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The Ghost of You

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This article is about the My Chemical Romance song. For other uses, see Ghost of You (disambiguation).
"The Ghost of You"
Cover artwork of "The Ghost of You": The silhouette of five soldiers stand on a grassy plain in front of a dark sky. The band's logo, reading "My Chemical Romance", and the song title in all caps appear above the soldiers
Single by My Chemical Romance
from the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
ReleasedAugust 29, 2005
Genre
Length
  • 3:15
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Howard Benson
My Chemical Romance singles chronology
"Under Pressure"
(2005) 		"The Ghost of You"
(2005) 		"Welcome to the Black Parade"
(2006)
Music video
"The Ghost of You" on YouTube
"The Ghost of You" (Outtake Version) on YouTube

"The Ghost of You" is a song by the American rock band My Chemical Romance from their second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004). The song was written by band members Frank Iero, Matt Pelissier, Ray Toro, Gerard Way, and Mikey Way, and was produced by Howard Benson. "The Ghost of You" is an emo and gothic rock ballad with quiet verses and loud choruses, lyrically discussing loss and the impact of war.

The third and final single of the album, the song was released as a CD single in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2005, and was subsequently serviced to US active rock and modern rock stations on September 26. "The Ghost of You" has charted in several countries, including in the United States where it reached #84 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on the Alternative Airplay chart. The single also topped the UK Rock & Metal Singles chart and reached #27 on the UK singles chart. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and gold by Music Canada.

A music video for the track was directed by Marc Webb, inspired by the films Saving Private Ryan and Memphis Belle. The video, set during World War II, was split between scenes of the band performing the song at a United Service Organizations dance event, and scenes of the band charging onto a battlefield on D-Day. "The Ghost of You" received positive reviews from music critics, with praise towards its chorus and Gerard Way's vocals; it has been deemed as one of the greatest song in My Chemical Romance's discography. The band has included the song on the set lists of their various live performances, including during the Black Parade World Tour and their reunion tour.

Background and release

[edit]

My Chemical Romance began writing their second studio album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), while touring for their first album in 2003.[1] "The Ghost of You" takes its title from a fictional advertisement from the graphic novel Watchmen, reading "Oh, how the ghost of you clings".[2] Initially, the band intended to end "The Ghost of You" with a scream and a guitar-heavy outro. However, during the song's recording process, the producer Howard Benson convinced the band to instead end the song with a final chorus owing to his "formulaic approach" to songwriting.[3] Towards the end of the album-recording cycle, Benson also returned to add harmonies to "The Ghost of You" after learning that Gerard Way could properly sing backing vocals.[4]

"The Ghost of You" was initially released on June 8, 2004, as the sixth track on Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.[5][6] The song was later released on August 29, 2005 in the United Kingdom,[7] as the album's third single.[8] The track was also included on the 2006 live album Life on the Murder Scene[9] and on the band's 2014 greatest hits album May Death Never Stop You.[10] A live version of "The Ghost of You", recorded during a BBC Radio 1 session, was later released as the B-side of their 2011 single "Sing".[11] The band has also performed the song in their live shows on various occasions, including as part of the setlists of the Black Parade World Tour,[12] the album release party for Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys,[13] the 2022 editions of Riot Fest and the When We Were Young festival,[14][15] and their reunion tour.[16]

Composition and lyrics

[edit]
"The Ghost of You"
A 19-second sample of "The Ghost of You". An emo and gothic rock song, the song relies heavily on guitars and shifts between loud choruses and quiet verses.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"The Ghost of You" is a ballad[17][18] which has been described as being emo[19] and gothic rock,[20] with a hint of the arena rock sound the band would embrace on their subsequent album, The Black Parade (2006).[3] The song's dynamics shift between quiet verses and loud choruses.[18] Instrumentally, the song prominently features guitars: notably, the song opens with guitars made to sound like they are "submerged underwater",[21] they play the same notes as the vocal melody on the line "Never coming home" in the chorus, and the bridge of the song features guitars "weaving over the wails".[22] Mike Diver of Drowned in Sound stylistically compared the song to those by Glassjaw and Faith No More,[23] while Winston Robbins of Consequence compared Gerard Way's "raw" and "frantic" vocal performance to that of Matt Bellamy, the lead singer of Muse.[24] Lyrically, Arielle Gordon of Pitchfork described "The Ghost of You" as being a "seething song about loss",[3] while Ed Walton of Distorted Sound Mag instead characterized the song as an "exploration of grief and the impact of war".[25]

Critical reception

[edit]

"The Ghost of You" received positive reviews from music critics. Bram Teitelman, writing for Billboard, praised the song for being a strong ballad, particularly highlighting Gerard Way's vocals for being "much less whiny than his emo/screamo contemporaries".[26] Diver similarly praised the single for its "soaring vocals and genuinely rockin' chorus", giving it a 6/10 ranking,[23] while Kaj Roth of Melodic called the song a "beautiful but aggressive tune" uncharacteristic of the emo genre.[27] Both DaveyBoy of SputnikMusic and Andy Greenwald of Blender declared the song a highlight on Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, with the former calling it a "cleverly placed mid-album ballad that works a treat".[17][28]

The song has also been deemed as one of the best in My Chemical Romance's discography as a whole. The staff of Billboard included it in their list of the 15 best My Chemical Romance songs, with Taylor Weatherby noting how it "may not be as hook-heavy as the other singles on Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, [but its] impassioned chorus makes it just as special".[29] Marianne Eloise of Louder Sound placed the track at #7 in her ranking of the band's 20 greatest songs, calling it an "eerie, earnest love song with tinges of grief",[21] while Sam Law of Kerrang! placed the song at #16 in his list, praising its songwriting.[30] In rankings of the band's entire discography, Cassie Whitt and Jake Richardson of Loudwire and Chloe Spinks of Gigwise placed "The Ghost of You" at #40 (of 71) and #45 (of 79) respectively, with the latter writing that the song "feels a bit flaccid and a musically muddy [...] but somehow is a fan favorite".[31][32]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In the United States, "The Ghost of You" initially debuted on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart in the week of November 12, 2005,[33] before debuting and peaking at #84 on the Billboard Hot 100, being the only new song to enter the chart in the week of January 14, 2006.[34][35] The song also reached #9 on the Alternative Airplay chart[36] and #38 on the Mainstream Rock chart.[37] In the United Kingdom, the single topped the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart,[38] and reached #27 on the UK Singles Chart.[39] The song also reached #27 on the Scottish Singles Chart[40] and #49 on the Irish Singles Chart.[41] In 2024, "The Ghost of You" was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), signifying sales of 200,000 units,[42] and was certified gold by Music Canada, signifying sales of 40,000 units.[43]

Music video

[edit]

Background and synopsis

[edit]

Near the end of the album cycle of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, the band approached Warner Records about recording a music video for "The Ghost of You"; despite the record label's initial hesitancy, the band's A&R man Craig Aaronson convinced them by asking them to consider it as an investment for the band's next album.[44] The band subsequently approached the director Marc Webb to record the music video, after having worked with him on the music videos for "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" and "Helena". The music video was recorded at a closed set in Los Angeles on May 23 and 24, 2005.[45] It cost just over $1 million to produce, making it one of the most-expensive music videos ever made.[46] Gerard Way first revealed that the video was being created on May 24 in an interview with MTV News,[45] and a clip of the video was first officially unveiled during the pre-show of the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28.[47] The full music video was posted on MTV later that month, on August 30.[48]

According to Webb, Gerard Way had long-envisioned how the video would look, taking inspiration from the films Saving Private Ryan and Memphis Belle. Set during World War II, the video cuts between scenes of the band performing the song at a United Service Organizations dance event during verses, and combat scenes featuring the band charging into battle on D-Day during choruses.[49][46] During the invasion, Mikey Way is shot and killed, leaving Gerard Way "wild with grief".[50] The cinematic nature of the music video led Webb to shoot it similar to a period piece, stressing realism and authenticity throughout the production process.[49] According to Gerard Way, the video was about the fear of losing individuals, reflected through themes of "war and loss and love and everything"; however, as noted by My Chemical Romance biographer Tom Bryant, the music video was also reflective of the band seeing their intense album touring cycle as "going to war".[49][51]

Reception

[edit]

The music video for "The Ghost of You" has been well-received by critics, with Steven Loftin of Loudwire writing that it "push[ed] the limits of what a music video could be".[52] Weatherby called the video one of the most "cinematic" and "intense" by the band,[29] while Law commented how the video was "a pivotal step in the band's ascent to rock's upper leagues".[30] In rankings of the band's music videos, Aliya Chaudhry of Kerrang! placed it fourth and Alternative Press placed it fifth, with both lauding its scope.[53][54] It has also performed well commercially, becoming the third-most played video on MTV2 during the week of September 26, 2005.[55] The music video was nominated for Best Video at the 2006 Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards.[56]

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from Apple Music.[57]

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2005–06) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[41] 49
Scotland (OCC)[40] 27
UK Singles (OCC)[39] 27
UK Rock & Metal (OCC)[38] 1
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[36] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[34] 84
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[37] 38

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[43] Gold 40,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom August 29, 2005 CD single Warner [58]
United States September 26, 2005
Reprise [59][60]
Various January 2, 2006
  • Reprise
  • Warner
 [61]

References

[edit]

Source

[edit]
  • Bryant, Tom (2014). Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance. Boston: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0306823497.

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 81
  2. ^ Carroll, Larry; Jacks, Brian (July 30, 2008). "My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way Says It's Been 'So Difficult' To Keep 'Watchmen' Bob Dylan Cover Under Wraps". MTV News. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Gordon, Arielle (December 8, 2019). "My Chemical Romance: Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 3, 2025. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
  4. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 100
  5. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 105
  6. ^ Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (CD). My Chemical Romance. Reprise Records. 2004. 9362-48615-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ "New releases: singles" (PDF). Music Week. August 27, 2005. p. 29. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
  8. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 132
  9. ^ Montgomery, James (January 18, 2006). "My Chemical Romance's 'Murder' DVD Just Got Bigger". MTV News. Archived from the original on March 3, 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  10. ^ Paul, Aubin (January 21, 2014). "My Chemical Romance detail 'May Death Never Stop You,' launch pre-orders". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  11. ^ Gregory, Jason (January 15, 2011). "My Chemical Romance To Release Unheard Song". Gigwise. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  12. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 199
  13. ^ Pastorek, Whitney (November 23, 2010). "My Chemical Romance Dazzle Album Release Party". Spin. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  14. ^ Law, Sam (September 18, 2022). "What happened when My Chemical Romance headlined Riot Fest". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on October 9, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  15. ^ Trapp, Philip (October 24, 2022). "My Chemical Romance Update Their 'Three Cheers'-Era Outfits at When We Were Young". Loudwire. Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  16. ^ Kaufman, Gil (August 22, 2022). "My Chemical Romance Kick-Off Long-Awaited North American Reunion Tour With 2 Super-Deep Rare Cuts". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  17. ^ a b DaveyBoy (July 4, 2008). "My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge". SputnikMusic. Archived from the original on June 1, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  18. ^ a b Harvilla, Rob (July 26, 2022). "The Eternal March of the Black Parade". The Ringer. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  19. ^ Sacher, Andrew (May 23, 2024). "15 Best Emo & Post-Hardcore Albums of 2004". BrooklynVegan. Archived from the original on July 13, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  20. ^ Sanneh, Kelefa (September 2, 2006). "The Spirit of Punk, the Pomp of Glam". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  21. ^ a b Eloise, Marianne (May 27, 2024). "The 20 greatest My Chemical Romance songs ever". Louder Sound. Archived from the original on March 6, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  22. ^ Chaudhry, Aliya (June 6, 2024). "Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge Turns 20". Stereogum. Archived from the original on December 27, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  23. ^ a b Diver, Mike (August 22, 2005). "Single Review: My Chemical Romance - The Ghost Of You". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  24. ^ Robbins, Winston (October 16, 2010). "Dusting 'Em Off: My Chemical Romance – Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge". Consequence. Archived from the original on February 14, 2025. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  25. ^ Walton, Ed (June 21, 2024). "Heavy Music History: Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge – My Chemical Romance". Distorted Sound Mag. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  26. ^ Teitelman, Bram (October 29, 2005). "Reviews: Singles". Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 44. p. 70. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  27. ^ Roth, Kaj. "My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for sweet revenge". Melodic. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  28. ^ Greenwald, Andy. "My Chemical Romance : Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge Review". Blender. Archived from the original on December 31, 2007. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  29. ^ a b Weatherby, Taylor (November 14, 2019). "The 15 Best My Chemical Romance Songs: Staff Picks". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  30. ^ a b Law, Sam (April 9, 2021). "The 20 greatest My Chemical Romance songs – ranked". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on January 30, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  31. ^ Whitt, Cassie; Richardson, Jake (March 24, 2019). "Every My Chemical Romance Song Ranked". Loudwire. Archived from the original on July 13, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  32. ^ Spinks, Chloe (June 13, 2022). "Every My Chemical Romance song ranked from worst to best". Gigwise. Archived from the original on January 27, 2025. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  33. ^ "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 19, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  34. ^ a b "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  35. ^ "D4L's 'Taffy' Dethrones Mariah On Hot 100". Billboard. January 5, 2005. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  36. ^ a b "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  37. ^ a b "My Chemical Romance Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  38. ^ a b "Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  39. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  40. ^ a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  41. ^ a b "Irish-charts.com – Discography My Chemical Romance". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
  42. ^ a b "British single certifications – My Chemical Romance – The Ghost of You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  43. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – My Chemical Romance – The Ghost of You". Music Canada. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  44. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 132
  45. ^ a b Montgomery, James (May 24, 2005). "My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way: The World's Worst Secret-Keeper". MTV News. Archived from the original on May 6, 2006. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  46. ^ a b Schaffner, Lauryn (September 25, 2020). "The 5 Most Expensive Hard Rock Music Videos of All Time". Loudwire. Archived from the original on January 21, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  47. ^ Montgomery, James (August 15, 2005). "My Chemical Romance Call Video Leak An 'Awesome Problem'". MTV News. Archived from the original on January 29, 2006. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  48. ^ "My Chemical Romance - "The Ghost of You"". MTV. Archived from the original on December 28, 2008. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  49. ^ a b c Montgomery, James; Moss, Corey (May 31, 2005). "My Chemical Romance Lose Makeup, Don Fatigues For 'Ghost' Clip". MTV News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2006. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  50. ^ Markarian, Taylor (June 8, 2022). "10 Facts About 'Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge' Only Superfans Would Know". Loudwire. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  51. ^ Bryant 2014, p. 135
  52. ^ Loftin, Steven (April 15, 2021). "15 Music Videos That Broke the Mold". Loudwire. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  53. ^ Chaudhry, Aliya (July 15, 2021). "Every My Chemical Romance music video, ranked from 'worst' to best". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on January 27, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  54. ^ "Every My Chemical Romance music video ever made, ranked". Alternative Press. March 14, 2017. Archived from the original on January 24, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  55. ^ "National Music" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1627. October 7, 2005. p. 23. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 8, 2025. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  56. ^ "TRIVIUM, IN FLAMES, OPETH Among METAL HAMMER GOLDEN GODS Nominees". Blabbermouth.net. April 12, 2006. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. Retrieved March 19, 2025.
  57. ^ "The Ghost of You — Song by My Chemical Romance — Apple Music". Archived from the original on March 16, 2025. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  58. ^ "New releases - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. August 27, 2005. p. 29. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  59. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1574. September 23, 2005. p. 32. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 8, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  60. ^ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". FMQB. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
  61. ^ "The Ghost of You - Singles — Album by My Chemical Romance — Apple Music (AU)". Archived from the original on March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
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