Radiohead – Give Up the Ghost

Know something about this song or lyrics? Add it to our wiki.
Send "Give Up the Ghost" Ringtone to Cell

Don't haunt me
Don't haunt me

Gather up the lost and sold
Into your arms
Into your arms

Gather up the pitiful
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms

What seems impossible
In your arms
In your arms

I think I have had my fill
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms
In your arms

I've think I should give up the ghost
Into your arms
Into your arms

Send "Give Up the Ghost" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by maggotbrain

Track duration: 04:50

"Give Up the Ghost" as written by Thomas Edward/greenwood Yorke

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Give Up the Ghost song meanings
Add your thoughts

44 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm pretty positive he's saying "Don't harm me, don't hurt me."
    Flag dmckidaon May 16, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Having seen enough of this world and its various ills, Thom/the singer is ready to "give up the ghost" - in other words, he is finally willing to surrender his spirit unto a higher power (God, nature/earth).

    He realises that, as a human being, he can only try his best to aid the plight of the "lost" and "pitiful" of this world, but ultimately his efforts will have little impact as only the Creator/higher power can do "what is impossible".
    Flag Lantaon March 16, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I read some of the inane comments and juvenile arguments on this place and wonder why I bother with it, then I read a thread like this one and I remember why. Some really insightful comments that have helped to illuminate the song for me; I loved it anyway, but hadn't given that much thought to what it all meant.
    Flag richeyeon December 15, 2012   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This is an incredibly deep and beautiful song. I think the main message can be summarized, but there is so much about it that goes beyond a simple summing up.

    To me, the song is a spiritual/prayer about transitioning to death gently and compassionately and accepting death (giving up the ghost). It is begging "please don't hurt me" as I die in a kind of "pray the Lord my soul to keep" way. It is praying for care and compassion, to be protected and brought home ("into your arms"), whether that be as a soul or just a body decomposing back into the soil from where it came. "Gather up the lost and sold" (humanity) "into your arms" and be our keeper.
    Flag zepkid5678on December 02, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's an English expression,much like the Southern expression,"That dog won't hunt"....
    Flag redshiftdazzleron August 06, 2012   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:It's about getting over shit.
    Flag SilentAssassinon August 06, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:I really appreciate most of the interpretations here. Some are truly fantastic and I must highlight the interpretations of MrPseudonym and matchboxmatt which are amazing works of interpretation.
    But for me, this one is much simpler… I like to think that, probably this song is simply about helping the world, helping Mankind, especially the lost, the suffering ones. We can see many other things in it but this is what I prefer and choose to see… it’s noble enough.
    The song starts with “don’t hurt me” in a loop (by the way, I don’t believe in the “don’t haunt me” part, although it could make sense) and immediately after Thom “urges” us to “Gather up the lost and sold” in our arms… It’s the lost and sold, as well as the pitiful, who are saying “Don’t hurt me”... They’re suffering, they’re afraid we’re approaching to hurt them as all the others before, they’re like a mistreated and hurt child who is afraid of everyone and everything, always suspicious.
    Near the end of the song Thom says he thinks he has had his fill. This means one of two things (or both): or he’s saying he has helped Mankind enough and he can’t endure it anymore (God knows he has helped me feeling good, feeling happy, feeling proud of being, proud of us all, he has helped me in so many ways…) or he is saying he is fed up with this world and tiered of witnessing to all this suffering. Either way he wants to give up his ghost and commend is soul into our arms (or into God’s arms).
    Does this make a whole lot of sense to you all? Tell me what you think.
    Flagged Roak80on July 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Idk, everything people have said previously is as valid as what I have to say. But having lost someone I dearly loved, much too soon at the age of 23, I have a different kind of relationship to this song. My close friend was taken from me, and I don't want him to "haunt me" or "hurt me" anymore with the memory of his untimely and violent end, and perhaps I even want to "give up [his] ghost" so that I can be at peace, but letting go is never, ever that simple. I look at this song as a struggle between wanting to be happy and to move on, but also lacking the ability to do so.
    Flag sunwashighon April 16, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think this song definatley reaches out to some of the more unfortunate people. people maybe who live in the thrid world countries and possibly are haviong a terribl;e life, andtelling them its ok to let go, its ok to die.
    Flag noisez13000on February 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is about letting go of someone or something and accepting grief. i helped me get over the end of a relationship that i was in for years. It made me realise that letting go is a choice, a difficult one, but in the end you also let go of whats painful (give up all painful) and that it seems impossible to stop thinking about someone (what seems impossible) but in the end its giving up the ghost, or withdrawal of that effort that finally sets you free. a difficult desision to make, but ultimately the only decision when you know that things are finally over between two people. the acceptance that no matter if you tried again, its all gone. very sad, but also very liberating, so subtle. i have cried a few tears to this.
    Flag novelwithcocaineon December 07, 2011   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain