Tag: Rolling Stones

Today’s theme at Song Lyric Sunday is all about songs with the lyrics “eerie, ghost, haunting, paranormal or spooky” as suggested by Di of pensitivity101.

There are any number of songs along these lines .… the pop hit “Spooky” by the Classic IV, the golden standard “Ghost Of A Chance” by Ella Fitzgerald or the classic cowboy legend “Ghost Riders In The Sky” by Johnny Cash, just to name three. However, I remembered a song from just four years ago and had it simmering on the back burner.

Today seemed like the right day to serve it up.

Since 2017, the Rolling Stones had been on the No Filter Tour but had to stop touring in 2020 due to the COVID 19 pandemic. They remotely performed at Global Citizen’s Together At Home concert on April 18, 2020, helping raise money for healthcare workers and the World Health Organization during the crisis.  

The Stones had been working on new music in the recording studio before lockdown and one particular track really resonated with what we were all living through. On April 23, 2020, the band released “Living In A Ghost Town” online as a single for digital download and streaming. It was based on 2019 recording sessions and finished remotely, making this their first original material since 2012 and their first release since the 2016 cover album Blue & Lonesome. The band fast-tracked releasing the song due to its relevance to social distancing. While the original storyline of the song was about being a ghost after a plague, Jagger changed some of the lyrics to refer to the pandemic.

On July 3, 2020, “Living In A Ghost Town” topped the German singles chart; this made the Rolling Stones the oldest artists ever to reach #1 on the chart! It also signified the longest gap between two #1 singles in Germany since “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” made it to the top slot in 1968. The song only reached #61 on the UK singles chart but fared much better in the US, peaking at #6 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 singles and #3 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative songs.

Recorded in Los Angeles, London and in isolation, my feature song today is “Living In A Ghost Town” by the Rolling Stones.

Lyrics

Whoa, oh
Whoa, oh

I’m the ghost
Living in a ghost town
I’m a ghost
Living in a ghost town

You can look for me
But I can’t be found
You can search for me
I had to go underground

Life was so beautiful
Then we all got locked down
Feel a like ghost
Living in a ghost town, yeah

Once this place was humming
And the air was full of drumming
The sound of cymbals crashing
Glasses were all smashing
Trumpets were all screaming
Saxophones were blaring
Nobody was caring if it’s day or night (Whoa, oh)
Whoa, oh

I’m a ghost
Living in a ghost town
I’m going nowhere
Shut up all alone
So much time to lose
Just staring at my phone

Every night I am dreaming
That you’ll come and creep in my bed
Please let this be over
Not stuck in a world without end

Whoa, oh
Whoa, oh
Whoa, oh
Whoa, oh

Preachers were all preaching
Charities beseeching
Politicians dealing
Thieves were happy stealing
Widows were all weeping
No beds for us to sleep in
Always had the feeling
It will all come tumbling down

I’m a ghost
Living in a ghost town
You can look for me
But I can’t be found

Whoa, oh
We’re all living in a ghost town (Whoa, oh)
Oh, living in a ghost town (Whoa, oh)
We were so beautiful (Whoa, oh)
I was your man about town (Whoa, oh)

Living in this ghost town (Whoa, oh)
Ain’t having any fun (Whoa, oh)
If I want a party (Whoa, oh)
It’s a party of one
Whoa, oh
Whoa, oh

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Michael Phillip Jagger/Keith Richards

Chill You To The Bone

Big thanks to Jim for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday and to Di for her excellent theme suggestion.

Thanks for stopping by. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2024

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.