[Part 1: Ghost]
(The winner is Beyoncé Knowles: female pop vocalist!)
I would like to thank the judges for picking me
My parents who I love, I love you, Houston
And I’ve been drifting off on knowledge
Cat-calls on cat-walks, man these women getting solemn
I could sing a song for a Solomon or Salamander
We took a flight at midnight and now my mind can’t help but wonder:
How come?
Spoon-fed pluralized eyes to find the beaches in the forest
When I’m looking off the edge, I preach my gut it can’t help but ignore it
I’m climbing up the walls cause all the shit I hear is boring
All the shit I do is boring, all these record labels boring
I don’t trust these record labels, I’m torn
All these people on the planet working 9 to 5 just to stay alive
The 9 to 5 just to stay alive, the 9 to 5 just to stay alive
The 9 to 5 just to stay alive, the 9 to 5 just to stay alive
The 9 to 5 just to stay alive, the 9 to 5 just to stay alive
All the people on the planet working 9 to 5 just to stay alive, how come?
What goes up ghost around
Ghost around, around, around, around
What goes up ghost around
Ghost around, around, around, around
What goes up ghost around
Ghost around, around, around, around
Around, around, around, around, around, around, around
Around, around, around, around, around, around, around
Around, around, around, around, around, around, around
Soul not for sale
Probably won’t make no money off this, oh well
Reap what you sow
Perfection is so, mm
[Part 2: Haunted]
It’s what you do, it’s what you see
I know if I’m haunting you, you must be haunting me
It’s where we go, it’s where we’ll be
I know if I’m onto you, I’m onto you
Onto you, you must be on to me
My haunted lungs, ghost in the sheets
I know if I’m onto you, you must be haunting me
My wicked tongue, where will it be?
I know if I’m onto you, I’m on to you
Onto you, I’m onto you
Onto you, you must be on to me
You want me? I walk down the hallway
You like it? The bedroom’s my runway
Slap me! I’m pinned to the doorway
Kiss, bite, foreplay
My haunted lungs, ghost in the sheets
I know if I’m haunting you, you must be haunting me
My wicked tongue, where will it be?
I know if I’m onto you, you must be onto me
It’s what we see
I know if I’m haunting you, you must be haunting me
It’s where we go, it’s where we’ll be
I know if I’m onto you, I’m onto you
Onto you, I’m onto you
Onto you, you must be onto me
You must be onto me
You must be onto me
You must be onto me
On to you, I’m on to you
On to you, I’m on to you
On to you, I’m on to you
On to you, I’m on to you
Me, me, me
Exploring the Duality of “Ghost / Haunted”
Beyoncé’s “Ghost / Haunted” is a two-part song that delves into feelings of alienation and personal authenticity amid the pressures of the music industry and modern life. “Ghost” expresses existential disillusionment, focusing on the monotony of working “9 to 5 just to stay alive” and the spiritual emptiness that often accompanies commercial pursuits. Beyoncé’s lyrics highlight a yearning for purpose beyond societal expectations and the music industry’s constraints.
The Haunting Interplay of Desire and Identity
Transitioning into “Haunted,” the song shifts into a sensual, mysterious atmosphere where haunting becomes a metaphor for deep emotional and physical connection. Lines like “I know if I’m haunting you, you must be haunting me” suggest a reciprocal entanglement between lovers, blurring the lines between possession and vulnerability. Throughout both parts, Beyoncé masterfully balances introspection with seduction, making the track both thought-provoking and captivating.
Song Credits
Artist: Beyoncé
Songwriters: Beyoncé, Jordan Asher (Boots), Caroline Polachek, Jerome Harmon, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake
Release Year: 2013
Label: Parkwood Entertainment, Columbia Records