Ghostly Girl
Jolie Holland Lyrics
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Nothing you do is done
And I can tell, you are not real
Girl, what are you doing here
I don't know why, I am here myself
No one else seems to know
But I have loved some ghosts in my time
But that doesn't mean I want them around
I'd rather be lost than found, I thought I would loose my mind
But through your eyes I see
Past the billboards to the trees
And the flowering weeds
Grow through the cracks of the city
And all these things will go
And all these seeds will grow
And you'll be home in the sky
The song "Ghostly Girl" by Jolie Holland is a hauntingly beautiful tune that deals with the theme of loneliness and disconnection. The lyrics describe a girl who seems almost weightless and ungrounded, unable to do anything and yet somehow not quite real. The singer is puzzled by her presence and wonders what she is doing here. The sense of confusion and isolation is further heightened by the fact that the singer herself feels lost and disconnected from the world around her. She notes that no one else seems to understand her, and that being a spook is generally not a popular thing. She confesses to having loved ghosts in the past, but realizes that she doesn't really want them around, preferring to be lost than found.
Despite the pervasive sense of sadness and disconnection, there is also a glimmer of hope in the song. The singer sees through the eyes of the ghostly girl and is able to appreciate the beauty of the natural world. She notes how flowers and weeds grow even in the midst of a concrete jungle, and how all these things will eventually pass away. The final lines of the song suggest that the ghostly girl will eventually find her place in the sky, perhaps finding a sense of belonging and purpose that has thus far eluded her.
Overall, "Ghostly Girl" is a poignant meditation on the human condition and our search for meaning and connection in a world that often feels confusing and overwhelming. Holland's evocative lyrics and haunting voice make for an unforgettable listening experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Ghostly girl, too light to stand on the ground
A metaphorical depiction of a girl who seems to have no apparent presence in the physical world.
Nothing you do is done
Implying that the girl is simply existing and not actually achieving anything productive in the world.
And I can tell, you are not real
The singer perceives the girl as detached from reality, making her almost imaginary.
Girl, what are you doing here
The artist is intrigued by her presence and wants to know why she is there.
I don't know why, I am here myself
The artist is questioning the purpose of their own existence.
No one else seems to know
The singer acknowledges the uncertainty that surrounds the existential queries.
Nobody likes a spook or so I've deduced
The world often prefer substantial, tangible presence over abstract or phantom-like entities.
But I have loved some ghosts in my time
The artist is known to have an affinity for entities that are intangible.
But that doesn't mean I want them around
While the artist may appreciate ethereal beings, they don't necessarily want them in their actual physical space.
I'd rather be lost than found, I thought I would loose my mind
Based on the previous line, the artist would be more comfortable with an ambiguous, intangible existence since they enjoy this dimension of life. Despite this, they hold onto a sense of sanity via their physical and mental anchor points in the world.
But through your eyes I see
The ghostly girl is giving the singer an alternative view of the world.
Past the billboards to the trees
The girl redirects the artist's gaze from the commercial, materialized world to the natural, organic one.
And the flowering weeds
Even something that is considered undesirable may still have beauty or value.
Grow through the cracks of the city
Nature can persist even in the harshest of environments, including the man-made cityscape.
And all these things will go
Nothing is permanent and everything will eventually change or fade away.
And all these seeds will grow
In the same way, something new will always arise from something old.
And you'll be home in the sky
The ghostly girl will eventually return to wherever she came from, whether that be the heavens or something more abstract.
Lyrics © SONGS MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: JOLIE R HOLLAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind