The Ghost of You
Encyclopedia
"The Ghost of You" is the fourth and final single
and sixth track
from My Chemical Romance
's second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
. The song deals with the fear of loss. The song also crossfades into "The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You". This song is the band's seventh overall single. The song's title is an allusion to an ad from Watchmen
, reading "Oh, how the ghost of you clings". The ad itself was an allusion to the song, "These Foolish Things
". The song's lyrics deal with losing a loved one.
The music video was shot over two days in Malibu, California, and cost over US $300,000 to make. Marc Webb
directed the video. In an interview with FUSE
, My Chemical Romance
said "We shot a movie and just edited it to be a video. It's like if you put 'Sleeping Child' and 'The Actor' together to make one long music video, it still would top that." It closely parallels the Omaha invasion scene from the movie Saving Private Ryan
. Most of the video takes place at a USO
dance where the band is performing, but, often switches over to a D-Day
scene, in which the band members play as United States
soldiers in fierce combat. (At the dance, one soldier's uniform bears the 101st Airborne Division
"Screamin' Eagles" patch, however the 101st Airborne Division wasn't involved in beach landings, but were parachuted behind enemy lines on D-Day, suggesting that several units were present at the ball. 1st Infantry Division and Ninth Air Force
patches can also be seen)
The video takes an emotional turn when bassist
Mikey Way is shot and killed by German fire despite the medic's (played by Ray Toro) attempts to save him, adding emphasis to the aspects of loss in the song. This is foreshadowed in a bar scene where vocalist Gerard Way
, his brother appears to be reassuring him at a bar that he'll be alright, and there's no reason to be afraid. He is seen wearing a 1st Infantry Division patch in the video. Mikey "dies" with his eyes open. Gerard is held down by his squadmates/bandmembers in shock as he sees his brother die. Mikey wears a military medal on his uniform for The Black Parade
, possibly a throwback to this video. The 1st Infantry Division, the "Big Red One" were among the first wave on Omaha Beach
, June 6, 1944. Gerard Way
has to be restrained and is seen screaming (although there is no sound other than the song) as he tries to run to his brother. On Life on the Murder Scene
, Ray is told to talk to Mikey to look like he's trying to save him. Obligingly, he shouts "Mikey! You're dead! [How do you feel!?]"
On September 7, 2005, on its fourth day, it reached number one on MTV
's music-video countdown Total Request Live
. This video marked the changes in My Chemical Romance
's musical style, fanbase, and overall image. There is a cut version for daytime audiences, which leaves shots of soldiers vomiting and Mikey Way's wounds from machine gun firing absent.
Mikey Way, in a recent interview with FUSE
, stated that when the trap door on the landing craft opened and the band rushed forward, due to the weight of all the members, extras and gears combined, the craft capsized and filled with water to the point where the band nearly drowned.
On the Life on the Murder Scene DVD
, it is stated that during their tour with Green Day
, Green Day showed MCR their video "Wake Me Up When September Ends
", which also had a war theme. Gerard feared the video would be the same as theirs for "Wake Me Up When September Ends" but "The Ghost of You" was more about the loss of someone you love. Green Day in a way "gave us their blessing", as stated by Gerard.
US promotional CD
UK promotional CD
UK 7" vinyl
UK CD1
UK CD2
iTunes EP
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and sixth track
Track (CD)
On an optical disc, a track or title is a subdivision of its content. Specifically, it is a consecutive set of sectors on the disc containing a block of data. One session may contain one or more tracks of the same or different types...
from My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
's second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
* Track 11 is commonly censored as "It's Not a Fashion Statement, It's a Deathwish"-Charts:-Singles:-Release history:-Personnel:Band*Frank Iero – rhythm guitar, backing vocals*Matt Pelissier – drums*Ray Toro – lead guitar, backing vocals...
. The song deals with the fear of loss. The song also crossfades into "The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You". This song is the band's seventh overall single. The song's title is an allusion to an ad from Watchmen
Watchmen
Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
, reading "Oh, how the ghost of you clings". The ad itself was an allusion to the song, "These Foolish Things
These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
"These Foolish Things " is a standard with words by Eric Maschwitz and music by Jack Strachey. Harry Link, an American, sometimes appears as a co-writer, but his input was probably limited to changes to suit the U.S. market. It is one of a group of 'Mayfair Songs', like "A Nightingale Sang in...
". The song's lyrics deal with losing a loved one.
Music video
Marc Webb
Marc Preston Webb is an American music video, short film and major motion picture director. He directed the 2009 romantic comedy-drama Days of Summer and is currently directing the 2012 Spider-Man reboot The Amazing Spider-Man.-Life and career:Webb was born in Bloomington, Indiana, the son of...
directed the video. In an interview with FUSE
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
, My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
said "We shot a movie and just edited it to be a video. It's like if you put 'Sleeping Child' and 'The Actor' together to make one long music video, it still would top that." It closely parallels the Omaha invasion scene from the movie Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. It was directed by Steven Spielberg, with a screenplay by Robert Rodat. The film is notable for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depicts the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944....
. Most of the video takes place at a USO
United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and...
dance where the band is performing, but, often switches over to a D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
scene, in which the band members play as United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldiers in fierce combat. (At the dance, one soldier's uniform bears the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
"Screamin' Eagles" patch, however the 101st Airborne Division wasn't involved in beach landings, but were parachuted behind enemy lines on D-Day, suggesting that several units were present at the ball. 1st Infantry Division and Ninth Air Force
Ninth Air Force
The Ninth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force's Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina....
patches can also be seen)
The video takes an emotional turn when bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Mikey Way is shot and killed by German fire despite the medic's (played by Ray Toro) attempts to save him, adding emphasis to the aspects of loss in the song. This is foreshadowed in a bar scene where vocalist Gerard Way
Gerard Way
Gerard Arthur Way is an American musician and comic book writer who has served as lead vocalist and co-founder of the band My Chemical Romance since its formation in 2001...
, his brother appears to be reassuring him at a bar that he'll be alright, and there's no reason to be afraid. He is seen wearing a 1st Infantry Division patch in the video. Mikey "dies" with his eyes open. Gerard is held down by his squadmates/bandmembers in shock as he sees his brother die. Mikey wears a military medal on his uniform for The Black Parade
The Black Parade
The Black Parade is the third studio album by American rock band My Chemical Romance. Released on October 23, 2006 through Reprise Records, it was produced by Rob Cavallo, who has also produced albums for Green Day. The album is the first on which Bob Bryar plays drums. It is a rock opera centering...
, possibly a throwback to this video. The 1st Infantry Division, the "Big Red One" were among the first wave on Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
, June 6, 1944. Gerard Way
Gerard Way
Gerard Arthur Way is an American musician and comic book writer who has served as lead vocalist and co-founder of the band My Chemical Romance since its formation in 2001...
has to be restrained and is seen screaming (although there is no sound other than the song) as he tries to run to his brother. On Life on the Murder Scene
Life on the Murder Scene
- DVD 1 :*Video Diary**Introduction**Band Members**Jersey**The Early Years**Influences**The Dawn of MCR**Early Collaborations**Skylines and Turnstiles**"My Chemical Romance"**Frank**The First My Chem Show**Brian**Bullets**Taking on the World...
, Ray is told to talk to Mikey to look like he's trying to save him. Obligingly, he shouts "Mikey! You're dead! [How do you feel!?]"
On September 7, 2005, on its fourth day, it reached number one on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's music-video countdown Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
. This video marked the changes in My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
's musical style, fanbase, and overall image. There is a cut version for daytime audiences, which leaves shots of soldiers vomiting and Mikey Way's wounds from machine gun firing absent.
Mikey Way, in a recent interview with FUSE
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
, stated that when the trap door on the landing craft opened and the band rushed forward, due to the weight of all the members, extras and gears combined, the craft capsized and filled with water to the point where the band nearly drowned.
On the Life on the Murder Scene DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, it is stated that during their tour with Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
, Green Day showed MCR their video "Wake Me Up When September Ends
Wake Me Up When September Ends
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" is a song by American rock band Green Day released as the fourth single from their seventh album, American Idiot. The single peaked at number six in the United States, becoming Green Day's second Top 10 single. It also peaked at number eight in Canada and the UK,...
", which also had a war theme. Gerard feared the video would be the same as theirs for "Wake Me Up When September Ends" but "The Ghost of You" was more about the loss of someone you love. Green Day in a way "gave us their blessing", as stated by Gerard.
Music video errors
- While the soldiers are in the Higgins boatLCVPThe Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel or Higgins boat was a landing craft used extensively in amphibious landings in World War II. The craft was designed by Andrew Higgins of Louisiana, United States, based on boats made for operating in swamps and marshes...
s, a soldier is seen with the 2nd Ranger Battalion patch on his shoulder. When the soldiers get onto the beach, they wear the insignia of the 1st Infantry Division. During the Normandy invasion, these two units were not together at Omaha BeachOmaha BeachOmaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
.
- At the ball Mikey Way is seen playing an early model Fender P Bass. The electric bass sold from 1951.
- The leads being used should have been the curly "telephone cord" types, as opposed to the more modern leads they were using.
- At the end of the video, when the camera zooms into a distraught and shocked Gerard's eye, in the distance it is possible to see a soldier turn around and sit in a relaxed manner, despite the video not being over. Though, this could also be a depiction of soldier who is in shock.
Track listing
- All songs written by My Chemical RomanceMy Chemical RomanceMy Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
.
US promotional CD
UK promotional CD
UK 7" vinyl
UK CD1
UK CD2
iTunes EP
Charts
| Chart (2005-06) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| European Hot 100 Singles | 86 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
49 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
27 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
84 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs | 9 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Format | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2005 | Reprise Reprise Records Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:... , Eyeball Eyeball Records Eyeball Records is an independent record label based in Northern New Jersey, formed in 1995 by Alex Saavedra. They have released albums by artists such as Thursday, My Chemical Romance and Murder by Death.... |
CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
PROCDR101610 |
| United Kingdom | PRO15547 | |||
| August 29, 2005 | 7" vinyl Gramophone record A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove... |
W683, 5439159657 | ||
| CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... |
W683CD1, 5439159652 | |||
| W683CD2, 9362428242 |