Jukebox the Ghost is a Washington, D.C.-born, Brooklyn-based three-piece rock band. The band consists of Ben Thornewill (vocals & piano), Tommy Siegel (vocals & guitar) and Jesse Kristin (drums). Since 2006, Jukebox the Ghost has toured extensively.
In 2003, Ben, Tommy, and Jesse met while attending George Washington University. Shortly after, they formed a band called The Sunday Mail. They took a semester's break to study abroad, and re-formed upon returning as Jukebox the Ghost. They came up with the name after combining lyrics from a Captain Beefheart song and a line from the book Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov.
In 2008, they released their first album "Let Live & Let Ghosts", and began playing new songs in concerts.
Jukebox the Ghost recorded a cover of Ace of Base's "Beautiful Life" for Engine Room Recordings' compilation album Guilt by Association Vol. 2, which was released in November 2008.
Following their tour with Ben Folds in early April 2009, they began their headlining tour in the UK with Nightmare of You. They began their headlining tour with Jenny Owen Youngs back in the United States on April 30 in Chicago, IL. This tour lasted into June, at which point they temporarily stopped touring to concentrate on their next album, "Everything Under the Sun." The band began recording for the new album on September 29th, 2009 at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
In February 2010, Jukebox the Ghost toured across Europe with Adam Green of The Moldy Peaches. This was followed by a separate tour in the United States with bands Tally Hall and Skybox. They will begin touring once again in late May 2010 with the band Free Energy, and will be playing at Lollapalooza in Chicago this August.
"The Popular Thing," a song from their upcoming album, is featured in the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Mistletoe
Jukebox the Ghost Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tried her best to explain to the hearts that she had known
That though they'd misbehaved, she'd known it all along
No need to feel ashamed, we didn't do nothing wrong
And she said, "I wanted you to know
I believe in the end out of love truth grows
And if I'm to be alone, then I'll be alone
Covers her hands with rings, twenty little semi-precious things
Each one for a heart she'd stole from her years out on the road
She talks with the knowledge that she paved her own rocky path
And that the past is past, ain't nothing you can do about that
And she said, "I wanted you to know
I believe in the end out of love truth grows
And if I'm to be alone, then I'll be alone
But don't look at me like another lost soul
You don't look at me like another lost soul"
And if all our time, if it turns out to be lies
I'll go back home to the people that knew me
Before I was old and grown
Oh, my mistletoe called me up on the phone
Tried her best to explain to the hearts that she had known
That though they'd misbehaved, she'd known it all along
No need to feel ashamed, we didn't do nothing wrong
And she said, "I wanted you to know
I believe in the end out of love truth grows
And if I'm to be alone, then I'll be alone
But don't look at me like another lost soul"
'Cause I believe in the end out of love truth grows
And if I'm to be alone, then I'll be alone
But don't look at me like another lost soul
And if I'm to be alone, then I'll be alone
But don't look at me like another lost soul
The song "Mistletoe" by Jukebox the Ghost is a reflective ballad that starts with the singer receiving a call from mistletoe, who has reached out to share her thoughts about love and life. Mistletoe tells the singer that she believes that truth is what grows from love and that even if she ends up alone, she will not be consumed by feelings of loss. Mistletoe then looks at her fingers, each adorned with a "semi-precious" ring, representing the many hearts she may have won and lost in her travels. Mistletoe seems to have come to terms with her past and is content with the idea that some people may leave her life, while others may stay.
The message of the song seems to be that love is complex, and while people may not always make the right choices, they should not feel ashamed or alone. Mistletoe has traveled many miles and has learned from her experiences. The rings on her fingers may represent her past, but she is not bogged down by it, and her hope is that the relationships she forms in the future will be authentic and true.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, my mistletoe called me up on the phone
The singer is receiving a call from a personified mistletoe
Tried her best to explain to the hearts that she had known
The mistletoe is trying to convey a message to those people who have fallen in love under her
That though they'd misbehaved, she'd known it all along
The mistletoe is explaining that she was aware of the actions of those in love and there's no need to be ashamed of it
No need to feel ashamed, we didn't do nothing wrong
There's no reason for guilt because being in love is not a mistake
And she said, "I wanted you to know
The mistletoe is expressing her desire to convey this message
I believe in the end out of love truth grows
As time passes, love becomes stronger and more truthful
And if I'm to be alone, then I'll be alone
The mistletoe is willing to be alone if necessary
But don't look at me like another lost soul"
The mistletoe doesn't want to be seen as someone who is lost or without a purpose
Covers her hands with rings, twenty little semi-precious things
The mistletoe represents a person who has collected rings as souvenirs from all the hearts she has touched
Each one for a heart she'd stole from her years out on the road
Each ring represents a heart that the mistletoe had captured during her travels
She talks with the knowledge that she paved her own rocky path
The mistletoe speaks with confidence, knowing that she has created her own difficult journey
And that the past is past, ain't nothing you can do about that
She acknowledges that the past cannot be changed
'Cause I believe in the end out of love truth grows
The singer believes that love results in growth of truth
And if I'm to be alone, then I'll be alone
The singer is willing to be solitary if that's what life calls for
But don't look at me like another lost soul
The singer doesn't want to be pitied or seen as aimless
And if all our time, if it turns out to be lies
The artist acknowledges that there's a chance that the time spent together may not have been truthful
I'll go back home to the people that knew me
If true love is not found, the artist plans to return to those who have known her long-standing self
Before I was old and grown
This returning home would precede when the singer had much more wisdom and appeared more mature
Contributed by Tristan A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.