The band consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Ted Leo, guitarist James Canty, bassist Marty 'Violence' Key, and drummer Chris Wilson. After his previous band, Chisel, broke up in the late 1990s, Ted recorded the Tej Leo(?) Rx Pharmacists [sic] album in 1999, followed by the Treble in Trouble EP in 2000.
His next album, 2001's The Tyranny of Distance, quickly gained him a cult following and critical praise. Dave Lerner and Chris Wilson became permanent members of the band during the tour that year, as did keyboard player Dorien Garry. James Canty (ex-Nation of Ulysses, Make-Up, etc.) also played with the band during this time.
The album Hearts of Oak followed in 2003, which also saw the release of the concert film Dirty Old Town and the Tell Balgeary, Balgury is Dead EP. Garry left the band before the recording of 2004's Shake the Sheets, which has led them into their current setup as a power trio. The new record featured fewer obscure references and more overt political content than his previous releases did, though his music has always been known for its engagement with politics.
The band tours extensively around North America. Leo is a strict vegan. His brother Chris Leo is also a singer/songwriter and a member of The Lapse. Ted Leo graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1994 with a degree in English.
I'm a Ghost
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists Lyrics
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that it's taking all my strength to make this toast.
i'm a ghost and i want you to come close
cause i don't want you to miss me and this quote
i'm a ghost - i'm no one of any note.
sure, your mind was made up long before i spoke.
but i'm a ghost - one of an unholy host,
made invisible and mute, but with sore throats.
six feet under ground.
now you'll say you disagree, keep my statistic around.
but if it looks like a dog and it smells like a dog,
well then it probably is, so let's just give it a walk.
i'm a ghost - so it dont matter what i know,
and you wont mind if i dont speak "comme il faut,"
but you've been caught "in flagrante delicto,"
and the ghosts are lining up outside your door.
because you cant make a sound from six feet under ground.
now you'll say you disagree,
but come on - look what we've found:
if i can talk 'til im dead and still not get in your head,
well then it's probably true, so let's put this idea to bed.
why did you not talk to me?
you said you would talk to me.
you can never talk to me again.
there's no more tale to recound and no more truth to renounce,
and no more finding me here,
if e'er you do come around.
see, they have lowered me down,
put me back deep underground.
i'm on my side in the earth "where there's no rebirth...'
why did you not come to me?
you said you would come to me.
you could always come to be back then.
why did you not talk to me?
you said you would talk to me.
you can never talk to me again.
The song "I'm a Ghost" by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists is a melancholic tune that tells a story of a ghost reaching out to someone he once knew in life. The ghost is struggling to come to terms with his passing and communicates his feelings of sadness and loneliness. In the first verse, he reveals that he is a ghost and that even the simple act of making a toast takes all of his strength. He expresses his desire for the recipient of the song to come close, as he doesn't want to be forgotten. The wording of the song suggests that the ghost may be someone who has been left behind, someone unimportant in life, as he labels himself "no one of any note".
In the second verse, the ghost continues to lament his fate. He refers to himself as part of an "unholy host," highlighting the pain of being powerless and invisible. He then draws attention to the fact that once someone is dead, they can never speak again. Regardless of the number of words spoken, he feels that he still can't seem to make a difference in the living world. The ghost seems to be reaching out to someone in particular, someone who had promised to speak to him, perhaps a loved one or a friend. He feels as though this relationship was left unfinished in life and that he was not given the opportunity to express himself fully before his death.
Overall, "I'm a Ghost" is an emotional song that deals with themes of isolation, loss, and the finality of death. The song is both haunting and beautiful, and the lyrics paint a vivid picture of a ghost who is struggling to find closure in the afterlife.
Line by Line Meaning
i'm a ghost, and i wanted you to know
I am a shadow of a person and I need you to be aware of my presence.
that it's taking all my strength to make this toast.
It's difficult for me to communicate with you, but I'm doing my best.
i'm a ghost and i want you to come close
I need you to be near me so you don't forget about me.
cause i don't want you to miss me and this quote
I want you to remember me and the things I said.
i'm a ghost - i'm no one of any note.
I'm not important, but I still want to be remembered.
sure, your mind was made up long before i spoke.
You already had your opinions, regardless of what I had to say.
but i'm a ghost - one of an unholy host,
There are others like me, lost souls that have yet to find peace.
made invisible and mute, but with sore throats.
We can't speak, but we still feel the pain of what we left behind.
look - you cant make a sound from six feet under ground.
When you're dead, there's no way to communicate with the living world.
now you'll say you disagree, keep my statistic around.
You might not believe me, but I still want you to remember me.
but if it looks like a dog and it smells like a dog,
If something seems obvious, it probably is.
well then it probably is, so let's just give it a walk.
There's no use debating what is clearly true.
i'm a ghost - so it dont matter what i know,
I'm not important anymore, so my opinions don't count.
and you wont mind if i dont speak "comme il faut,"
You won't care if I don't speak properly anymore.
but you've been caught "in flagrante delicto,"
You've been caught in the act of something.
and the ghosts are lining up outside your door.
Others have come back to haunt you for what you've done.
because you cant make a sound from six feet under ground.
When you're dead, you can't change what's happened.
now you'll say you disagree,
You might not believe me.
but come on - look what we've found:
But there's clear evidence of the truth.
if i can talk 'til im dead and still not get in your head,
Even if I communicate, I won't get through to you.
well then it's probably true, so let's put this idea to bed.
Let's accept the reality of the situation and move on.
why did you not talk to me?
I wish you had communicated with me more.
you said you would talk to me.
You made promises to me that you didn't keep.
you can never talk to me again.
It's too late for us to communicate now.
there's no more tale to recound and no more truth to renounce,
Our story is over and there's nothing left to argue about.
and no more finding me here,
You won't be able to find me in this world again.
if e'er you do come around.
Even if you do come back, it won't change what happened.
see, they have lowered me down,
My body has been buried in the ground.
put me back deep underground.
I am now deep beneath the surface of the earth.
i'm on my side in the earth "where there's no rebirth...'
I am in a dark and lifeless place, without a chance of revival.
why did you not come to me?
I wish you had reached out to me.
you said you would come to me.
You made promises to me that you didn't keep.
you could always come to be back then.
There was a time when we could have been close, but that's over now.
why did you not talk to me?
I wish we had communicated more.
you said you would talk to me.
You made promises to me that you didn't keep.
you can never talk to me again.
It's too late for us to communicate now.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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