Michael Geist, also known as DJ Ghost, formed GGFH in 1986. After releasing several demo tapes and playing the occasional live show, Brian J. Walls joined the band and the duo were eventually signed to "Dreamtime Records" in 1992.
GGFH toured briefly with the metal bands Fear Factory and My Dying Bride and shortly after the tour, Brian J. Walls left the band to pursue other interests (1993).
Over the next 10 years DJ Ghost started a graphic design company and gained notoriety as a DJ. After the release of βThe Very Beast of GGFH Vol. 1β in 2001, DJ Ghost decided to begin work on another GGFH LP.
With the absence of Brian J. Walls, the bandβs main song writer, DJ Ghost looked to a handful of contributors to help write new GGFH material.
Serrated Smile was released in 2005.
Real
G.G.F.H. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reaching, grasping for the light
Running, try to catch my breath
Falling down, there's nothing left
Is it all inside of me?
Is it all that you can feel?
Is it real?
Breathing through a plastic bac
Eyes are burnt and skin is scabbed
Senses gone and fingers peel
Wounds just bleed and never heal
Try to sleep but it don't come
Fluid pumped into my lungs
No sense of touch, no way to feel
How can I tell if this is real?
If this is real?
Coming back around again
Greeted by a blackened grin
Open up, there's something wrong
The taste of metal in my tongue
Mother's back, no need to fear
Cover me so I can't hear
Soiled cloth around my face
Take me to a better place
No sense of touch, no way to feel
How can I tell if this is real?
If this is real?
The television in my head
My monitor keeps going dead
Communication's breaking down
There's bodies lying all around
Touching the forbidden flesh
I want it all and nothing less
Wasted limbs and fingers peel
How can I tell if this is real?
If this is real?
Tortured hands don't lose their grip
Pulling 'til my muscles rip
I pray to God my soul to take
The lyrics of G.G.F.H.'s song Real convey a desperate search for truth and reality. The singer appears to be lost and disoriented, unable to discern what is real and what is not. The opening lines suggest a struggle to find purpose and meaning amid chaos: "Moving with the grace of night/ Reaching, grasping for the light." The second stanza paints a haunting picture of a body ravaged by illness, pollution, or addiction: "Breathing through a plastic bag/ Eyes are burnt and skin is scabbed/ Senses gone and fingers peel/ Wounds just bleed and never heal." The singer's confusion intensifies as they grapple with the question of whether what they are experiencing is really happening: "How can I tell if this is real?"
As the song progresses, the singer encounters more surreal and disturbing imagery, from the taste of metal in their mouth to the "television in my head." They also seem to stray into darker, more taboo territory with the line "Touching the forbidden flesh/ I want it all and nothing less." The final stanza implies a kind of grotesque, self-destructive determination as the singer pulls until their muscles rip: "Tortured hands don't lose their grip/ Pulling 'til my muscles rip/ I pray to God my soul to take."
Overall, Real is a bleak, visceral exploration of the human experience, grappling with themes of identity, mortality, and the elusive nature of reality.
Line by Line Meaning
Moving with the grace of night
Moving quickly and fluidly
Reaching, grasping for the light
Trying to reach and attain something good
Running, try to catch my breath
Experiencing exertion, struggling to breathe
Falling down, there's nothing left
Exhausted and defeated
Is it all inside of me?
Questioning whether everything is within one's self
Is it all that you can feel?
Wondering if what a person feels is all there is
Is it real?
Questioning the authenticity of the situation
Breathing through a plastic bag
Experiencing suffocation
Eyes are burnt and skin is scabbed
Suffering physical injuries
Senses gone and fingers peel
Losing physical and sensory faculties
Wounds just bleed and never heal
Perpetual injury and suffering
Try to sleep but it don't come
Unable to rest or find peace
Fluid pumped into my lungs
Undergoing medical treatment
No sense of touch, no way to feel
Losing tactile senses
How can I tell if this is real?
Questioning the authenticity of what is happening
Coming back around again
Experiencing the situation again
Greeted by a blackened grin
Confronted by something ominous and sinister
Open up, there's something wrong
Something is clearly not normal or right
The taste of metal in my tongue
Experiencing something unpleasant or metallic
Mother's back, no need to fear
Comforting presence of someone maternal
Cover me so I can't hear
Blocking out unpleasant sounds
Soiled cloth around my face
An article of clothing that is dirty or soiled
Take me to a better place
Desire for a better situation or environment
The television in my head
Internalizing external influences
My monitor keeps going dead
Electronic device malfunctioning or breaking
Communication's breaking down
Inability to communicate effectively
There's bodies lying all around
Surrounded by dead bodies
Touching the forbidden flesh
Engaging in taboo or forbidden behavior
I want it all and nothing less
Desiring everything
Wasted limbs and fingers peel
Losing physical faculties
Tortured hands don't lose their grip
Continuing to hold on despite pain and suffering
Pulling 'til my muscles rip
Experiencing physical exertion and injury
I pray to God my soul to take
Turning to a higher power for help or comfort
Contributed by Austin I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@NDanielka
this is real
@Aconitum_napellus
How can you tell?
@carloscastro1192
real