1) The Accidentals ar… Read Full Bio ↴There are three groups called The Accidentals.
1) The Accidentals are an a cappella octect based in New York. They won the 1995 National Finals of the Harmony Sweepstakes with the original composition 'You Win', and have since released several CDs. Among the members are acclaimed vocalists Margaret Dorn, Emily Bindiger, and Catherine Russell.
www.theaccidentals.com
2) The Accidentals are a young duo from Traverse CIty, Michigan. Seventeen year olds, Katie Larson and Savannah Buist met in high school orchestra and play over a half dozen instruments each! They began taking the Northern Michigan music scene by storm in 2011. They have released two albums of original material, scored two independent films, opened for National Artists Andrew Bird and Sixto Rodriguez, and played over 1000 live shows, radio, and tv. Check out their new 2013 release "Bittersweet". www.moreaccidentals.com
3)The Accidentals are a young band from West Sussex. Formed in 2007, they are comprised of:
Tom Batty - Vocals/Guitar/Synth
Chris Ostler - 2nd Vocals/Lead Guitar
Evy - Drums
Alex Batty - Bass
They are known for their appearances across most of Sussex, and their first gig at which they played to a large crowd during the SWASH campaign in Worthing.
Ghost of a Lie
The Accidentals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A TV lights up the choking dark
And in a white room an old man sighs
His friends a lamp and the ghost of a lie
Once in a cold March my childhood friend
Took my hand and dragged me to the driveway's end
Where in the front yard, a dog would creep
Find my bones in the bottles of the oak tree
My old ghosts never fail to catch up to me
Little sister, thief of peace
Let the crows of war cease their battle cries
And let these memories die
In a war-torn, damaged mind
The young man that he was, never took flight
And I could see it in his broken eyes
As he gazed from the window of his room of white
Find my bones in the bottles of the oak tree
My old ghosts never fail to catch up to me
Little sister, thief of peace
Let the crows of war cease their battle cries
And let these memories die
In the heart of a bitter hound
There is an endless howl that never sounds
So lay a kind hand upon his back
For what is one lone wolf without a pack?
Find my bones in the bottles of the oak tree
My old ghosts never fail to catch up to me
Little sister, thief of peace
Let the crows of war cease their battle cries
Let these memories die
And let these memories die
And let these memories die
The lyrics to The Accidentals's song Ghost of a Lie depict the haunting memories and traumas that one can't seem to outrun. The opening lines paint a picture of a desolate scene with an old house with a blue heart and a flickering TV in the darkness, while an old man reflects on his past with only a lamp and the ghost of a lie as his companions. The second verse refers to a childhood memory where a friend once showed the singer an aggressive dog baring its teeth in the darkness, and the haunting imagery continues throughout the song.
The chorus repeats "Find my bones in the bottles of the oak tree, my old ghosts never fail to catch up to me", emphasizing the desperation and hopelessness of trying to escape the past. The third verse references a "war-torn, damaged mind" and a broken young man trapped in his own mind, unable to escape his own trauma. The final verse references a bitter hound's endless howl and the need for companionship and support.
Line by Line Meaning
There's an old house with a blue heart
There's a place full of memories that still exist in her heart
A TV lights up the choking dark
The light in the darkness represents the hope still left within her
And in a white room an old man sighs
A symbol of the hopelessness of old age and the weight of the past
His friends a lamp and the ghost of a lie
He clings to his only sources of comfort - a lamp and the false belief that things could have been different
Once in a cold March my childhood friend
Reflecting on a time of innocence before reality hit
Took my hand and dragged me to the driveway's end
The friend tried to get her away from something unpleasant
Where in the front yard, a dog would creep
A symbol of danger lurking nearby
The light in the darkness was his bared teeth
The light was actually a warning sign, a signal of danger
Find my bones in the bottles of the oak tree
She wishes to disappear and be forgotten
My old ghosts never fail to catch up to me
The memories of her past continue to haunt her
Little sister, thief of peace
Her own mind is causing her distress and stealing her peace of mind
Let the crows of war cease their battle cries
She wishes for a peaceful end to the inner conflict she's experiencing
In a war-torn, damaged mind
A metaphor for the damage caused by traumatic experiences
The young man that he was, never took flight
Someone who never got to live up to their full potential
And I could see it in his broken eyes
The pain and trauma is visible in his eyes
As he gazed from the window of his room of white
The white room is a metaphor for the isolation and emptiness he's feeling
In the heart of a bitter hound
A metaphor for someone who's been hurt and is now bitter
There is an endless howl that never sounds
The pain and anger are always present, even if they're not overtly expressed
So lay a kind hand upon his back
Show compassion even to those who are bitter and angry
For what is one lone wolf without a pack?
We all need love and support to heal and move on from the past
Let these memories die
A plea to find peace and move on from the past
And let these memories die
Reiterating the desire to move on and leave the past behind
And let these memories die
Repeat the plea for continued emphasis
Writer(s): Savannah Shayn Buist
Contributed by Arianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.