The band takes its name from Bishop Allen Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where the two lived together after college and has released three albums, "Charm School" (2003), "The Broken String" (2007) and "Grrr..." (2009).
Charm School (2003)
Charm School was Bishop Allen's first record. Recorded in fits and starts over two years, it grew song-by-song as Rice and Rudder wrote and played in their spare time. They recorded all the instruments on the album's 13 songs themselves, using drum loops to hide the fact that neither is a drummer, and almost everything on the record was recorded one track at a time in an ordinary bedroom. Backing vocals by Bonnie Schiff-Glenn and Kate Dollenmayer and supplementary drums by Coll Anderson, all added in the album's final stages, completed the songs.
The EP Project (2006)
In 2006, Bishop Allen recorded and released an EP every month of the year. Each record was titled for the month of its release (January, February, and so on), and, with the exception of August, which was a 14-song live disc, each contained four new studio songs.
The Broken String (2007)
In November 2006, Bishop Allen signed to Dead Oceans, a new sister label to Secretly Canadian and Jagjaguwar, for a modest advance. They began recording a new record that January, at Blackwatch Studios in Norman, Oklahoma, and delivered it two months later. This is Bishop Allen's first true studio recording and was released by Dead Oceans on July 24, 2007.
Grrr.... (2009)
Released in March 2009, this doesn't stray from Bishop Allen's specific brand of lovely indie pop.
Ghosts Are Good Company
Bishop Allen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just to hear voices
Just to see faces
I was so alone
I went deep
Into my graveyards
Found my ghosts there
I can't do this, I can't do that
I can't believe I got so fat
At least ghosts are good company
I can't believe it is so cold
I should get up before I get old
And then I'll change my ways
Before my ways change me
I was afraid
Afraid of the emptiness
Afraid of the silence
Afraid of my ghosts
Now they're here
We can share laughter
Talk about old times
It's not so bad
Now the world
Is suddenly wonderful
And I think:
Hey, I can live here again
Well, these ghosts
They will not leave me
They're the best company
That I've ever had
In Bishop Allen's song "Ghosts Are Good Company," the singer expresses his loneliness and fears by describing his search for companionship in the form of ghosts. He admits that he would have done anything to hear voices or see faces, and that he was so alone that he had to seek out his companions in graveyards with the ghosts still with him. The singer is grateful for the company of the ghosts despite the fact that he can't do certain things and can't believe that it's so cold. He expresses a desire to change his ways before they change him, but he feels comforted by the presence of the ghosts in his life.
The song is a beautiful metaphor for finding comfort in our past experiences, even the painful ones, and the comfort we might find in the memories of loved ones who have passed away. The ghosts represent the shadows of our past, but also the memories and experiences that make us who we are. By embracing them, the singer finds solace and joy in his life. The chorus of the song, "at least ghosts are good company," is a poignant reminder that we are never truly alone as long as we carry our memories and experiences with us.
Line by Line Meaning
I would've died
I was so lonely that I felt like dying.
Just to hear voices
I wanted to hear anyone's voice just to feel like I was not alone.
Just to see faces
I craved physical human connection and to see someone other than myself.
I was so alone
I was completely isolated and felt disconnected from the world around me.
I went deep
I delved into my own mind.
Into my graveyards
I confronted my past traumas and memories.
Found my ghosts there
I discovered my old selves and past experiences.
They're with me still
My past is always a part of me.
I can't do this, I can't do that
I feel stuck and limited in life.
I can't believe I got so fat
I am disappointed with myself and my current physical state.
At least ghosts are good company
Despite my loneliness, at least I will always have my past experiences to reflect on.
I can't believe it is so cold
I feel disconnected from my surroundings
I should get up before I get old
I need to take action before it's too late.
And then I'll change my ways
I will make changes to better myself and my life.
Before my ways change me
I need to take control of my own life before it controls me.
I was afraid
I was scared of confronting my past and my own emotions.
Afraid of the emptiness
I was scared of feeling empty and alone inside.
Afraid of the silence
I was scared of the lack of noise and distraction in my life.
Afraid of my ghosts
I was scared of my own past and the memories that came with it.
Now they're here
Now that I've confronted my ghosts and past experiences.
We can share laughter
I can reflect on my past memories and find joy in them.
Talk about old times
I can reminisce about my past and how it has shaped me into who I am today.
It's not so bad
Confronting my past wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
Now the world
Now that I have confronted my past and my ghosts.
Is suddenly wonderful
I see the world in a new light and have a renewed appreciation for life.
And I think:
My thoughts are now positive and optimistic.
Hey, I can live here again
I feel like I can finally live my life to the fullest again.
Well, these ghosts
My past experiences and memories.
They will not leave me
My past will always be a part of me.
They're the best company
My past experiences have shaped me into the person I am today and will always be with me.
That I've ever had
I am grateful for my past and how it has helped me grow and learn in life.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Christian Rudder, Justin Rice
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind