Segall began his recording career as a part-time musician in various underground bands in Orange County and the San Francisco Bay Area, before beginning a solo career in 2008. Segall's first solo release was the cassette Horn The Unicorn released on the Wizard Mountain label (later re-released by HBSP-2X on vinyl record). Around the same time, Wizard Mountain also released a split cassette featuring Segall and the band Superstitions entitled Halfnonagon.
In 2012, Segall released three LPs: His solo album, Twins; a collaboration with White Fence titled Hair and Slaughterhouse, an album with the Ty Segall Band.
Ghost
Ty Segall Lyrics
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In California near the coast
The sun it shines here and I am blind here 'til now
For 22 years a ghost, 22 years to lose my mind
Ship him out now like a boat
We are leaving, we are leaving you all
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oooh-oooh
I don't wanna be a ghost, I don't wanna be a ghost
In California near the coast
The sun it shines here and I am fine here 'til now
The lyrics to Ty Segall's song "Ghost" appear to be about the desire to escape a life of loneliness and isolation. The repeated refrain of "I don't wanna be a ghost" suggests a fear of being forgotten or disappearing completely, perhaps due to a lack of meaningful connections or purpose in life. The geographical reference to California near the coast underscores this theme, highlighting the contrast between the beauty of the natural surroundings and the feeling of being disconnected from them. The line "the sun it shines here and I am blind here 'til now" suggests that the singer has been living in a state of darkness or ignorance, but is now beginning to see things differently.
The repetition of the phrase "22 years" also adds to the sense of time passing and the feeling of being stuck in a particular situation. The reference to "shipping him out like a boat" implies that the singer is not in control of his own destiny, and perhaps feels like he is being forced to leave his current situation without really knowing where he is going or why. The final line "we are leaving you all" suggests a sense of detachment from others, reinforcing the theme of isolation and the desire to break free from it.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna be a ghost, I don't wanna be a ghost
The singer does not want to be forgotten or ignored
In California near the coast
The singer is currently located in California near the coast
The sun it shines here and I am blind here 'til now
The singer has been ignoring their surroundings until now
For 22 years a ghost, 22 years to lose my mind
The artist has been feeling invisible and unimportant for 22 years, leading to a sense of insanity
Ship him out now like a boat
The artist wants to leave their current location quickly and without hesitation
We are leaving, we are leaving you all
The singer and others are departing and saying goodbye to those left behind
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oooh-oooh
These lines are simply part of the song's melody and convey no explicit meaning
I don't wanna be a ghost, I don't wanna be a ghost
The artist reiterates their desire to be noticed and acknowledged
In California near the coast
The artist is still in California near the coast
The sun it shines here and I am fine here 'til now
The artist has finally started paying attention to their surroundings and feels content for the first time in a while
Contributed by Andrew L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.