The band first experienced chart success when their second single "Take Me Out" reached #3 in the UK Charts, followed by their debut album Franz Ferdinand which entered the UK album chart at #3. The band went on to win the 2004 Mercury Music Prize and two BRIT Awards in 2005 for Best British Group and Best British Rock Act. NME named Franz Ferdinand as their Album of the Year. From the album, three top-ten singles were released, "Take Me Out", "The Dark of the Matinée" and "This Fire". The band has also received several Grammy Award nominations.
The band is named after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria whose assassination was one of the main reasons for the start of the First World War. The band decided on the name after seeing a racehorse named Archduke Ferdinand win the Northumberland Plate in 2001, eventually coming to the decision as the alliteration and sound of the name appealed to them.
- Discography
Franz Ferdinand (2004)
You Could Have It So Much Better (2005)
Blood; Franz Ferdinand (2009)
Tonight: Franz Ferdinand (2009)
Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action (2013)
FFS (2015) (Collaborative album with the band Sparks)
Always Ascending (2018)
Hits to the Head (2022)
Ghost in a Ditch
Franz Ferdinand Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I was meant to be
I almost missed my death it's so good
Now he's decked in flowers for me
I hope she doesn't like me
Or I'll still be standing more than likely
Where he once stood
We pretend not to look at each other
But he could see over his shoulder
He got me a time,
He got that a time,
Never a time again
I noticed the hair on her head that's not real
Now I'm left with a dead and a naked ordeal
When all I want is down at the shore,
Sitting in my car
And bitter sometimes
But the taste is sweet
Your friends only like themselves in photographs
I don't like them,
I don't like you
We pretend not to care for another
I stand on my feet when I hold her
We pretend not to look at the change,
And for good I cry
So when the stars look bright above me,
And in the streetlights I can't see
I walk on down to make a stand,
Where he once stood
So now they lie there breast to breast and toe to toe
And all I want is down at the shore,
Sitting in my car
We end it, it's all over,
She'll marry me but I'll hold her
She shoveled the dirt into my face,
But I don't care
I love her
The lyrics "This ghost lay in a ditch on Thursday, Where I was meant to be" in Franz Ferdinand's song "Ghost in a Ditch" introduces the theme of a missed opportunity. The singer is haunted by the ghost of someone who took their place in death, a missed chance to end their own life. The ghost is now adorned with flowers by the singer, expressing his admiration for the ghost and his appreciation of being alive despite his intent to take his own life. The singer's thoughts then turn to a woman he desires but hopes doesn't like him, as it would likely lead to him being reduced to a place where the ghost once stood, physically dead or mentally and emotionally vacant.
Throughout the song, the singer and the woman he desires are not interested in looking at each other or acknowledging the change between them. He would rather be sitting in his car by the shore, alone with his thoughts. The singer expresses bitterness but is still drawn to the sweetness of the taste, and he doesn't like anyone, including the woman he loves or her friends. Towards the end, he accepts his fate with a woman who shovels dirt into his face but expresses his love for her despite an evident lack of care for him from her.
Line by Line Meaning
This ghost lay in a ditch on Thursday
I had planned to end up in the ditch where this ghost lies on Thursday.
Where I was meant to be
I was meant to die in the ditch where the ghost now lies.
I almost missed my death it's so good
I nearly didn't die, but now that I have, it feels good.
Now he's decked in flowers for me
The ghost in the ditch is now decorated with flowers as a tribute to me.
I hope she doesn't like me
I don't want her to like me.
Or I'll still be standing more than likely
If she likes me, I'll probably still be alive instead of being dead like the ghost in the ditch.
Where he once stood
Where the ghost in the ditch used to stand.
And that's not good
That wouldn't be good for me.
We pretend not to look at each other
We act as if we're not looking at each other.
But he could see over his shoulder
The ghost in the ditch could see over his shoulder.
He got me a time,
He beat me once.
He got that a time,
He beat me again.
Never a time again
There won't be another time when the ghost beats me.
I noticed the hair on her head that's not real
I saw that she's wearing a wig.
Now I'm left with a dead and a naked ordeal
Now I'm stuck dealing with death and feeling exposed.
When all I want is down at the shore, Sitting in my car
All I want is to be by the shore, sitting in my car.
And bitter sometimes
I can be bitter at times.
But the taste is sweet
But ultimately, it feels good.
Your friends only like themselves in photographs
Your friends only care about themselves and how they look in pictures.
I don't like them,
I don't like your friends.
I don't like you
I don't like you either.
We pretend not to care for another
We act as if we don't care for each other.
I stand on my feet when I hold her
I stand up straight when I hold her.
We pretend not to look at the change,
We act as if we're not paying attention to the changes happening between us.
And for good I cry
And I'm crying because it's for the best.
So when the stars look bright above me,
When the stars are shining above me.
And in the streetlights I can't see
And when I'm blinded by the streetlights.
I walk on down to make a stand,
I keep moving forward to make my point.
Where he once stood
Where the ghost in the ditch used to stand.
So now they lie there breast to breast and toe to toe
Now the ghost in the ditch and I are even, lying face to face.
And all I want is down at the shore, Sitting in my car
All I want is to be by the shore, sitting in my car.
We end it, it's all over,
We're ending this.
She'll marry me but I'll hold her
She'll marry me, but I won't let go.
She shoveled the dirt into my face,
She betrayed me.
But I don't care
But I still love her.
I love her
I still love her despite everything.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEXANDER PAUL KAPRANOS HUNTLEY, NICHOLAS JOHN MCCARTHY, PAUL ROBERT THOMPSON, ROBERT HARDY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind