The emotions that fueled “GHOST TOWN” were pulled from observing a friend’s toxic relationship and the development of his own emotional maturity. “I saw the situation from an outside perspective and wondered what they could have done differently.” Ultimately, the song is about making tough decisions. “Love can hurt more than it can help,” the rising pop artist says. “Sometimes the best way of showing someone you care is by letting them go.”
Incredibly, “GHOST TOWN” was one of the first songs Boone ever wrote. “I was in an Uber on the way to my first recording session in Los Angeles,” he remembers. For inspiration, the newcomer skimmed through texts from his unlucky-in-love friend. “The melody and lyrics just popped into my head.” Afraid to lose his train of thought, the teenager sang the chorus into his phone in the back of the car. “It was a little embarrassing,” he laughs. “The driver wondered what I was doing.”
It turns out Boone has a habit of being very, very good at things without realizing it. Growing up in Monroe, Washington, the budding hitmaker spent most of his time outdoors. In fact, his latent musical talent only emerged by coincidence. “I went to a Jon Bellion concert right before COVID,” he remembers. “I watched him perform and felt like I understood him. It had a huge impact on me.” Around the same time, Boone was asked to sing in a friend’s band and wowed everyone including himself. “It’s a once in a lifetime event to discover a hidden talent. It was so freeing to be able to express myself.”
Now, the singer/songwriter is making up for lost time. “I want people to see that I take music seriously,” Boone says. So much so that he plays multiple instruments on “GHOST TOWN” including the drums, guitar and piano, an instrument that he picked up by ear. Boone even drew the cover art. “I used white charcoal on black paper,” he says. “The drawing took about five hours.”
That DIY approach is also reflected in the “GHOST TOWN” video. “I didn't want to go with a typical love story,” he says. Instead, the breakthrough artist went back to his hometown and hung out with friends. “We went cliff jumping and hiking, we went to lookouts,” he says. “Just the normal things I did growing up.” It’s the kind of highly personal content he shares with fans on TikTok. “I started out posting funny videos and daredevil stuff,” Boone says. Once the late bloomer discovered his singing voice, he started using the platform quite differently.
“Social media is the biggest opportunity to get people to know you personally,” he says. “Hopefully, they will not only like my music, but they'll understand and like me as a person, so I'm more than just a song to them.” That desire to connect with fans authentically is why he stepped away from American Idol, despite wowing judges at auditions. “It was a very hard choice,” Boone admits. “I didn't really know who I wanted to be as an artist yet, and I didn't want to show the world someone I'm not.”
It turned out to be a wise move. Shortly thereafter, he connected with Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds and was invited to collaborate with the chart-topping rock star in Las Vegas. “It was really scary and intimidating,” he remembers. “But it was the greatest three days of my life.” Before long, Boone had signed to his Night Street label in conjunction with Warner Music. “I knew Benson was special when I met him, he just draws you in,” Reynolds says.
“It was our first writing session together when I realized he's a once in a generation talent,” the Imagine Dragons hitmaker continues. “He has this innate sense of melody and vocal ability that blew me away.” Reynolds has since become a mentor, sharing advice from his journey to the very top of the music industry including the importance of growing and evolving as an artist.
“As I develop, I'm going to move towards self-production,” Boone says. “It's going to be an expression of what I feel, what I go through and what I'm thinking. I hope my music changes over time because I'm always changing.” One thing that will remain the same is his emphasis on vocals: “The voice carries so much emotion.” Citing artists like Lewis Capaldi and Adele as influences, the rising star wants to move people with his powerful pipes.
While Boone is still at the very beginning of his music journey, he’s in it for the long haul. “Working hard and writing good songs are the most important things to me,” he says. “I'm trying to learn as much as I can about who I am and what kind of music I want to write.” His goal is to engage with fans authentically and make songs that stand the test of time. With “GHOST TOWN,” the singer/writer takes an auspicious first step towards achieving it.
Beautiful Things
Benson Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But lately, I've been doin' better
Than the last four cold Decembers I recall
And I see my family every month
I found a girl my parents love
She'll come and stay the night, and I think I might have it all
And I thank God every day
For the girl He sent my way
And I hold you every night
And that's a feeling I wanna get used to
But there's no man as terrified as the man who stands to lose you
Oh, I hope I don't lose you
Mmm
Please stay
I want you, I need you, oh God
Don't take
These beautiful things that I've got
Please stay
I want you, I need you, oh God
Don't take
These beautiful things that I've got
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Please don't take
I found my mind, I'm feelin' sane
It's been a while, but I'm finding my faith
If everything's good and it's great, why do I sit and wait 'til it's gone?
Oh, I'll tell ya, I know I've got enough
I've got peace and I've got love
But I'm up at night thinkin' I just might lose it all
Please stay
I want you, I need you, oh God
Don't take
These beautiful things that I've got
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Please stay
I want you, I need you, oh God
I need
These beautiful things that I've got
In these lyrics, Benson Boone reflects on the positive changes and blessings in his life. He acknowledges that he had gone through a rough period in the past, but recently, he has been doing much better. This newfound improvement in his life feels significant and more positive than the previous difficult Decembers he remembers. He expresses gratitude for being able to see his family regularly and having found a girl who his parents also love. This girl stays overnight, and he feels like he might have found everything he needs. He thanks God every day for sending her his way.
However, alongside his gratitude, there is a sense of fear and vulnerability. Benson acknowledges that while he is grateful for the things he has, he is aware that they can be taken away from him. He cherishes the feeling of holding this person every night, and it's a feeling he hopes to become accustomed to. But the fear of potentially losing her overwhelms him, making him feel like there is no man more terrified than him.
The chorus pleads for the person he is singing to not leave him. He expresses his desire for them to stay because he wants and needs them in his life. He calls these aspects of his life, such as his family and this person, "beautiful things" that he has obtained. He asks God not to take away these beautiful things, as he cherishes and values them immensely.
Benson then reflects on finding his sanity and regaining his faith. He recognizes that he has enough peace and love in his life, but he still feels compelled to worry about losing it all. Even if everything is good and great in his life, he finds himself waiting anxiously for it to be taken away. It showcases his underlying fear and worry, despite the positive changes he has experienced.
Overall, these lyrics convey a mix of gratitude, vulnerability, and fear. Benson Boone acknowledges the positive things in his life while harboring a deep fear of losing them. He expresses his desire for the person he holds dear to stay with him and pleads with God to not take away the beautiful things he has found. It is a reflective and emotional exploration of the complexities of love, gratitude, and fear of loss.
Line by Line Meaning
For a while there it was rough
There was a difficult period in my life
But lately, I've been doin' better
Recently, my situation has improved
Than the last four cold Decembers I recall
Compared to the past, this winter has been milder
And I see my family every month
I have the privilege of spending time with my family on a regular basis
I found a girl my parents love
I have a romantic partner who is adored by my parents
She'll come and stay the night, and I think I might have it all
When she spends the night with me, I feel complete and content
And I thank God every day
I express gratitude to God on a daily basis
For the girl he sent my way
I am thankful to God for bringing this wonderful girl into my life
But I know the things he gives me, he can take away
I am aware that the blessings I receive from God may be taken away
And I hold you every night
I embrace you every night
And that's a feeling I wanna get used to
I desire to become accustomed to such a comforting feeling
But there's no man as terrified as the man who stands to lose you
The fear of losing you is unparalleled and deeply unsettling
Oh, I hope I don't lose you
I sincerely pray that I don't lose you
Please stay
I plead for you to remain by my side
I want you, I need you, oh God
You are someone I desire and rely on, dear God
Don't take
Please refrain from taking away
These beautiful things that I've got
These precious aspects of my life that bring me joy
I found my mind, I'm feelin' sane
I have regained my mental stability and sanity
It's been a while, but I'm finding my faith
Although it took some time, I am rediscovering my faith
If everything's good and it's great, why do I sit and wait 'til it's gone?
Even when everything appears to be going well, why do I worry and anticipate its eventual loss?
Oh, I'll tell ya, I know I've got enough
Let me assure you, I am fully aware that I have an abundance
I've got peace and I've got love
I possess inner peace and love in my life
But I'm up at night thinkin' I just might lose it all
During the night, I often contemplate the possibility of losing everything
I need
I desperately require
These beautiful things that I've got
To hold onto these wonderful aspects of my life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Benson Boone, Evan Blair, Jackson Lafrantz Larsen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@emilyloyola935
Verse 1]
For a while there it was rough
But lately, I've been doin' better
Than the last four cold Decembers I recall
And I see my family every month
I found a girl my parents love
She'll come and stay the night, and I think I might have it all
And I thank God every day
For the girl he sent my way
But I know the things he gives me, he can take away
And I hold you every night
And that's a feeling I wanna get used to
But there's no man as terrified as the man who stands to lose you
Pre-Chorus]
Oh, I hope I don't losе you
Mm
Please stay
I want you, I need you, oh God
Don't take
Thеse beautiful things that I've got
[Chorus]
Please stay
I want you, I need you, oh God
Don't take
These beautiful things that I've got
[Post-Chorus]
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh, oh, please
Please don't take
[Verse 2]
I found my mind, I'm feelin' sane
It's been a while, but I'm finding my faith
If everything's good and it's great, why do I sit and wait 'til it's gone?
Oh, I'll tell ya, I know I've got enough
I've got peace and I've got love
But I'm up at night thinkin' I just might lose it all
Chorus]
Please stay
I want you, I need you, oh God
Don't take
These beautiful things that I've got
[Post-Chorus]
Oh-oh-oh-oh, oh, oh, please
[Outro]
Please stay
I want you, I need you, oh God
I need
These beautiful things that I've got
@BensonBoone
So what do we think?
@ivettecano6228
Literally chills
@kinsleymcfarlen2675
Shaking, screaming, crying, laughing, hands down the best song ever!!!!!!!!
@Volleyboone
Hi Benson! I really hope you see this! You’ve been my favorite singer for a year now and have really influenced my music! Even my friends say it’s a mix of yours and country 🤣. You’re amazing and your fans love you! You deserve it all! Long live Benson Backflip Boone!
@loismccray5302
Amazing 🎉
@KhloeErrazo-tm9ls
It’s amazing
@BatMan-oe2gh
Just to let you youngsters know. I am 63 and this guy can SING!!! What a great song. Every time it comes on my radio in the car, I crank it up loud. A brilliant song. Us oldies know a good song when we hear one. My 84 year old mother thought this song was really good as well.
@richardbridges7962
61, can't sing but it doesn't stop me, great tune
@historyraven99
My mom is 86 and loves his voice. She also loves Chris Cornell. The ladies from that era know music like no other. ❤
@historyraven99
@@Bradley-rq2mpRock on Bradley!