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.
SomeBody
Jukebox the Ghost Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need it
I want somebody
I want it
I need it
I want your eyes to turn
I want it
I want somebody
Baby
Now this is my turn
I don't want any more doors
'Cause I'm walkin' on string
They only slam any more
Like we're pulling our teeth
And I could just see your eyes
Just above your shoulder
And you were scannin' the skies for me
I dreamt like you were some long-forgotten soldier
Like I was someone that you cared for
I want it
I need it
I want it
I need it
I want somebody
I want it
I need it
I want your eyes to turn
I need it
I want it
I want somebody
Baby
Now this is my turn
I don't want any more heartbreak
I'm tired of the sound it makes
Like tryin' to shut out the dark at night
You close your eyes but it won't erase
And you were walkin' beside
Some other person's shadow
And it was more than I could take
I wouldn't see what I couldn't know
But there might be somebody after me
Oh, I want it
I need it
I want it
I need it
I want somebody
I want it
I need it
I want your eyes to turn
I need it
I want it
I want somebody
Baby
Now this is my turn
I need that new vacation
Where nothing that's spoken is known
Let the winter be my station
I'll let the cold teach me what to know
That there might be somebody after me
Oh
I want it
I need it
I want it
I want it
I need it
I want it
I need it
I want somebody
I want it
I need it
I want your eyes to turn
I need it
I want it
I want somebody
Baby
Now this is my turn
The lyrics of "Somebody" by Jukebox the Ghost touch on the theme of yearning for intimacy and connection. The singer repeatedly expresses his desire for "somebody," someone to fill the void in his life. He is tired of being alone and wants someone to turn their eyes on him, to see him and care for him. The singer has been hurt in the past, as evidenced by his assertion that he doesn't want any more heartbreak. He hopes that someone will come into his life and heal those wounds.
The second verse delves into the singer's past experiences with heartbreak. He has been hurt before and is tired of it. The image of walking beside someone else's shadow symbolizes the singer feeling overshadowed by someone else, perhaps the person who broke his heart. He wants to move on from those experiences and find someone new who will care for him. The final lines of the song express the singer's desire to escape from his current situation and have a fresh start.
Line by Line Meaning
I want it
The singer desires something
I need it
The singer feels they require this particular thing
I want somebody
The singer yearns for companionship
I want your eyes to turn
The artist hopes to catch their subject's attention and desire
Baby
Term of endearment directed either to subject, or general listening audience
Now this is my turn
It is currently time for the singer's desire to come to fruition
I don't want any more doors
The singer desires to move on from passively waiting on opportunities to be presented to them
'Cause I'm walkin' on string
The artist wishes to be in control, determining their own fate
They only slam any more
Prior attempts to achieve things have consistently failed
Like we're pulling our teeth
Trying to achieve these things has been painful and difficult
And I could just see your eyes
The singer recalls a particular memory with great detail
Just above your shoulder
The artist is physically close to their subject in this memory
And you were scannin' the skies for me
In the memory, the subject was looking for the singer
I dreamt like you were some long-forgotten soldier
The singer recalls this memory with a sense of longing and romanticism
Like I was someone that you cared for
The singer recalls this memory as a time when the subject cared for them deeply
I don't want any more heartbreak
The artist has experienced emotional pain and wishes to move on from it
I'm tired of the sound it makes
The artist is exhausted from dealing with this emotional pain
Like tryin' to shut out the dark at night
The process of recovering from heartbreak feels impossible
You close your eyes but it won't erase
Typical coping mechanisms do not work to reduce the pain of heartbreak
And you were walkin' beside
The artist recalls another memory with their subject
Some other person's shadow
The artist perceives their subject to be consistently looking at other people for guidance and affirmation rather than themselves
And it was more than I could take
This detail is, to the artist, unbearable and causes great emotional pain
I wouldn't see what I couldn't know
The singer is attempting to convince themselves to ignore this particular detail about their subject
But there might be somebody after me
The artist is trying to be optimistic and thinks that someone else might be interested in them as well
I need that new vacation
The singer desires a change of pace and scenery
Where nothing that's spoken is known
The singer desires to be in a place where no one knows them, and they can have anonymity
Let the winter be my station
The singer is willing to take action to achieve this new vacation
I'll let the cold teach me what to know
The artist hopes the harsh winter environment will teach them valuable lessons
Contributed by Skyler G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Hailey Webb
I want it
I need it
I want somebody
I want it
I need it
I want your eyes to turn
I need it
I want it
I want somebody
Baby
Now this is my turn
I don't want any more doors
'Cause I'm walkin' on string
They only slam any more
Like we're pulling our teeth
And I could just see your eyes
Just above your shoulder
And you were scannin' the skies for me
I dreamt like you were some long-forgotten soldier
Like I was someone that you cared for
I want it
I need it
I want it
I need it
I want somebody
I want it
I need it
I want your eyes to turn
I need it
I want it
I want somebody
Baby
Now this is my turn
I don't want any more heartbreak
I'm tired of the sound it makes
Like tryin' to shut out the dark at night
You close your eyes but it won't erase
And you were walkin' beside
Some other person's shadow
And it was more than I could take
I wouldn't see what I couldn't know
But there might be somebody after me
Oh, I want it
I need it
I want it
I need it
I want somebody
I want it
I need it
I want your eyes to turn
I need it
I want it
I want somebody
Baby
Now this is my turn
I need that new vacation
Where nothing that's spoken is known
Let the winter be my station
I'll let the cold teach me what to know
That there might be somebody after me
Oh
I want it
I need it
I want it
I want it
I need it
I want it
I need it
I want somebody
I want it
I need it
I want your eyes to turn
I need it
I want it
I want somebody
Baby
Now this is my turn
Andrés Reyes
I still remember when this guys were completely unknown. I'm so happy they're doing it well :D Love them!
Celi Phone
I just barely discovered jukebox the ghost and every song I've listened to has been a bang including this one! I think I've found my new favorite band
Tomiwa Aina
This is the first song I heard from them and 10 years later I'm seeing them in concert in about 2 weeks! Hope they play this
Shardith
Their live shows are so much fun :))
Judd Hansen
Saw them live in Salt Lake, it was a lot of fun :)
Kailee Girl
I want you guys to know, you're one of the best bands out there right now in my book. Keep on keeping on, I love it.
Nerdfart
Will enjoy this heartfelt scribbling and editing forever. A+ forgiveness melody
kabeer munjal
These guys are awesome!! Why did I just find them. Also one-take shoots are super impressive. Imagine if one of them messes up
KennedyConspiracy
I'm litterally obssessed. Just found this song like twenty minutes ago and can't stop listening. sharing on all social media and with coworkers. so uplifting!!!! keep up the work !!!
Sierra Grant
This is perfection why is he not famous