Give Up the Ghost
Radiohead Lyrics
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Don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
Don't hurt me
Gather up the lost and sold (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
Gather up the pitiful (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
What seems impossible (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
I think I have had my fill (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
I think I should give up the ghost (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
In your arms (don't hurt me)
Radiohead's song "Give Up the Ghost" is a hauntingly beautiful ballad that speaks to the fragility of the human heart and the desire for protection and love. The repetition of the plea "Don't hurt me" is a cry for help, a plea for someone to gather up those who are lost and pitiful and keep them safe in their arms. The repeated phrase "in your arms" is a powerful metaphor for the safety and security that we all crave in life, the feeling of being protected and cared for.
The final chorus of the song, with the line "I think I should give up the ghost" is a poignant moment that speaks to the idea of surrendering to the inevitability of our own mortality. The phrase "give up the ghost" is an old English idiom that means to die, and in this context, it seems to suggest the idea of letting go and accepting our fate. The song ends on a note of resignation and acceptance, with the repeated refrain of "In your arms" providing a sense of comfort and safety in the face of the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't hurt me
A plea to someone to not harm or inflict pain on the singer.
Gather up the lost and sold (don't hurt me)
Asking the person to gather those who have been neglected and are without purpose or direction, but to do so with kindness and care.
In your arms (don't hurt me)
The singer seeks comfort and protection from the person, but still expresses hope that they won't harm them.
Gather up the pitiful (don't hurt me)
A continuation of the request for the person to help those who are suffering, but again emphasizes the importance of doing so gently.
What seems impossible (don't hurt me)
The artist acknowledges that there are things that seem unattainable, but still pleads for the person to not cause them harm.
I think I have had my fill (don't hurt me)
A declaration that the singer has had enough of whatever pain or hardship they have been enduring, but still seeks protection from the person.
I think I should give up the ghost (don't hurt me)
The singer is contemplating giving up and letting go of their troubles. The repeated plea for the person to not hurt them highlights the vulnerability and need for assurance.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Colin Charles Greenwood, Edward John O'Brien, Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood, Philip James Selway, Thomas Edward Yorke
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