Guitarist Michael Clifford commented and expressed admiration for the song in an interview, saying, "It’s not like anything we’ve done before” he also stated “I think it will really resonate with our fan base."
The song tells the tale of a heartbroken lover who has lost his significant other – due to a breakup or even suicide/death – and is refusing to accept the fact that she is never coming back.
Ghost of You
5 Seconds of Summer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Still can't sleep on your side
There's your coffee cup
The lipstick stain fades with time
If I can dream long enough
You'd tell me I'd be just fine
I'll be just fine
Dancing through our house
With the ghost of you
And I chase it down
With a shot of truth
Dancing through our house
With the ghost of you
Cleaning up today
Found that old Zeppelin shirt
You wore when you ran away
And no one could feel your hurt
We're too young, too dumb
To know things like love
But I know better now
(Better now)
So I drown it out like I always do
Dancing through our house
With the ghost of you
And I chase it down
With a shot of truth
Dancing through our house
With the ghost of you
Too young, too dumb
To know things like love
Too young, too dumb
So I drown it out like I always do
Dancing through our house
With the ghost of you
And I chase it down
With a shot of truth
That my feet don't dance
Like they did with you
The lyrics of "Ghost of You" by 5 Seconds of Summer is a poignant expression of a post-breakup state. The song's narrator is still struggling to move on after being left behind by someone they loved deeply. The lyrics offer a vivid description of the aftermath of a relationship, with the singer waking up every morning alone, not being able to sleep on their ex-lover's side of the bed. The song suggests that the singer is trying to forget about their past by keeping busy and pretending not to care, but the memories are too strong.
The haunting melody coupled with the lyrics create a palpable sense of longing and regret. The reference to the old Zeppelin shirt is especially poignant, as it is reminiscent of a time when things were good between the two lovers. The singer acknowledges that they were "too young, too dumb" to fully understand love at the time, but now have a better grasp of its significance. In the end, the lyrics and melody evoke a sense of sadness and melancholy, as the singer chooses to dance with the ghost of their past instead of facing the present reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Here I am waking up
The singer is waking up alone and missing their lover.
Still can't sleep on your side
The singer is unable to sleep on the side of the bed where their lover used to sleep.
There's your coffee cup
The singer sees their lover's coffee cup and remembers their presence.
The lipstick stain fades with time
The evidence of their lover's presence is slowly disappearing over time.
If I can dream long enough
The singer hopes that they can dream about their lover and feel them close again.
You'd tell me I'd be just fine
The singer imagines their lover comforting them in their dreams.
I'll be just fine
The singer tries to convince themselves that they will be okay without their lover.
So I drown it out like I always do
The singer tries to forget about their pain by distracting themselves.
Dancing through our house with the ghost of you
The singer imagines dancing with their lover's memory.
And I chase it down with a shot of truth
The singer tries to confront their feelings head-on by taking a shot of alcohol.
Cleaning up today
The singer is cleaning up their space and comes across a reminder of their lover.
Found that old Zepplin shirt
The singer finds a piece of their lover's clothing that they left behind.
You wore when you ran away
The singer remembers their lover leaving and the pain it caused.
And no one could feel your hurt
The singer laments the fact that they couldn't understand their lover's pain when they left.
We're too young, too dumb
The singer realizes that they were too immature to fully understand their love for their partner.
To know things like love
The singer admits to not fully understanding what it means to love someone.
But I know better now
The singer has learned from their mistakes and now understands the true depth of their feelings.
That my feet don't dance like they did with you
The singer realizes that their joy and happiness was closely tied to their lover's presence.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Andrew Maxwell Goldstein, Ashton Irwin, Dan Steven Book, Luke Hemmings, Mitchell Collins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kitslashpuoks4167
All references I can find
“I wish that I could wake up with amnesia”
“Here I am waking up still can’t sleep on your side”
“Your lipstick stain is a work of art”
“The lipstick stain fades with time”
“And all the dreams you left behind”
“If I can dream long enough”
“Cause I’m not fine at all”
“I’ll be just fine”
“If you don’t swim you’ll drown”
“So I drown it out like I always do”
@GoldCoast_Music
• and i chase it down, with this shot of truth •
@weinersolider8836
Love your lyrics videos
@sreejasajith23
This is beautiful❤
@applesbananas5193
Dancing through our house with the ghost of you
@luciradu14
• that my feet don't dance like they did with you.. •
@wiggleflopbaker3855
Gold Coast Music tht part played wen i read this comment
@rufusoofusthedoofus
chapter 1: broken home
chapter 2: wherever you are
chapter 3: high
chapter 4: close as strangers
chapter 5: amnesia
chapter 6: jet black heart
chapter 7: invisible
the end: ghost of you
prequel: lover of mine
@calntyne8021
wherever you are too dude 💔
@rufusoofusthedoofus
dam witch which chapter would it be?
@ansetiosielinam.9130
Chapter 6: High