Earl Greyhound formed in 2002 with the collaboration of songwriters Matt Wh… Read Full Bio ↴Earl Greyhound formed in 2002 with the collaboration of songwriters Matt Whyte and Kamara Thomas. Living and working in New York City, the pair began performing regularly as a duo. All along, they were crafting the sound and songs that would form the foundation for a colossal rock band influenced by the strident English three- and four-pieces of the 70’s, the dark pop and heavy grooves of the 90’s, and the transcendental, noisy acid sounds of modern rock.

The band’s first full-length album, Soft Targets, was recorded in Los Angeles and Brooklyn in 2005. However, they were loathe to release the album without a permanent drummer—tellingly, a constant snag since EG’s inception. Taking a leap of faith, Matt and Kamara vowed to play a gig every week until their dream drummer found them. One fateful evening, a gig at Brooklyn’s Southpaw brought them a friend in guitar player Kirk Douglass (of The Roots). Douglass became a fan and brought his friend and Gold Crowns bandmate Ricc Sheridan to gigs for the next few weeks. Ricc says, “I awoke from a dream one night, and knew that this was my band.” A rockneck-inducing jam confirmed that the band had found its holiest trinity. They hit the ground running with Big Ricc Sheridan on drums, and the world has been rocking their faces ever since!

Released in October 2006, Soft Targets earned loads of fans and critical acclaim from publications including The New Yorker, SPIN, Rolling Stone, Brooklyn Vegan and Pitchfork. Even more so, the band’s live show quickly drew heaps of attention and gained a steady reputation among critics and fans alike as a veritable rock-n-roll wrecking ball. Earl Greyhound toured relentlessly for the next two years all over the US, Canada and Japan, and autumn 2007 was spent playing theatres as openers for the band’s good friend Shooter Jennings as well as Soundgarden and Audioslave’s Chris Cornell.

Ghost and the Witness
Earl Greyhound Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Shadows fall and start to crawl across the stones of a Spanish street
From just beyond to underneath the shelter of the moon
And so it begins, a maiden wins her passage into the night
And come what may, just as storm winds spray, both ashore, and left to right
But most of all, like the far off squall that forms in distant view
She lay inside the pierced divide that splits hers from me and you

Let me love, let me walk the floor

Let me cross to shore
I want to be with you, I want to be with you
Let me love, let me lock the door
Let me closer boy
I want to be with you, I want to be with you

We are we are we are we are we are

I'm not meant to know when she comes so I set my intention
I send up my intention
I'm not meant to know, I'm ready to go
I'm at the hearth in the kitchen
At the hearth, ready, and set to go she comes...
Knock down, knockin that door in
Knock down, knockin that door in

We are we are we are we are we are
The ghost and the witness

Overall Meaning

The song "Ghost and the Witness" by Earl Greyhound is a mysterious and poetic journey into the unknown. The opening lines paint a foreboding picture of shadows crawling across a Spanish street, hinting at the danger and intrigue that lurks ahead. A maiden wins her passage into the night, suggesting that she is leaving behind something or someone and setting off on a perilous journey. The storm winds spray ashore, creating chaos and confusion, and the pierced divide separates her from the singer, as well as from the listener.

The chorus is a plea to be with the mysterious woman, to love her and cross to her side. The urgency in the words is palpable, as if the singer is on the brink of something important and cannot wait any longer. The repetition of "We are we are we are we are we are" creates a sense of unity and solidarity, as if the singer is not alone in their quest for love and understanding.

The final verse is the most enigmatic, with the singer admitting that they are not meant to know when the woman comes. They set their intention and wait, ready to go at a moment's notice. When she finally arrives, she knocks down the door to the singer's heart, breaking through the barriers that have kept them apart. The haunting chorus repeats one last time, "We are we are we are we are we are," leaving the listener with a sense of unfinished business and an urge to know more.

Line by Line Meaning

Shadows fall and start to crawl across the stones of a Spanish street
The darkness creeps along the pavement of a deserted Spanish road

From just beyond to underneath the shelter of the moon
Starting from beyond the horizon, hidden under the protection of the night sky

And so it begins, a maiden wins her passage into the night
A young woman starts her journey into the darkness of the night

And come what may, just as storm winds spray, both ashore, and left to right
Regardless of what happens, like waves of a stormy sea hitting both land and sea, from every direction

But most of all, like the far off squall that forms in distant view
Above all else, like a faraway storm that slowly approaches

She lay inside the pierced divide that splits hers from me and you
She is separated from us by an unyielding divide

Let me love, let me walk the floor
Allow me to love you, let me pace the room

Let me cross to shore
Let me reach my destination

I want to be with you, I want to be with you
I desire your companionship

Let me love, let me lock the door
Allow me to love you, let me secure the entrance

Let me closer boy
Come closer to me, my beloved

We are we are we are we are we are
We exist together

I'm not meant to know when she comes so I set my intention
I'm not supposed to know her arrival, so I prepare for it

I send up my intention
I offer my purpose

I'm not meant to know, I'm ready to go
I'm uncertain of what will happen, but I'm ready to face it

I'm at the hearth in the kitchen
I wait in the warmth of the kitchen

At the hearth, ready, and set to go she comes...
She suddenly appears at the hearth, primed for the journey

Knock down, knockin that door in
She breaks down the door with a forceful knock

The ghost and the witness
My presence as a witness and her apparition as a ghost

Contributed by Ethan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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01The Eyes of Cassandra Part I2:08

02The Eyes of Cassandra Part II4:33

03Oye Vaya3:24

04Ghost and the Witness3:43

PT3M43S

Earl Greyhound

05Shotgun4:49

06Holy Immortality3:20

07Sea of Japan3:50

08Black Sea Vacation3:14

09Bill Evans3:57

10Out of Air5:29

11Misty Morning6:33

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Comments from YouTube:

marty dye

13y

This song is just incredible as is the band!!!!! I hope they get the credit they deserve nationally and even worldwide soon!!!! They are a talented Trio!!!!!