Holy Ghost!’s most recent release, 2015’s remix alum Work for Hire, was a mesmerizing time capsule of remixes that boldly traced the group’s aesthetic from their nascent days dabbling in groove to radical rethinkings of songs. It was, in certain ways, a necessary stepping stone to Crime Cutz. “Work for Hire was a good breather from working on original music,” Alex says. “It was a good way to get back into the studio. There’s a lot of pressure when you’re writing original stuff. We were able to focus more on groove and arrangement, rather than trying to write formative pop songs.”
The objective, Nick says of the forthcoming collection, was singular: “Aesthetically, Alex and I were musically, melodically trying to do so“ Some artists make music really rapidly—they put out mixtapes on SoundCloud, like, every few months,” Alex Frankel ruminates. Of course, Frankel and his Holy Ghost! bandmate Nick Millhiser do not fall into that category. “We’re so envious of that.” They’re again adding to their dance repertoire with the vibrant Crime Cutz EP out later this year on DFA Records.
Jam for Jerry
Holy Ghost! Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You took the stairs downstairs from the third floor
You thought about her as you walked
Well did the sky open up above you in the dark
And what a note to leave with red ?
Did you know what's coming or even half know it when you left
From the top, from the start, never slightly late
Just that afternoon we talked
Getting out, stepping out, let it out, something got caught
What about the time I heard you say
Were you only joking, or only half joking when you left
[Chorus]
I get the feeling I've done
Something half wrong
It surrounds me, drowns me in it
If I could change it I would
If only I could
You can quote me, hold me to it
We dropped the records at the sea (?)
Writing numbers on our hands (?)
Called the cops, called the car
Call a friend, call a relative still in the dark
? in seconds flat
Call ahead to check in call ahead to ask them where they're at
[Chorus: x3]
The lyrics of Holy Ghost!'s song "Jam for Jerry" are about reflection, regret, and the weight of past actions. The opening lines describe someone preparing to leave their space, likely a living arrangement, and thinking about someone they left behind. The next verse speaks about setting the pace for something that was spoken about previously, but something that seems to have gone awry. The chorus describes the feeling of having done something half-wrong and the regret that surrounds it. The repeating line "If only I could" suggests that the singer wishes they could change their actions but cannot.
Line by Line Meaning
You check the mirror, lock the door
Before leaving your house, you make sure you look presentable and ensure the door is securely locked
You took the stairs downstairs from the third floor
You descend the building using the stairs from the third floor
You thought about her as you walked
During your walk, you were contemplating your thoughts about someone in particular
Well did the sky open up above you in the dark
Did something unexpected happen while you were out in the dark?
And what a note to leave with red ?
Did you know that the note you left had a significant meaning, i.e. using red ink?
Did you know what's coming or even half know it when you left
Before you left, did you know what was about to happen or have an idea about it?
You set the tempo, set the pace
You determined the speed and rhythm of the events that unfolded
From the top, from the start, never slightly late
You were always on time and punctual from the start
Just that afternoon we talked
Earlier in the day, we had a conversation
Getting out, stepping out, let it out, something got caught
You let out some emotions and feelings that had been held back for some time
What about the time I heard you say
What did you really mean when I heard you say something in the past?
Were you only joking, or only half joking when you left
At the time of your departure, were you being serious or only partially?
I get the feeling I've done
I have a gut feeling that I've made a mistake
Something half wrong
Not completely wrong, but something that could have been done better
It surrounds me, drowns me in it
The feeling of regret is overwhelming and consuming me
If I could change it I would
If there was an opportunity to go back and correct my mistake, I would take it
If only I could
Unfortunately, such an opportunity doesn't exist
You can quote me, hold me to it
I am willing to have my words quoted and held accountable
We dropped the records at the sea (?)
We threw away or got rid of the records near the ocean
Writing numbers on our hands (?)
We wrote a code or numbers on our hands that had a specific meaning
Called the cops, called the car
We made calls to both the police and a car service
Call a friend, call a relative still in the dark
We called friends and relatives who were still unaware of the situation
? in seconds flat
We acted quickly and decisively
Call ahead to check in call ahead to ask them where they're at
We contacted people in advance to check on their whereabouts
I get the feeling I've done
I have a gut feeling that I've made a mistake
Something half wrong
Not completely wrong, but something that could have been done better
It surrounds me, drowns me in it
The feeling of regret is overwhelming and consuming me
If I could change it I would
If there was an opportunity to go back and correct my mistake, I would take it
If only I could
Unfortunately, such an opportunity doesn't exist
You can quote me, hold me to it
I am willing to have my words quoted and held accountable
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alex David Frankel, Nicholas Alexander Millhiser
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lureofthesea
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this track. First heard it at the gym so I chanted the few lyrics I could remember in my head on the way home so I would Google them... Luckily it worked and I found the song. It really makes me want to move. Reminds me a lot of New Order's best stuff, especially the drum lines and the voice.
Alex Villavicencio
This song just gives off the best vibes. Great tune.
Michael Milburn
This song perfectly describes my entire year and my entire life. Its Amazing how much this song speaks to me.
Happywarrior
This song was written for Jerry Fuchs, drummer of the band Maserati. I find solace in it, I lost a dear friend two years ago and I remember him to this song. I never returned his last email where he asked to meet up when I was visiting home, I kept postponing writing it as we had the type of true friendship where no big deals were never a big deal but it hurt me so much never having responded to it. After his passing I went through our thread of emails on FB and realized he always checking up on me, at least once a month. He was a true friend. I miss you, Gabo.
greenowlies
this was so awesome live. def my favorite workout song
faux0
On the vinyl version of this album, there is an inscription that reads: "FOR JERRY"
Robert Pierce
The whole album is mint.
Simple_machines
What a track! Brilliant
Thomas Rivette
Damn that's fucking Brilliant !!!! Perfect feeling Playing loud in my car !
THAT Channel
I love this song. so much.