The song explores how SZA’s growing contempt of the music industry “machine” she finds herself in. Frustrated, she is looking for her partner to offer her an escape from her situation, even if temporary.
Ghost in the Machine
SZA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Heard about what?
"I hate her", "I don't agree", "I did it first"
I give a fuck, I just wanna fuck, eat, sleep, love, happy
Can you make me happy? Can you keep me happy?
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
I need humanity
Y'all lack humanity
Drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
Y'all lack humanity
I need humanity, I need
Everybody wanna be beautiful, scared of the unusual
Scared of givin' mutual respect, all that you hate
You reflect all that godlike
You forget how to love somebody
I hate everybody, I hate everyone
Let's talk about A.I., robot got more heart than I
Robot got future, I don't
Robot get sleep, but I don't power down
I'm wide open, I'm awake, I'm on autopilot
I'm out of my mind and I'm wide open
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
I need humanity
Y'all lack humanity
Drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
Y'all lack humanity
I need humanity, I need
You said all my friends are on my payroll
You're not wrong, you're an asshole
Screaming at you in the Ludlow
I was yours for free (free, free, free)
I don't get existential
I just think about myself and look where that got me
Standin' on my own in an airport bar or hotel lobby
Waiting to feel clean
That's so fucking boring
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
I need humanity
Y'all lack humanity
Drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
Y'all lack humanity
I need humanity, I need
Those who have forsaken their humanity
They're trying to patch their life with morality
I think I might be tryna patch my life with morality
I'm curious, I'm curious
In "Ghost in the Machine," SZA is expressing her feelings of detachment, disinterest, and dissatisfaction with the world around her. She's finding it increasingly challenging to engage in small talk as she perceives everyone to lack depth, substance, and empathy. Despite her desire to connect with others, she recognizes that most people can't make her happy. She poses a series of questions to her potential partner, asking whether they can distract her from all the disasters, give her attention without strings attached, conceal their disdain behind laughter, and lead her to a place of safety.
Line by Line Meaning
Everything disgustin', conversation is so borin'
I'm tired of the same boring conversations and everything just seems disgusting.
Heard about what?
"I hate her", "I don't agree", "I did it first"
I'm tired of hearing people talk negatively about others and trying to compete with each other.
I give a fuck, I just wanna fuck, eat, sleep, love, happy
Can you make happy? Can you keep me happy?
I only care about basic pleasures in life and I'm looking for someone who can keep me happy.
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
Can you help me forget about the problems in my life? Can you have casual physical intimacy without developing attachment? Can you pretend to like me while actually hating me? Can you guide me to a better place in life?
I need humanity
You're like humanity
Drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
You're like humanity
I need humanity, I need
I crave human connection, but the people around me are too focused on themselves and superficial things.
Everybody wanna be beautiful, scared of the unusual
Scared of givin' mutual respect, all that you hate
It reflect all that godlike
You forget how to love somebody
I ain't everybody, I ain't everyone
People are obsessed with superficial beauty and afraid of anything outside of the norm. They don't know how to give and receive mutual respect and love. I am not like everyone else.
Let's talk about A.I., robot got more heart than I
Robot got future, I don't
Robot get sleep, but I don't power down
I'm wide open, I'm awake, I'm on autopilot
I'm out of my mind and I'm wide open
Robots seem to have more going for them than I do. They have a future, they can rest, and they have structure. Meanwhile, I feel like I'm constantly awake and in autopilot mode, never able to truly power down or relax.
You said all my friends are on my payroll
You're not wrong, you're an asshole
Screaming at you in the Ludlow
I was yours for free (free, free, free)
I don't get existential
I just think about myself and look where that got me
Standin' on my own in an airport bar or hotel lobby
Waiting to feel clean
That's so fucking boring
You accuse me of paying my friends to be around me, which may be true. I'm frustrated and angry, standing alone in a public place with no one around. I'm bored with my selfish lifestyle and want to feel clean again.
Those who have forsaken their humanity
They're trying to patch their life with morality
I think I might be tryna patch my life with morality
I'm curious, I'm curious
People who have lost touch with their humanity try to compensate with morality. I may be doing the same thing, and I'm curious about it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Solana Imani Rowe, Marshall Kenneth Vore, Phoebe Lucille Bridgers, Carter Lang, Robert Clark Bisel, Matt Cohn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@shiaxne
LYRICS
[Verse 1: SZA]
Everything disgustin', conversation is so borin'
Heard about what? I ain't heard, I don't agree, I did it first
I give a fuck, I just wanna fuck, eat, sleep, love happy
Can you make me happy? Can you keep me happy?
[Pre-Chorus: SZA]
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
[Chorus: SZA]
I need humanity
You're like humanity, drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
You're like humanity, I need humanity
I need–
[Verse 2: SZA]
Anybody wanna be beautiful, scared of the unusual
Scared of givin' mutual respect, all that you hate
You reflect all the godlike, you forget how to love somebody
I hatе everybody, I hate еveryone
Let's talk about A.I., robot got more heart than I
Robot got future, I don't, robot could sleep
But I don't power down, I'm wide open, I'm awake
I'm on autopilot, I'm out of my mind and I'm wide open
[Pre-Chorus: SZA]
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
[Chorus: SZA]
I need humanity
You're like humanity, drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
You're like humanity, I need humanity
I need–
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[Verse 3: Phoebe Bridgers]
You said all of my friends are on my payroll
You're not wrong, you're an asshole
Screaming at you in the Ludlow
I was yours for free
I don't get existential
I just think about myself and look where that got me
Standin' on my own in an airport bar or hotel lobby
Waiting to feel clean
It's so fucking boring
[Pre-Chorus: SZA]
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
[Chorus: SZA]
I need humanity
You're like humanity, drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
You're like humanity, I need humanity
I need–
[Outro: Sadhguru & SZA]
Those who have forsaken their humanity
They like to patch their life with morality
I think I might be tryna patch my life with morality
Curious, I'm curious
@jjared1314
Intro: SZA]
Oh-oh
Oh-oh, mm-mm, mm
[Verse 1: SZA]
Everything disgustin', conversation is so borin'
Heard about what? I ain't heard, I don't agree, I did it first
I give a fuck, I just wanna fuck, eat, sleep, love happy
Can you make me happy? Can you keep me happy?
[Pre-Chorus: SZA]
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
[Chorus: SZA]
I need humanity
You're like humanity, drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
You're like humanity, I need humanity
I need–
[Verse 2: SZA]
Anybody wanna be beautiful, scared of the unusual
Scared of givin' mutual respect, all that you hate
You reflect all the godlike, you forget how to love somebody
I hatе everybody, I hate еveryone
Let's talk about A.I., robot got more heart than I
Robot got future, I don't, robot can't sleep
But I don't power down, I'm wide open, I'm awake
I'm on autopilot, I'm out of my mind and I'm wide open
[Pre-Chorus: SZA]
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
[Chorus: SZA]
I need humanity
You're like humanity, drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
You're like humanity, I need humanity
I need–
[Bridge: Phoebe Bridgers]
You said all of my friends are on my payroll
You're not wrong, you're an asshole
Screaming at you in the Ludlow
I was yours for free
I don't get existential
I just think about myself and look where that got me
Standin' on my own in an airport bar or hotel lobby
Waiting to feel clean
It's so fucking boring
[Pre-Chorus: SZA]
Can you distract me from all the disaster?
Can you touch on me and not call me after?
Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?
Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?
[Chorus: SZA]
I need humanity
You're like humanity, drownin' in vanity
Cravin' humanity
You're like humanity, I need humanity
I need–
[Spoken Outro: Sadhguru, SZA]
Those who have forsaken their humanity
They like to patch their life with morality
I think I might be tryna patch my life with morality
Curious, I'm curious
@spencersuen3360
Phoebe's vocals are hauntingly beautiful... what a collab
@treyestes4245
Hauntingly it’s a good word to use causes I got mad chills
@ivorythewoomiest
idk man i dont like her part
@roronoa_raf2201
@@ivorythewoomiestidk man 1.7k people liked it. Good for you?
@rayanna7188
@@roronoa_raf2201that's just their opinion
@52barney
@@ivorythewoomiest yeah sound like yo mamma up under me
@maria-lx2zk
SZA NEVER FAILS
@viiixen
Ever 😩
@GEORGIAnesbit12
Never
@queenv4340
Right