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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We Killed It
Give Up The Ghost Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I don't recall why we're still pretending
Turn myself in for crimes I didn't commit
I needed to feel truly innocent
There was a song and I forget the name of it
It seemed sincere and this is kind of how it went
"It's one of those nights when you're
not sure who the real you is anymore"
It's mid-afternoon and I'll be leaving soon
Survivors are few and far between,
between two parked cars headed for anywhere
cause anywhere is better than here
And in the ride, I become aware I'm probably not going anywhere
It's one of those nights when you're not sure who the real 'you' is anymore
I said that I would end myself but I think too much about family, you see
I need to see if I can bask in a different world
This is my swan song to my criminal boys and girls
And no one really loves us as the sun does fall
And a fact without no truth just isn't fact at all
I want out of here, I need to find the stars
but the sky's hiding them as we are ashamed of what we've ruined
The words I write stuttered the times I spoke
I've never been too close with love, life, trust and faith
I need out of here, I need a head clear
I know my voice isn't great but at least it's sincere
We are so conditioned to fall
It's sad the song of the year is still nothing at all
In We Killed It, Give Up The Ghost presents a somber and reflective piece, where the singer seems to be lost in the maze of life, unsure of who they are and where they are headed. The song starts with the stars leading the way home, but the sidewalks are ending, and it's unclear why they are still pretending. The singer somehow imagines that they have committed a crime and need to turn themselves in to feel truly innocent. They recall a song that expressed their feelings accurately, "It's one of those nights when you're not sure who the real you is anymore."
As the song proceeds, the singer expresses their resignation to the fact that survivors are few and far between, and the destination is unknown. They recognize that they have become too caught up in their own suffering, making them high-risk for suicide, but they cannot go ahead with it because of their family. The singer tries to create a new world where they can bask in, away from the destructive life they seem to be leading. They see their life as one giant swan song, and a deep appreciation of factual truth as opposed to abstract falsehood.
The song concludes on a sad note, where the singer feels conditioned to fall and that the song of the year is still nothing at all. The lyricism is poignant, powerful, and relatable, evoking emotion in listeners, especially those who might be struggling with their identity and purpose in life, to give up the ghost and try something different.
Line by Line Meaning
Stars lead the way home then the sidewalks ending
The stars guide us home until the sidewalks stop, leaving us unsure of where to go.
And I don't recall why we're still pretending
I don't remember why we continue to act as if everything is okay.
Turn myself in for crimes I didn't commit
I confess to things I didn't do because I need to feel guilty about something.
I needed to feel truly innocent
Admitting false guilt makes me feel like I'm morally pure.
There was a song and I forget the name of it
There was a tune that I can't remember anymore.
It seemed sincere and this is kind of how it went
The song had an authentic quality to it, and this is roughly how it went.
"It's one of those nights when you're
not sure who the real you is anymore"
The lyrics of the song capture the feeling of uncertainty about one's own identity.
Generations can be whatever they want to
Different generations have the freedom to define themselves however they choose.
It's mid-afternoon and I'll be leaving soon
It's getting later in the day and I'll be departing shortly.
Survivors are few and far between,
between two parked cars headed for anywhere
Few people truly survive in life, and I'm walking between two parked cars, headed anywhere but here.
Cause anywhere is better than here
And in the ride, I become aware I'm probably not going anywhere
Any destination is preferable to staying here, but I realize I may not actually end up anywhere.
I said that I would end myself but I think too much about family, you see
I need to see if I can bask in a different world
I considered suicide, but I care too much about my family. I'm looking for a new environment where I can find happiness.
This is my swan song to my criminal boys and girls
This is my final goodbye to my fellow delinquents.
And no one really loves us as the sun does fall
As night falls, no one loves us.
And a fact without no truth just isn't fact at all
If something is not true, it's not a fact no matter how much it is presented as one.
I want out of here, I need to find the stars
but the sky's hiding them as we are ashamed of what we've ruined
I want to escape and find hope, but it's difficult because our mistakes have left us feeling ashamed and disillusioned.
The words I write stuttered the times I spoke
I struggle with expressing myself verbally and in writing.
I've never been too close with love, life, trust and faith
I have never had strong connections with essential aspects of life like love, trust, and faith.
I need out of here, I need a head clear
I need to leave this place and clear my mind.
I know my voice isn't great but at least it's sincere
I may not sing well, but I always express myself with sincerity.
We are so conditioned to fall
We have been conditioned to expect failure and disappointment as a part of life.
It's sad the song of the year is still nothing at all
It's disheartening that the most popular song of the year conveys no meaningful message.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TIM COSSAR, WESLEY EISOLD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind