The Ghost of a Thousand were a fast and furious punk-influenced hardcore ba… Read Full Bio ↴The Ghost of a Thousand were a fast and furious punk-influenced hardcore band.

Vocalist Tom Lacey, guitarists Andy Blyth and Jag Jago, drummer Memby Jago and bassist Gaz Spencer came together in Brighton, United Kingdom in 2004. They played hundreds of shows including headline tours, festival dates, nights with the likes of Gallows and Poison The Well, and were specially selected support at Alexisonfire's final UK shows. They released two albums, short, sharp debut 'This Is Where the Fight Begins' and 2009's 'New Hopes, New Demonstrations' which was recorded by Pelle Gunnefeldt (The Hives, Refused). And they collected Kerrang! Award nominations and a place in Q Magazine’s Top Five metal bands along the way.

Neptune
The Ghost of a Thousand Lyrics

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Put me to sea, raise the flag on my eulogy, put me to sea, better off with the waters deep. Raise the flag, raise the flag, Tell the preachers the sky's gone black. Salt the earth, raise the trees, tell the preachers there's nothing left of me. I've been carved from stone and rock, they chip right into me it's fucking pitiful. I was saved when I met these guys, they chip right into me it's fucking true. Put me to sea, raise the flag on my eulogy, put me to sea, better off with the waters deep. Here's the future they have sold us, clean, safe: It is nothing to be proud of, coal burns beneath us and rots. We've got charity, we've got motor oil. There's no substitute for that hope, you'd better drop to your knees. These are the songs of the molten lava, this is the whinging of the galley slave, this is for souls with their homes divided, for the fathers who don't know their kids. This is the home for the broken hearted, this is for the passing of the bright idea. Sleep at the bottom of the sea.

Overall Meaning

The song "Neptune" by The Ghost of a Thousand is a reflection on the end of life, both on an individual level and on a larger scale. The opening lines, "Put me to sea, raise the flag on my eulogy, put me to sea, better off with the waters deep," suggest a desire to be released from the burdens of existence and to find peace in death. The repeated command to "raise the flag" and "tell the preachers" speaks to a desire to make a statement, to be remembered beyond one's own life.

The song then turns to a commentary on society, with lyrics like "Here's the future they have sold us, clean, safe: It is nothing to be proud of, coal burns beneath us and rots." These lines criticize the false promises of progress and the corrupt systems that continue to harm the environment and marginalized communities. The song ultimately calls for a reckoning with these issues and a return to a more just and honest way of living.

Overall, "Neptune" is a powerful and raw reflection on life, death, and the state of the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Put me to sea, raise the flag on my eulogy, put me to sea, better off with the waters deep.
Let me be cast into the sea as my final resting place, for I am better off dead and buried in the deep waters. Raise the flag to signify my passing.

Raise the flag, raise the flag, Tell the preachers the sky's gone black.
Raise the flag again as a symbol of mourning and let the preachers know that darkness has descended upon us.

Salt the earth, raise the trees, tell the preachers there's nothing left of me.
Destroy everything in my wake, leave nothing for them to remember me by. Tell the preachers that I am now nothing more than dust in the wind.

I've been carved from stone and rock, they chip right into me it's fucking pitiful.
I am unyielding and unbreakable like stone and rock, yet they still manage to chip away at my spirit. It's a sad and pathetic sight to behold.

I was saved when I met these guys, they chip right into me it's fucking true.
Despite being chipped away at, I have been saved by those around me. It's true that they have managed to make me vulnerable, but their support has been invaluable.

Here's the future they have sold us, clean, safe: It is nothing to be proud of, coal burns beneath us and rots.
They have promised us a bright and shiny future, but it's nothing to be proud of. Beneath the surface, there is decay and darkness lurking, waiting to consume us all.

We've got charity, we've got motor oil. There's no substitute for that hope, you'd better drop to your knees.
We have material possessions and fleeting acts of kindness, but they are no substitute for true hope. If you want to survive in this world, you better pray for help from above.

These are the songs of the molten lava, this is the whinging of the galley slave, this is for souls with their homes divided, for the fathers who don't know their kids.
These are the stories of those who have endured the fires of adversity, the cries of those who have been oppressed, and the pain of those who have been broken by the tearing apart of their families.

This is the home for the broken hearted, this is for the passing of the bright idea.
This is a place where those who have suffered heartbreak can find solace. It is also a place for the end of youthful optimism and the acceptance of harsh reality.

Sleep at the bottom of the sea.
Rest in peace, buried forever at the bottom of the ocean.

Contributed by Maya R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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