The Ghost of You

"The Ghost of You"
Single by My Chemical Romance
from the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
Released August 29, 2005 (2005-08-29)
Format
Recorded 2004
Genre
Length 3:22
Label
Songwriter(s) My Chemical Romance
Producer(s) Howard Benson
My Chemical Romance singles chronology
"Under Pressure"
(2005)		 "The Ghost of You"
(2005)		 "Welcome to the Black Parade"
(2006)
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge track listing
13 tracks
  1. "Helena"
  2. "Give 'Em Hell Kid"
  3. "To the End"
  4. "You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison"
  5. "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
  6. "The Ghost of You"
  7. "The Jetset Life is Gonna Kill You"
  8. "Interlude"
  9. "Thank You for the Venom"
  10. "Hang 'Em High"
  11. "It's Not a Fashion Statement, It's a Fucking Deathwish"
  12. "Cemetery Drive"
  13. "I Never Told You What I Do for a Living"

"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 Ghost of You" was released to radio on September 27, 2005.[1] The song deals with the fear of loss. The song's title is an allusion to an ad from Watchmen, reading "Oh, how the ghost of you clings".[2] The ad itself was an allusion to the song, "These Foolish Things". The song's lyrics deal with losing a loved one.

Music video

A screenshot of the video.

The music video was shot over two days in Malibu, California, and cost over US $1,000,000 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 'Helena' and 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)' 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 was not 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 will be alright, and that there is 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 restrained by his squadmates/band members as he sees his brother die, and is seen screaming (although there is no sound other than the song) as he tries to run to him. The 1st Infantry Division, the "Big Red One", were among the first wave on Omaha Beach, June 6, 1944. In Life on the Murder Scene, Ray is told to talk to Mikey to look like he is 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. There is a cut version for daytime audiences, which leaves shots of soldiers vomiting and Mikey Way's wounds from machine gun fire absent.

Mikey Way, in an 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.

In the music video for "Welcome to the Black Parade" Mikey is seen with a medal on his jacket. It is thought that this is related to him dying in the music video for "The Ghost of You".

Track listing

US promotional CD

No.TitleLength
1."The Ghost of You" (album version)3:14

UK promotional CD

No.TitleLength
1."The Ghost of You"3:23

UK 7" vinyl

No.TitleLength
1."The Ghost of You"3:23
2."Helena" (live)4:31

UK CD1

No.TitleLength
1."The Ghost of You"3:23
2."Helena" (live)4:32

UK CD2

No.TitleLength
1."The Ghost of You"3:23
2."I'm Not Okay (I Promise)" (live)2:59
3."Cemetery Drive" (live)2:58

iTunes EP

No.TitleLength
1."The Ghost of You" (audio from video edit)3:16
2."I'm Not Okay – I Promise" (live; Warped Tour 2005)2:59
3."Cemetery Drive" (live; Warped Tour 2005)2:58

Charts

Chart (2005–06) Peak
position
European Hot 100 Singles[3] 86
Irish Singles Chart 49
Scottish Singles Chart[4] 27
UK Singles Chart 27
US Billboard Hot 100 84
US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks 38
US Billboard Alternative Songs 9

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalogue
United States 2005
CD PROCDR101610
United Kingdom PRO15547
August 29, 2005 7" vinyl
  • W683
  • 5439159657
CD
  • W683CD1
  • 5439159652
  • W683CD2
  • 9362428242

References

  1. ↑ "FMQB Airplay Archive: Modern Rock". Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Incorporated. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
  2. ↑ My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way says it's been 'so difficult' to keep 'Watchmen' Bob Dylan cover under wraps
  3. ↑ https://www.billboard.com/artist/311975/my+chemical+romance/chart?f=349
  4. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-singles-chart/20050501/41/
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