"Ghost" received widespread critical acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting its production, melodies, catchiness and Dubuc's vocals. One reviewer from Dance Music Northwest praised the song for putting Dubuc's diverse talent on display. The track also did well commercially; it debuted at its peak position of number 15 on the American Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart, issue dated November 22, 2014, and landed the on the digital component of that chart in the top 20 the same week. It lasted on the Dance/Electronic chart for eighteen weeks, ending up at number 99 on the chart's 2015 year-end list.
The official video for "Ghost", produced by company Oh Yeah Wow and directed by Josh Thomas, parodies the 1973 horror film The Exorcist, but was also noted to spoof scenes from 1976's Carrie by one writer. It premiered on February 4, 2014 by Vice's electronic music channel Thump, who advertised it as "a really good video. It's got zombies. It's got a funny exorcist. It's got old people looking like they're about to poop their Depends. People (and things) fly through the air. It's neat, and it's all set to an extremely catchy beat." The video, which involves a priest who dances through the exorcism of a young woman, was well received by publications. This included a writer for Bloody Disgusting who called it "awesome", and another one who honored the choreography of the dancing priest as "seriously impressive".
The song's commercial success has been attributed to the critically acclaimed animated music video by Ben Mangum, also known as MysteryBen27, that garnered more than two million views in under a month. The Scooby-Doo-esque video involves paranormal investigators Arthur Kingsmen (a parody of Shaggy Rogers), Vivi Yukino (a parody of Velma Dinkley), and their dog Mystery (a parody of Scooby-Doo himself) running from danger, including the ghost of Vivi's romantic interest and former team leader Lewis Pepper (a parody of Fred Jones), whom a possessed Arthur had previously killed, in "the most colorful, vibrant, psychedelic, funky fresh haunted mansion I've ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on", as described by PrinceofTheUniverse of Kotaku's Talk Amongst Yourselves. He also noted that "Everything happens on rhythm to the song which some may find a little cheesy cliche but it's a nice way to keep the viewer into whats happening visual while still enjoying the music. As if one can't exist without the other." The unexpected success of the "Ghost" animated music video led to it developing a strong cult following, and as of 2020, Mangum has created three other animated music videos involving the characters for the songs "Freaking Out", "Hellbent", and "The Future".
Ghost
Mystery Skulls Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's all right cause I'm with friends
Cause I'm giving up again
It doesn't matter
And I'm feeling like a ghost
And it's what I hate the most
'Cause I'm giving up again
This time I might just disappear
This time I might just dis
This time I might just disappear
This time I might just dis
Try and hear me then I'm done
'Cause I might just say this once
Seen this played out in my dream
It doesn't matter
Time for givin' up the ghost
Fuck, it's you I hate the most
And there is no guarantee
It doesn't matter
This time I might just disappear
This time I might just dis
This time I might just disappear
This time I might just dis
The lyrics of Mystery Skulls' song "Ghost" convey a deep sense of loneliness and hopelessness. The singer feels overwhelmed by the world and is on the brink of giving up. However, the one thing keeping them going is the presence of their friends. Despite this, they can't help feeling like a ghost, as though they are not truly living but instead are just drifting through life.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "this time I might just disappear" multiple times, emphasizing the singer's sense of despair and the possibility that they may end up disappearing from the world entirely. The image of a "ghost" is also repeated, perhaps to convey the sense that the singer feels like they are not really alive or are living a half-life.
The singer also expresses frustration with someone, likely a romantic partner, who they seem to blame for some of their feelings of alienation and disconnection. They state that this person is the one they hate the most and seem to suggest that their relationship has contributed to their current state of mind.
Overall, "Ghost" is a melancholic exploration of loneliness and depression, with the singer struggling to remain connected to the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
'Cause the world might do me in
The challenging and unpredictable nature of the world may cause my downfall.
It's all right cause I'm with friends
Despite the dangers of the world, I feel secure and comforted by the presence of my friends.
Cause I'm giving up again
I am feeling defeated and losing my will to persevere.
It doesn't matter
My sense of hopelessness has caused me to lose faith in the outcome of any situation.
And I'm feeling like a ghost
I feel invisible and disconnected from the world, as if I am merely a ghost or a shadow.
And it's what I hate the most
Feeling isolated and unnoticed is the most unbearable feeling for me.
'Cause I'm giving up again
Once again, I am resigning myself to failure and defeat.
And this time (this time, this time)
This time around, my sense of hopelessness is particularly acute and inescapable.
This time I might just disappear
I am contemplating an extreme form of self-isolation and removal from the world.
This time I might just dis
I may simply give up or quit trying altogether.
Try and hear me then I'm done
I will make one last attempt to express my feelings, but if it falls on deaf ears, I will give up completely.
'Cause I might just say this once
I fear that my message will be ignored or dismissed as unimportant, so I feel compelled to express it as forcefully as possible.
Seen this played out in my dream
My sense of despair and hopelessness is so overwhelming that it even plagues me in my dreams.
It doesn't matter
No matter how vivid or troubling my dreams may be, they ultimately have no bearing on the real world.
Time for givin' up the ghost
It is time for me to release my grip on life fully and succumb to my feelings of despair and hopelessness.
Fuck, it's you I hate the most
My sense of despair and hopelessness has caused me to resent those around me, even those closest to me.
And there is no guarantee
Even if I were to continue fighting and struggling, there is no promise of a positive outcome or resolution.
It doesn't matter
My sense of hopelessness and despair has become all-consuming, leaving me feeling disheartened and powerless.
This time I might just disappear
Once again, I am contemplating the most extreme form of isolation and removal from the world.
This time I might just dis
Ultimately, I may resign myself to complete and total defeat.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: LUIS ALBERTO DUBUC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ClanCode
'Cause the world might do me in
It's all right cause I'm with friends
Cause I'm giving up again
It doesn't matter
And I'm feeling like a ghost
And it's what I hate the most
'Cause I'm giving up again
And this time (this time, this time)
This time I might just disappear
This time I might just dis
This time I might just disappear
This time I might just dis
Try and hear me then I'm done
'Cause I might just say this once
Seen this played out in my dream
It doesn't matter
Time for givin' up the ghost
Fuck, it's you I hate the most
And there is no guarantee
It doesn't matter
This time I might just disappear
This time I might just dis
This time I might just disappear
This time I might just dis
@TheAMaazing
Rewatching this now that Hellbent is out...
Man I've missed these guys hahaha
@jxn3l_612
I just got done watching it its amazing
@moojesticcookie1456
Yeah
@bean1002
same, maaz
@QweltyNick
Get ready for 2020. For the next part! Yay. Good shit tho
@aryayo5445
Sameeeee
@TheGamingMalamutt
Can we just appreciate the fact that like.. This song singlehandedly launched an entire universe of mysterious lore upon us that's still being expanded upon to this day???
@krypto7653
I can't wait to hear the end of this story 😌
@NickyYey
@@krypto7653yes cant wait💀
@icycorgi901
Where can I watch the full lore (not a "lore explained" video) as a playlist