With several out of state tours, a long list of local shows, a well received debut EP, and a strong response from both fans and critics, The Motel Life have reached the peak of their local status and now plan on taking their talent to a new level.
With the release of their most recent first full-length album, “Retreat,” the members of The Motel Life, Michael Escanuelas, Judcody Limon, Al Hernandez and Ray Markel, plan to reach out to new fans and have their music heard. Named as one of absolutepunk.net’s top 100 bands to look out for in 2010, The Motel Life is setting the bar higher than ever before.
Ghosts
The Motel Life Lyrics
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we need to stay for a few more days
they've withheld a reason
they say they just wanna keep you safe
and i'm taking a train
back home tomorrow
i feel like a singing messenger with the hook of such great sorrow
you're worth as much
as the curse on your legs
and if you cared enough
you would have stayed
and the news reported the words today
but this will pass, and we will soon forget x2
the smells x2
you're like a ghost
with the way you stay and go
you're thinking toughts you tought
i didn't know
i'm like a child that cries, like a gentleman i lie about your mental health
i and know, i should have gone with you
and she told me to tell you
you're worth as much
as the curse on your legs
and if you cared enough
you would have stayed
and the news reported the words today
but this will pass, and we will soon forget
you're like a ghost with the way you stay and go, you're thinking toughts you tought i didn't know (the smell)
The song "Ghosts" by The Motel Life is about a person who is in a hospital with an unknown reason for their stay. The singer is taking a train home the next day and feels like a "singing messenger with the hook of such great sorrow." The person in the hospital has a curse on their legs, which is compared to their worth. The singer is told to relay the message that if the person in the hospital cared enough, they would have stayed. The news has reported on this, but the situation will soon be forgotten.
The song continues with the repeated phrase, "you're like a ghost with the way you stay and go, you're thinking thoughts you thought I didn't know (the smell)." This could possibly refer to the person in the hospital as being like a ghost because they are not fully present or visible, and the singer feels like they don't fully understand what the person is thinking or feeling.
Overall, the song's lyrics convey a feeling of sadness, confusion, and the idea that someone's worth is not determined by physical afflictions. The repeated metaphor of a ghost emphasizes the intangibility and distance between the singer and the person in the hospital, and the sense that they are not fully connected.
Line by Line Meaning
in the hospital
We're currently in the hospital and will need to stay here for a few more days
we need to stay for a few more days
We're not sure why, but the hospital wants us to stay a bit longer to keep us safe
they've withheld a reason
The hospital hasn't given a specific explanation as to why we need to stay longer
they say they just wanna keep you safe
The hospital staff's main concern is keeping us safe while we're here
and i'm taking a train back home tomorrow
I'll be leaving tomorrow and taking a train back home
i feel like a singing messenger with the hook of such great sorrow
I feel like a messenger of bad news, conveying sorrowful information
and she told me to tell you you're worth as much as the curse on your legs
Someone else asked me to tell you that you're valuable, even though you're dealing with a difficult situation involving your legs
and if you cared enough you would have stayed
Someone suggests that if you really cared, you would have stayed in the hospital longer
and the news reported the words today but this will pass, and we will soon forget x2
The news reported some negative news today, but it will eventually fade from memory
the smells x2
The smell is noticeable and present, potentially adding to the unpleasantness of the hospital environment
you're like a ghost
You come and go like a ghost, making it difficult to keep track of your movements
with the way you stay and go
Your coming and going is erratic and unpredictable
you're thinking thoughts you thought i didn't know
You're having thoughts and feelings that you haven't shared with me before
i'm like a child that cries, like a gentleman i lie about your mental health
I feel helpless and vulnerable, like a child who cries when things are tough. I try to remain polite and tactful when discussing your mental health with others
i know i should have gone with you
I regret not staying with you in the hospital longer
Contributed by Matthew A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.