Ashes
Ghost Lyrics


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Ring a ring of roses
A pocket full of posies
Atishoo, atishoo
We all fall down

Ashes on the water
Ashes in the sea
Ashes on the riverside
One, two, three





Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Ghost’s song Ashes can be interpreted in different ways. The first line, “Ring a ring of roses, a pocket full of posies” is a reference to a popular nursery rhyme about the bubonic plague from the 17th century. The second line “Atishoo, atishoo, we all fall down” refers to the sneezing and coughing that was one of the symptoms of the disease. This line could also be interpreted as a metaphor for the fragility and unpredictability of life, no matter how strong we may appear.


The chorus of the song, “Ashes on the water, ashes in the sea, ashes on the riverside, one, two, three” can be interpreted in various ways. It could be referring to the ashes of a loved one that are being scattered or dumped into the water. It could also refer to the destructive nature of fire, which reduces everything to ashes. The counting in the chorus, one, two, three, could represent the finality of death and the inevitability of our mortality.


In essence, Ghost’s Ashes is a song about death, the different forms it takes, and our reactions to it. The lyrics are woven together to convey a sense of loss, mourning, and the inevitability of death, rather than to glorify death.


Line by Line Meaning

Ring a ring of roses
A group of people holding hands in a circle, possibly symbolizing unity or a shared experience.


A pocket full of posies
Holding onto or keeping something small and precious.


Atishoo, atishoo
The sound of sneezing, possibly indicating vulnerability or sickness.


We all fall down
Despite our efforts to stay upright, we all eventually experience failure or defeat.


Ashes on the water
The remains of something that has been burned and scattered on the surface of a body of water.


Ashes in the sea
The remains of something that has been burned and dispersed in the vastness of the ocean.


Ashes on the riverside
The remains of something that has been burned and deposited on the shore of a river.


One, two, three
Counting off, possibly indicating the passage of time or the inevitability of change.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: A Ghoul Writer

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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