The end of 2008 saw Grieves enlisting the help of friend and collaborator Budo to co-produce Together/Apart bringing his signature swiss-army knife, multi-instrumental backdrop to Grieves' hauntingly poignant narrative. The album began taking shape in New York as the two built off the success 88 Keys and Counting had generated and paired it with the intensity they developed from their live performances. The recording process began to shadow the theme of the album as it saw tracks recorded in Colorado and Washington in addition to New York, infusing it with a mixture of regional influences while still maintaining a cohesive sound. As the album neared completion the title took on a double meaning for Grieves as he explored new subject matter in the absence of trust, refuge in addiction, acceptance and honesty in self-reflection, and trying to find his place in the world without forgetting his roots.
Ghost Ship
Grieves Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
turned the gutters to rivers and sailed away with my free time
nowadays I got a lot more to juggle
a monster to struggle down in lock to the rubble
need to slow down 'cause I don't know if I can go out
and force a little sunshine outta broken bone powder
crushed, holding on to the rocks in my gut
this is blood around, it bulls and forcing me to get up
it kinda feels like i'm under attack with no boundaries
and cannons balls drowning and tied at my foot, sunk
they'll probably find all of the wreckage in the morn'
come runnin from their beach homes and watchin from the shore
all aboard, the new ship is leaving the port
I only sail now to calm that storm, to calm that storm
i'm floating away, it kinda feels like i'm drowning
i'm floating away, drowning
the belly of it creaks and moans in the water like a monster tryna eat my bones
i'm out here tryna solve the problem that is breached my hull and got me jumping off the plank in every sea I roam
it's not okay no more, dropped the anchor, tied an captain wheel's though it
let't die in the daytime and cry to its music
yeah, I never thought that I could harpoon love and watch the world turn red with a drop of its blood
like fuck, all of this is driving me mad
I watched the water from the crows nest fighting to pass
this whole thing's like a knife in the back
I can't grasp it, I feel like i'm floating alone
its my casket, sink
I don't think that I can go further
sink, all of this is feeling like murder
sink, they'll probably find the wreckage in the morn
I need to sink so I can calm that storm, to calm that storm
i'm floating away, it kinda feels like i'm drowning
i'm floating away, drowning
The song Ghost Ship by Grieves is a poignant and evocative exploration of the struggles of life, and how we all sometimes feel lost in the sea of uncertainty and difficulty that surrounds us. The opening line speaks of rain falling like a blanket, insulating the world around us and obscuring the streetlights. This metaphorical darkness is a symbol of the difficulties that we face, and the confusing, overwhelming nature of our problems. The singer speaks of struggling to juggle the many demands of life, feeling like a monster is holding him down and fighting against his every move.
As the song progresses, the singer speaks of feeling like he is under attack, with no boundaries and no clear sense of direction or purpose. He feels like he is drowning, struggling to stay afloat in the face of the rough waters of existence. The ship he is on creaks and moans like a monster, symbolizing the weight of his troubles and the difficulties he faces. He struggles to find meaning in his struggles, and to find a way to calm the storm that rages within him.
The chorus of the song expresses the need to sink deeper into the depths, to embrace the darkness and find peace in the midst of the chaos. The singer longs to calm the storm within him, to find a stillness amidst the turbulence of life. This song is a powerful and moving portrait of the human condition, and speaks to the struggles that we all face at one point or another in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
the rain came down like a banket and insulated the street lights
The rain was heavy and covered everything like a blanket, even hiding the light from the street lamps.
turned the gutters to rivers and sailed away with my free time
The rain turned the gutters into streams and made the singer lose their free time.
nowadays I got a lot more to juggle
The singer has more responsibilities and things to manage now.
a monster to struggle down in lock to the rubble
There's a big problem that the artist is trying hard to overcome.
need to slow down 'cause I don't know if I can go out
The artist needs to take it easy because they're not sure they can handle everything right now.
and force a little sunshine outta broken bone powder
The singer wants to find some happiness even in difficult circumstances.
crushed, holding on to the rocks in my gut
The singer feels weighed down and is holding onto their emotions.
this is blood around, it bulls and forcing me to get up
The artist is surrounded by stress and pressure, but it's pushing them to keep going.
like jump, all of this is driving me mad, i gotta razor with a poem on it, smiling back
Everything is overwhelming and causing the artist to feel insane, but they have a tool to help them cope (a razor with a poem on it).
it kinda feels like i'm under attack with no boundaries
The situation feels like an assault without limits or boundaries.
and cannons balls drowning and tied at my foot, sunk
The singer feels trapped and burdened by heavy and dangerous situations.
they'll probably find all of the wreckage in the morn'
There will be evidence of the destruction or chaos come morning.
come runnin from their beach homes and watchin from the shore
People will come to see or help, but the singer is alone in the middle of the chaos.
all aboard, the new ship is leaving the port
The singer is metaphorically starting something new and different.
I only sail now to calm that storm, to calm that storm
The singer is only moving forward to find peace and calmness.
i'm floating away, it kinda feels like i'm drowning
The artist is feeling lost and overwhelmed, like they're drowning.
the belly of it creaks and moans in the water like a monster tryna eat my bones
The ship the artist is on feels dangerous and threatening like a monster.
i'm out here tryna solve the problem that is breached my hull and got me jumping off the plank in every sea I roam
The singer is trying to fix a problem that is causing them to suffer everywhere they go.
it's not okay no more, dropped the anchor, tied an captain wheel's though it
The singer has given up and is trying to stay afloat.
let't die in the daytime and cry to its music
The artist feels like they're at the end of their journey and are contemplating dying while crying to the sound of the ocean.
yeah, I never thought that I could harpoon love and watch the world turn red with a drop of its blood
The artist never imagined that they could hurt someone they love and that the consequences would be so devastating.
like fuck, all of this is driving me mad
The situation is making the artist feel insane.
I watched the water from the crows nest fighting to pass
The singer is observing the struggle and chaos from a higher vantage point.
this whole thing's like a knife in the back
The situation feels like a betrayal.
I can't grasp it, I feel like i'm floating alone
The singer can't understand or control what's happening and feels isolated.
its my casket, sink
The chaotic situation feels like a death sentence for the singer.
I don't think that I can go further
The singer doesn't feel like they can handle the situation anymore.
sink, all of this is feeling like murder
The situation is feeling like a slow and painful death to the artist.
they'll probably find the wreckage in the morn
There will be evidence of the destruction or chaos come morning.
I need to sink so I can calm that storm, to calm that storm
The singer needs to hit rock bottom in order to find peace and calmness.
i'm floating away, it kinda feels like i'm drowning
The singer is feeling lost and overwhelmed, like they're drowning.
Contributed by Ava D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.