Anyone’s Ghost
The National Lyrics
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Alone with the flu
Find out from friends
That wasn't true
Go out at night with your headphones on, again
And walk through the Manhattan valleys of, the dead
Didn't want to be your ghost
Didn't want to be anyone's ghost
Didn't want to be your ghost
Didn't want to be anyone's ghost
But I don't want anybody else
I don't want anybody else
You said I came close
As anyone has come
To live underwater
For more than a month
You said it was not inside my heart, it was
You said it should tear a kid apart, it does
Didn't want to be your ghost
Didn't want to be anyone's ghost
Didn't want to be your ghost
Didn't want to be anyone's ghost
But I don't want anybody else
I don't want anybody else
I don't want anybody else
I don't want anybody else
I had a hole in the middle where the lightning went through it
Told my friends not to worry
I had a hole in the middle someone's sideshow to do
I told my friends not to worry
Didn't want to be your ghost
Didn't want to be anyone's ghost
Didn't want to be your ghost
Didn't want to be anyone's ghost
In "Anyone's Ghost" by The National, the song delves into the feeling of being misunderstood and perceived as a ghost, wanting to be heard and seen by the person they love. The song starts with the lyrics, "Say you stay at home, Alone with the flu, Find out from friends, That wasn't true," which sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer is left feeling isolated and ignored by their significant other, as they turn to spending their time alone at night in the Manhattan valleys of the dead. The desire to connect with their significant other is prevalent in the lyrics, "But I don't want anybody else, I don't want anybody else," revealing their love for them.
The second half of the song illustrates the singer's frustration with their significant other's perception of them. The lyrics, "You said I came close, As anyone has come, To live underwater, For more than a month," describes a feeling of suffocation and drowning in the relationship. The singer is coming to terms with the fact that they don't want to be seen as a ghost, but rather as a real person with emotions and feelings. The final verse, "I had a hole in the middle where the lightning went through it, Told my friends not to worry," hints at the idea of emotional pain that the singer tried to hide from the people around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Say you stay at home
You tell someone that you're staying at home
Alone with the flu
You say that you're alone and sick with the flu
Find out from friends
Later, you hear from friends
That wasn't true
That what you previously said was not true
Go out at night with your headphones on, again
You leave home at night, once more with headphones playing music
And walk through the Manhattan valleys of, the dead
You walk through a part of Manhattan that reminds you of death
Didn't want to be your ghost
You do not want to be someone's haunting memory
Didn't want to be anyone's ghost
You do not want to be a ghost or a haunting memory for anyone
But I don't want anybody else
You still want them, despite not wanting to become a ghost for them
You said I came close
Someone tells you that you came close to something
As anyone has come
This was something that no one else has come close to achieving
To live underwater
This achievement refers to living underwater or something similar
For more than a month
This was achieved for a long time, exceeding one month
You said it was not inside my heart, it was
The achievement was not solely due to your heart, but other factors too
You said it should tear a kid apart, it does
This achievement was tough, so much so that it would tear a child apart
I had a hole in the middle where the lightning went through it
You feel that you have a hole inside you, that is pierced by lightning
Told my friends not to worry
You tell your friends that everything is fine, there is no need to worry
I had a hole in the middle someone's sideshow to do
You feel that the bad things happening to you are just a part of someone else's show
Didn't want to be your ghost
Again, you do not wish to become someone's haunting memory
Didn't want to be anyone's ghost
You do not want to become a ghost or memory for anyone else, either
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Matthew Donald Berninger, Bryce David Dessner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind