He walked down a busy street
Staring solely at his feet
Clutching pictures of past lovers at his side
Stood at the table where she sat
And removed his hat
In respect of her presence
Presents her with the pictures and says
"These are just ghosts that broke my heart before I met you.
These are just ghosts that broke my heart before I met you"

Opened up his little heart
Unlocked the lock that kept it dark
And read a written warning
Saying I'm still mourning
Over ghosts
Over ghosts
Over ghosts
Over ghosts that broke my heart before I met you

[Chorus]
Lover, please do not
Fall to your knees
It's not
Like I believe in
Everlasting love

He went crazy at nineteen
Said he'd lost all his self esteem
And couldn't understand why he was cry, cry, crying, crying.

He would stare at empty chairs
Think of the ghosts that once sat there
The ghosts who broke his heart.
All the ghosts that broke my heart
The ghosts that broke his heart
All the ghosts that broke my heart
The ghosts, the ghosts, the ghosts, the ghosts,
The ghosts, the ghosts
The ghosts that broke my heart before I met you

[Chorus]

He says "I'm so lost,
Not at all well"
Do as though there is nothing left to be
Turned out I'd been following him and he'd been following me
Do as though after it was over
We were just two lovers crying on each others shoulders
And I said

[Chorus: x2]



Lyrics submitted by whatnikkidid

Track duration: 03:00

"Ghosts" as written by Gabrielle Aplin

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Ghosts song meanings
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29 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:So I think this is from the girl's perspective. She meets this guy and they're together, but they both have past lovers that they're still getting over. The girl realizes that they're using each other, but the guy doesn't really. He convinces himself he's in love with her when he's really just using her for comfort. She tells him that she doesn't "believe in everlasting love" because she doesn't want him to get carried away and force himself to believe he actually loves her. However, it seems like she does believe in everlasting love, but knows it could never happen with this particular guy, so lies to spare his feelings.

    I absolutely love her writing.
    Flag awonderson March 08, 2013   Link
  • +1
    Lyric Correction:This song was written by Laura Marling ..not by who is currently listed
    Flag geezeqon April 14, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:As many have noted, I think the verses are singing about the man and the quotes are all him, whereas the chorus is the girl's response.

    Here's where I differ from other interpretations: she is saying "It's not like I believe in everlasting love" as a 'don't worry', saying that I understand that I'm not your first love and I'm fine with that, your past is your past and we all have one, love doesn't need to be 'everlasting' as in not only without anyone after but also without anyone before.

    He's come along feeling very nervous about bringing up the subject of past loves, but she's very casual and mature about it, realising that you can't expect to be the only love your partner has ever had.
    Flag Enthused_punkon February 17, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i just discovered this song, and it's amazing! especially how i can relate to a few parts of the song:
    "it's not like i believe in everlasting love."
    my boyfriend keeps telling me that he will love me forever and asking me if i will "be his" forever, and i have to repeat over and over again that i can't tell the future, let's just focus on here and now and be happy together as long as it lasts. as bitchy as that may sound to some of you, it's true.
    Flag iliveandbreathemusicon September 24, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:
    It's actually:
    It was done though there is nothing left to be
    Turned out I’d been following him and he’d been following me
    It was done after it was over
    we were just two lovers crying on each others shoulders
    Flag Horsefeatherson July 28, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with BeSmith. I think the boy is trying to show her that he loves her, and he presents her with his past and calls them "ghosts" that hurt him, and she says not to feel so bad because she knows he loves her and isn't in love with them anymore. I like that she says, "it's not like I believe in everlasting love," as though she is saying she knows he isn't still in love with the ghosts, but she is also uncovering the vulnerability of their relationship- of any relationship.

    I like the imagery in this song. I like the idea of throwing down the pictures and starting fresh. We all have ghosts that broke our hearts, so this is so easy to relate to. Love this song.
    Flag Showponyon July 23, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Lover, please do not
    Fall to your knees
    It’s not
    Like I believe in
    Everlasting love"

    i think that's the girl's response to what the boy is telling her about his "ghosts"
    Flag BeSmithon May 08, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:im not sure if anyone has ever said this before on here but this is my interpretation :)

    i think its all from the girls point of view. She's really in love with this guy but he's still hung up on all of these other 'ghosts' (past lovers) that broke his heart. So yeah He doesn't know if he can love again but he feels really vunerable. So yeah she likes him... he doesn't know if he can go through a broken heart again. so she says.. like to make him feel better, oh no don't worry about its, its fine.. i don't believe in everlasting love either.. but deep down inside she is like really in love with him.

    He can't understand why he keeps thinking about his past lovers and he's trying really hard to find the courage to fall in love with this girl.

    At the end they find out that 'turns out i'd been following him and he'd been following me'.
    Flag niamhlorraineon April 24, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think it's about a guy who falls in love really easily and is a real romantic and he has been hurt by ghosts (plural) not just a ghost, which i think is the whole point why she then says.. it's not like i believe in everlasting love.
    i think she is saying.. don't cry to me about your past lovers and beg me not to do the same because it's not like their relationship is going to last forever.. but at the same time she feels for him
    Flag Angelica1990on April 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Joiedevivre, I love your name.

    I absolutely adore this song. I love it when I hear a song and can totally relate to it as I can with this one. I 100% agree with FanoSays! In my opinion I think it's about a guy who has a lot of baggage and he's trying to move past it to be with this new girl. But the girl realizes he still has attachments/pains about his past, so by trying not to attach herself to him, she's feigning toughness by saying "It's not like I believe in everlasting love"...I think the "ghosts" broke his heart but also are breaking hers since they've still got such an impact on boy.

    If that makes sense to anyone besides me and my rambling/not so good with comma usage self.
    Flag gadaboutcrowdon March 24, 2009   Link

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