Ghosts
Albert Ayler & Don Cherry Lyrics
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It isn't the same street
To me it's a haunted avenue
The crowded ballroom seems empty and blue
This town's a ghost town without you
What memories I find
In the café we dined in
The sound of our laughter lingers on
This was a gay town
From dusk until dawn
Now it's a ghost town since you're gone
Sweetheart your face is in all those places
And my heart embraces each vision of you
If only we'd make up
These shadows would break up
And I'd see that sun come shining through
So, darling, come back, I need you, I do
The song "Ghosts" by Albert Ayler & Don Cherry is a beautiful and heartfelt ballad about the emptiness and haunting essence of a town when a loved one is not there. The first verse sets the scene. The singer is walking up Main Street, but it's not the same street anymore. It's now a haunted avenue. The crowded ballroom, which used to be full of life, is now empty and blue. This town has become a ghost town without the loved one's presence. The second verse takes us to a cafe where sweet memories were created. It's the same cafe where they laughed together, and the sound of their laughter still lingers on. The singer uses sensory language to describe how bittersweet it is to remember all these past feelings without the actual presence of the loved one.
The chorus is full of longing and emotion. The town used to be a gay town, full of life and joy from dusk until dawn. However, since the loved one left, it's now a ghost town. The singer reminisces about how every place in the town has the loved one's face, and the heart embraces each vision. If only they could make up, the shadows would break up, and the sun would shine through for them. The song's message is that when someone leaves, they leave a void that's hard to fill, and every place becomes a reminder of their absence.
Facts about the song "Ghosts" by Albert Ayler & Don Cherry:
- "Ghosts" was recorded in 1964 as part of the album "Spiritual Unity."
- Albert Ayler wrote and composed the song.
- The song features Albert Ayler on tenor saxophone, Don Cherry on trumpet, Gary Peacock on bass, and Sonny Murray on drums.
- The album "Spiritual Unity" is considered one of the most important avant-garde jazz albums of all time.
Line by Line Meaning
When I walk up Main Street
As I stroll on this road called Main Street
It isn't the same street
To me, it doesn't look like the same street it used to be
To me it's a haunted avenue
In my mind, it's a road full of chilling memories
The crowded ballroom seems empty and blue
Even the busy hall feels lonely and sad
This town's a ghost town without you
This place doesn't feel the same since you left
What memories I find
I discover memories of us
In the café we dined in
Especially the moments when we had dinner at the café
The sound of our laughter lingers on
The sweet sound of our laughter still echoes in my head
This was a gay town
This was a lively place
From dusk until dawn
During days and nights
Now it's a ghost town since you're gone
But now, it feels like a deserted place since you're no longer around
Sweetheart your face is in all those places
My darling, I still see your face in all the corners of this town
And my heart embraces each vision of you
And every time I see you in my head, my heart feels comforted
If only we'd make up
If only we could reunite
These shadows would break up
All these negative thoughts would disappear from my mind
And I'd see that sun come shining through
And I'll finally see hope again
So, darling, come back, I need you, I do
Please come back, my dear, I miss you so much
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: NICK ACQUAVIVA, TED VARNICK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kenneth Terrell
Ayler was the most important tenor saxophonist of the 1960s after Coltrane. His longer version of Ghosts is absolutely perfect, and with Murray on drums, like here, is monumental. Add in Cherry, and you have a masterpiece. Just pure magic to the eardrums.
k
How could you like this masterpiece?
BIll
I use to listen to this