spiritual failure, I will surpass the boundaries and limitations placed upon me.

And vomit this loser out of me
I will rid myself of negative qualities and emotions, such as self-doubt, that hold me back and make me feel like a failure.

I will become the next big thing
Through my journey of self-improvement, I will reach great heights and become someone of great importance.

I will light myself on fire
I will passionately and intensely devote myself to reaching my goals.

It's time to get out of bed
I need to awaken from my spiritual slumber and take action towards my goals.

And be the starchild I can be
I need to embrace my true potential and become the best version of myself, much like a mythical starchild that is born from the stars.

A billion light years away, someone's thinking the same thing
Even though someone may be incredibly far away, they may be experiencing the same emotions and desires as I am.

But he's already turned to dust
Despite these shared experiences, that person and their physical form have long since passed away.

And the starlight I see is a billion light years old
The light that I can see from the stars has traveled an incredibly far distance and has taken an incredible amount of time to reach me.

A ghost just like the rest of us
Just like myself, the light that I see from the stars is a spiritual representation of something that no longer exists in a physical sense.

Nothing I see is here anymore
Everything that I may be looking at or experiencing is actually an ethereal image or memory of something that no longer exists in its original form.

Writer(s): Dave Malloy

Contributed by Nathaniel A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.