Ghost Bitch
Sonic Youth Lyrics
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For miles and miles it flows along
Rose colored neon lighted
Swirl around turn around
Feel the touch of my hand
Swirl around swirl around
Fellow shadows black and blue
All around all around
Locking arms side by side
Crouch down before the fire's light
You're the first day of my life
I had no belief before
Until I had this dream last night
I still remember their savage cries
So serious in their right
Faces painted in joyous fright
In the dawns early light
Oh say did you see the color of my eternity
And the sweat on my skin
Our founding fathers laid right down
And Indian ghost from long ago
They gave birth to my bastard kin
America it is called
A sensation of eternity
Locking arms side by side
Crouch down before fire's light
You're the first day of my life
The lyrics to Sonic Youth's “Ghost Bitch” immediately transport the listener to a dream-like state. The song describes a surreal, almost hallucinogenic experience, with the lines “slowly pour the liquid down” and “rose colored neon lighted” evoking a sense of being lost in a strange yet beautiful place. The image of the liquid flowing for miles and miles, combined with the swirling motion and the touch of a hand, emphasizes a feeling of being carried away by something larger than oneself.
The lyrics then take a darker turn with the introduction of “fellow shadows black and blue,” who “lock arms side by side” before crouching down before “the fire’s light.” It is not entirely clear who or what these shadows represent, but the repetition of “swirl around” and “all around” suggests a sense of confusion and disorientation. The line “you’re the first day of my life” is a powerful contrast to the preceding imagery of shadows and fire, perhaps hinting at a rebirth or transformation.
The final verse of the song further adds to the dream-like quality, with references to “savage cries” and “faces painted in joyous fright.” The mention of “our founding fathers” and “Indian ghost from long ago” give the impression of a distorted history, one that is both beautiful and haunting. The song seems to encapsulate the feeling of being lost in a surreal, altered reality, where the boundaries between the past and the present are blurred.
Line by Line Meaning
Slowly pour the liquid down
Starting the ritualistic process of drinking a mind-altering substance
For miles and miles it flows along
The substance's effects are all-encompassing
Rose colored neon lighted
Aesthetically pleasing and inviting, in the context of a psychedelic experience
Swirl around turn around
The distorted senses create a disorienting effect
Feel the touch of my hand
Physical contact and connection during the shared experience
Fellow shadows black and blue
Participants in the ritual, united in the altered state of consciousness
All around all around
The unity and shared experience is pervasive
Locking arms side by side
The bond between participants is strengthened and unbreakable
Crouch down before the fire's light
A reference to ancient ceremonies and traditions, the fire symbolizing the power of the altered state
You're the first day of my life
The revelation and transformation that takes place in the altered state is profound and life-changing
I had no belief before
The singer's lack of spiritual or metaphysical belief prior to the experience
Until I had this dream last night
The substance-induced experience was akin to a vivid dream, but with lasting impact
I still remember their savage cries
The encounter with a primal, uncontrolled element of the self or collective unconscious
So serious in their right
The encounter had an air of urgency and importance, leaving a lasting impression
Faces painted in joyous fright
The duality of emotions and experiences in the altered state
In the dawns early light
The transformative experience lasted until the early hours of the morning
Oh say did you see the color of my eternity
The substance-induced experience allowed the artist to perceive a different dimension or quality of existence
And the sweat on my skin
A physical manifestation of the profound nature of the experience
Our founding fathers laid right down
The substance-induced experience exposes the flawed and hypocritical nature of traditional authority figures
And Indian ghost from long ago
A reference to America's history of oppression and genocide of indigenous people
They gave birth to my bastard kin
The artist's lineage and identity is shaped by this dark history and the substance-induced experience
America it is called
A critique of the flawed and violent nature of the country and its politics
A sensation of eternity
The experience allows for a fleeting connection to something beyond the constraints of linear time
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KIM A. GODRON, LEE M. RANALDO, ROBERT BERT, THURSTON J. MOORE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind