Schmidt started playing guitar at the age of 12. At age 20, he discovered he liked the blues after tracking the music of Jimi Hendrix back through Muddy Waters, Mississippi John Hurt, and Lightning Hopkins all the way to old country gospel and spirituals. He bought an acoustic guitar and eventually discovered the likes of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Waits and John Prine who taught him about poetry and the melody of words.
Schmidt released his first recording in 2000, an album titled Live at the Prism Coffeehouse. In 2001 he released Enjoying the Fall. 2003 brought his third collection of songs, 'Make Right the Time'. In 2005 Danny released 'Parables & Primes' a critically acclaimed album taking on mystical overtones and a sort of magical-realism reminiscent of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, or Aesop. 2007 saw the release of 'Little Grey Sheep' and 2009 the release of 'Instead the Forest Rose to Sing', his first release on Red House Records. In 2011 Schmidt released 'Man of Many Moons', also on Red House Records.
Schmidt was part of the original King of My Living Room group of Charlottesville songwriters who would go on to do a series of concerts together. As well as Schmidt, the collection of artists included Brady Earnhart, Stratton Salidis, Jan Smith, Lance Brenner, Browning Porter and Jeff Romano.
www.dannyschmidt.com
Ghosts
Danny Schmidt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From anger back to sorrow
Morning gets what midnight brings
And I'll be dead tomorrow
Just another ghost
My wife left me last wintertime
To join another man
And when I tried, but couldn't picture her sweet face inside my head
Could only see her lover's grin
It's true, I killed him dead
I've always been an honest man
As crystal as the sea
I've always said when I've done wrong
And I've said when wrong's done me
So listen to my warning though I know it might sound strange
To those who cast condoning eyes upon me when I hang
And let me tell you what I've learned,
What my guilty mind has seen
Of life and then of death and then how ghosts get stuck between
There's no slamming doors, no rattling chains, no long black veils at night
But you'd wish there was 'cause then you might could die and put things right
And ghosts have got no bodies left
And ghosts have got no will
They're etchings on your conscience by the hands that heaven killed
The world, it all looks yellow now
And every breath turns foul
The water tastes like rancid oil
And mockingbirds just howl
If you've never touched someone you love
It'll burn then if you try
The face inside the mirror stares back with cold fishbowls for eyes
The only dream you ever have is of lying there awake
I never rains upon your head
It spits into your face
A ghost just haunted me
And warned me then
That I got what I deserved
A thousand times again
Oh, listen please
To my final words
Before you bring yourself to watch that final bangle of cord
'Cause ghosts don't die when hands take hands
And ghosts are not the least
It's dust to dust and ash to ash
And from beast and back to beast
I hope your heart is large an that there's room enough in you
For the ghost you chose to make of me
And the ghost that haunts me too
So swing, swing, gallows swing
From anger back to sorrow
You hide your eyes and wash your wings
'Cause I'll be dead tomorrow
Just another ghost
Just another ghost
Just another ghost
Just another ghost
The song "Ghosts" by Danny Schmidt is a haunting and melancholic ballad that tells the story of a man who has been wronged in love and driven to the brink of insanity. The lyrics describe his descent into darkness, culminating in him committing murder, and the consequences that follow him even beyond his own death. The first verse, "Swing, swing, gallows swing / From anger back to sorrow / Morning gets what midnight brings / And I'll be dead tomorrow / Just another ghost", sets the tone for the rest of the song, suggesting that the singer is resigned to his fate and that he is only a ghostly presence in the narrative.
The second verse reveals the reason for the singer's despair: his wife has left him for another man. He cannot escape the image of her new lover's face, and in a fit of jealous rage, he kills him. The third verse is a warning to the listener, urging them not to dismiss his story or to take his fate lightly. The last verse is a plea for understanding and empathy, as the singer shares his belief that ghosts are not simply spirits that haunt the living, but are also the memories and regrets that people carry with them through life.
Overall, the song "Ghosts" is a powerful meditation on the human condition, exploring themes of love, loss, and mortality. The emotional weight of the lyrics is matched by the haunting melody, which lends the song an air of melancholy reflection.
Line by Line Meaning
Swing, swing, gallows swing
The singer is being hanged for killing his wife's lover and is addressing the gallows to swing him to his death.
From anger back to sorrow
The singer is experiencing a range of emotions, from anger towards his wife for leaving him to sorrow for the circumstances leading to his execution.
Morning gets what midnight brings
The singer is acknowledging that the harsh reality of the morning brings the consequences of the actions he took in the darkness of midnight.
And I'll be dead tomorrow
The artist is resigned to his fate and knows that he will be executed soon.
Just another ghost
The artist is comparing his imminent death to turning into a ghost--an intangible being stuck between life and death with no real place in the world.
My wife left me last wintertime
The singer's wife left him for another man, causing him to experience immense emotional pain.
To join another man
The singer's wife left him to be with someone else.
I lost her love forever and I lost my mind right then
The artist realized that he will never regain his wife's love and this caused him to lose his sanity.
And when I tried, but couldn't picture her sweet face inside my head
The artist couldn't remember his wife's face because his mind was consumed by thoughts of her lover's grin.
Could only see her lover's grin
The artist's mind was fixated on his wife's lover's smile, which haunted him day and night.
It's true, I killed him dead
The singer confesses that he killed his wife's lover because he couldn't handle the betrayal and humiliation.
I've always been an honest man
The artist prides himself on being truthful and straightforward.
As crystal as the sea
The singer is comparing his honesty to the clarity of the sea.
I've always said when I've done wrong
The singer doesn't shy away from admitting when he has done something wrong.
And I've said when wrong's done me
The singer is willing to speak up when he has been wronged by someone else.
So listen to my warning though I know it might sound strange
The artist is warning his listeners about the consequences of their actions, although it may sound unusual coming from a convicted killer.
To those who cast condoning eyes upon me when I hang
The artist is addressing those who are watching him die and reminding them that they are not any better than him.
And let me tell you what I've learned
The singer is imparting his wisdom to anyone who is willing to listen.
What my guilty mind has seen
The singer's mind is burdened with guilt from his crime and he has seen the effects of that guilt firsthand.
Of life and then of death and then how ghosts get stuck between
The artist is reflecting on the nature of life and death and how those who die in a state of inner turmoil can become trapped as ghosts.
There's no slamming doors, no rattling chains, no long black veils at night
The artist is saying that the popular image of ghosts as haunted beings who haunt people is not accurate.
But you'd wish there was 'cause then you might could die and put things right
The artist is saying that the existence of haunted ghosts would be preferable to being stuck as a ghost yourself, as it would give you the chance to make amends before you died.
And ghosts have got no bodies left
The singer is saying that ghosts are lacking in the physical form which they previously possessed.
And ghosts have got no will
The artist is saying that ghosts have no free will and are trapped in a state of existence that they cannot control.
They're etchings on your conscience by the hands that heaven killed
The singer is saying that ghosts are a product of one's own guilt and conscience, which has been impacted by the people they have harmed.
The world, it all looks yellow now
The singer is describing how his own perception of the world has changed to something that's unpleasant.
And every breath turns foul
The singer is saying that everything around him is tainted and unpleasant.
The water tastes like rancid oil
The artist is describing how his sense of taste has been affected, making even water taste bad.
And mockingbirds just howl
The artist is describing the sounds around him as unpleasant, even mocking of him.
If you've never touched someone you love
The singer is addressing those who have never experienced the intense pain of losing a loved one.
It'll burn then if you try
The experience of losing someone you love is so painful that it can leave a lasting, painful impact on your life.
The face inside the mirror stares back with cold fishbowls for eyes
The artist is describing the despair and guilt they feel through the image they see in the mirror.
The only dream you ever have is of lying there awake
The artist is saying that they can't find solace from their pain even in their dreams, which are a refuge for many.
I never rains upon your head
The artist is saying that they do not get any relief from their torment.
It spits into your face
Even the weather seems to be mocking the singer, as they are stuck in a state of unending misery.
A ghost just haunted me
The artist is describing how they've been haunted by the memories of the person they killed.
And warned me then
The spirit of the person the singer killed is warning them about the future consequences of their actions.
That I got what I deserved
The singer is acknowledging that they deserve to be executed for their crime.
A thousand times again
The singer is saying that even if they had the chance to do things over, they still would have made the same mistake.
Oh, listen please
The artist is urging their listeners to pay attention to the warnings they're giving.
To my final words
The artist is saying that these are their last words and people should listen to what they have to say.
Before you bring yourself to watch that final bangle of cord
The singer is referring to the noose that is about to kill him and is urging the listeners to reconsider their actions before it's too late for them as well.
'Cause ghosts don't die when hands take hands
The singer is saying that the memory of the dead does not disappear even if they die a physical death.
And ghosts are not the least
The artist is saying that ghosts shouldn't be underestimated as they can have a lasting impact on those who are still alive.
It's dust to dust and ash to ash
The artist is acknowledging that humans return to dust and ashes once they die.
And from beast and back to beast
The artist is making a commentary on the cyclical nature of life, in which humans are born as beasts and return to that same status once they die.
I hope your heart is large an that there's room enough in you
The singer is saying that they hope that their listeners can have compassion for them and for ghosts in general.
For the ghost you chose to make of me
The artist is addressing those who chose to make them into a ghost by executing them.
And the ghost that haunts me too
The singer is referring to the ghost of the person they killed, which has been haunting them since the day they committed the crime.
Contributed by Jordyn L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.