Their debut full-length, Background Music, was recorded for Equal Vision Records in 2001 and was released to much acclaim. In 2003, the band faced a legal battle with a similarly named band from Philadelphia. The band then changed their name briefly to the initials "A.N." then to American Nothing for a brief period. After the other American Nightmare threatened to press charges again, they changed their name to Give Up the Ghost (which was intended to be the name of their second album). Their second full length, We're Down Til We're Underground released on Equal Vision Records, displayed the band experimenting with their sound, with longer songs that didn't follow the typical hardcore songwriting formula they had adhered to in their previous releases.
The band broke up suddenly in June 2004, a day after announcing the cancellation of a European tour. The band issued a statement which cited "health and personal reasons" for the split. Give Up the Ghost's success, combined with the success of contemporary Boston bands like The Suicide File, cemented the position of the Boston scene as the bellwether for new trends during the early 2000s. Members went on to join / form other bands such as Cold Cave, Some Girls, XO Skeletons, Ye Olde Maids, Head Automatica, Bars, and The Hope Conspiracy. Wes also went on to start a publishing company called Heartworm Press and co-owns Philadelphia based bookstore/performance space Juanita And Juan's. Give Up the Ghost came back into the headlines in 2007 under accusations that Fall Out Boy had taken lyrics from Wes Eisold, the band's lyricist, resulting in an out-of-court settlement and a credit in the liner notes of both the multi-platinum selling From Under the Cork Tree and Infinity on High.
After seven years of disbandment, Give Up the Ghost played two reunion shows in December 2011. The band performed in Revere, Massachusetts (just outside of Boston) on December 29, and in Los Angeles on December 31. Deathwish Inc. reissued Give Up the Ghost's albums Background Music (2001) and We're Down Til We're Underground (2003) to coincide with the reunion dates. Tickets for the two reunion shows went on sale on October 29, 2011 and both shows sold out in under a minute. As a result, a special ticket package was announced to go on sale November 7, with all proceeds going to Shirts For A Cure Project, which benefits the Syrentha Savio Endowment. The package included two tickets and two t-shirts for $100, which in turn also sold out in under a minute.
Give Up the Ghost played additional reunion shows on July 20 and July 22, 2012 at Webster Hall in New York City. In addition, Give Up the Ghost performed at the FYF Fest in Los Angeles, California in September 2012 under their original name American Nightmare. They scheduled two more shows under the American Nightmare name in June 2013 in Chicago and Toronto. Shows in Anaheim CA and Seattle WA are also scheduled for December of 2013.
Wes Eisold - vocals
Tim Cossar - guitar
Brian Masek - guitar
Josh Holden - bass
Alex Garcia Rivera - drums
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The Last Supper After Party
Give Up The Ghost Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And no man parting some sea could keep you from me
We had to walk away from the streets that knew our names
I stutter soft and say
"I'd give you anything,
anything and everything
And you can tell the town
We lost the heartache sound when our order was found
I burned a testament and misused 'heaven-sent'
We made a comeback and it, it was received quite well
The earth, for all its worth, never seemed so far from Hell
Preach on and on
Spread the good word of the holy healing
Breathe in, breathe out and on
Likely lifers put to song and dance
and air has never seemed so clear
I got a love/hate relationship with love and hate
I get lost here and there
You could say I was into the fact you even cared
I'm a believer of there's nothing up above
that could or should replace my Sunday's saving grace
I repent the times that I said you don't exist
My gospels from the Church of Stereo Activists
The lyrics of "The Last Supper After Party" by Give Up The Ghost are filled with religious imagery and themes. The first line of the song references Jesus and his saints, suggesting that even divine intervention cannot save the singer and their lover from their "wretched face." The next line speaks to a sense of inevitability in their relationship, as nothing, not even a miracle like parting the sea, could keep them apart. The chorus speaks to the intensity of their love and the idea that they will only stop loving each other when they are dead and buried (i.e., "down till we're underground").
The second verse continues with religious themes, as the singer speaks of burning a "testament" and misusing something "heaven-sent." However, they also have a sense of pride in their success and how they were "received quite well" by others. The juxtaposition of divine imagery and the secular world is seen in the final lines of the verse, where the singer comments on how the earth seems far from Hell. The bridge brings the focus back to preaching, but also calls the singer's beliefs into question by referring to "likely lifers put to song and dance" and the ambiguity of their feelings towards love and hate. The final lines of the song reveal the singer's identity as a "Stereo Activist," suggesting that their gospel is found in music.
Overall, "The Last Supper After Party" is a song that wrestles with religious themes and questions whether divine intervention can save us from our human struggles. The singer finds solace in their love and in music, but also questions the nature of belief itself.
Line by Line Meaning
Jesus and all his saints couldn't save our wretched face
Despite our best efforts and the help of higher powers, we were unable to overcome our inherent flaws and mistakes.
And no man parting some sea could keep you from me
The strength of our connection was too powerful to be kept apart by any obstacle, natural or otherwise.
We had to walk away from the streets that knew our names
In order to escape our past mistakes and start anew, we had to leave behind the familiar places and people that reminded us of our former selves.
I stutter soft and say / "I'd give you anything, / anything and everything / And you can tell the town / We're down till we're underground"
Despite my insecurities, I express my devotion and loyalty to you and declare that we will remain faithful to each other until the end.
We lost the heartache sound when our order was found
Once we found a sense of structure and direction in our lives, the pain and chaos of our past struggles began to fade away.
I burned a testament and misused 'heaven-sent'
I rejected traditional religious beliefs and instead placed my faith in other things; although my intentions were misguided and improper.
We made a comeback and it, it was received quite well / The earth, for all its worth, never seemed so far from Hell
After experiencing a downfall and subsequent recovery, we were well-received and felt a sense of relief and distance from our previous sufferings.
Preach on and on / Spread the good word of the holy healing
Advocate for and embody the positive and uplifting qualities of faith and compassion.
Breathe in, breathe out and on / Likely lifers put to song and dance / and air has never seemed so clear
Take a moment to appreciate life and existence through music and movement and pay attention to the beauty of the world around us.
I got a love/hate relationship with love and hate / I get lost here and there / You could say I was into the fact you even cared
My emotions and relationships are often complicated and contradictory, but I appreciate and depend on your care and support.
I'm a believer of there's nothing up above / that could or should replace my Sunday's saving grace / I repent the times that I said you don't exist
I have faith in the power of music and art to uplift and enrich our lives and I regret doubting their value and significance.
My gospels from the Church of Stereo Activists
My personal beliefs and experiences are shaped and influenced by the music and artists that inspire me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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