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  1. Tracks
  2. Michael Jackson
  3. Blood On The Dance Floor / HIStory In The Mix
  4. Ghosts

TRACK

Michael Jackson

Ghosts

Release date: 30th July 1997

From Blood On The Dance Floor / HIStory In The Mix
Spotify
More on Michael Jackson

About This Track

A Halloween-ready production built from samples of Jackson's own 'Is It Scary' and Fred Wesley and The J.B.'s 'Damn Right I'm Somebody', 'Ghosts' trades in the vocabulary of haunted houses and supernatural intrusion. The track opens with a catalogue of disturbances: creaking doors, thumping floors, a coffin laid open, a restless presence that cannot be seen but unmistakably felt. Jackson's delivery is matter-of-fact, almost bewildered, as though reporting a break-in rather than performing a horror narrative. The song's emotional centre, though, sits elsewhere. Beneath the gothic staging lies an accusation: the ghost becomes a figure of jealousy, someone who has "put a knife in my back", who threatens the singer's family and baby. The supernatural language is a frame for betrayal and violation, for the intrusion of malice into domestic space. Jackson repeats the refrain "who gave you the right" with increasing urgency, the song pivoting from spooky theatre into something closer to confrontation.

"Ghosts" is a track by Michael Jackson, from the album Blood On The Dance Floor / HIStory In The Mix, released 30th July 1997. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 2 articles about Michael Jackson.

About the Artist

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Lyrics

Ghosts

[Verse 1]

There's a ghost out in the hall

There's a ghoul up under the bed

There's something in the walls

There's blood up on the stairs

And it's floating through the room

And there's nothing I can see

And I know it's fled its tomb

Because now it's haunting me

I don't understand it

Hey

I don't understand it

Ow!

[Verse 2]

There's a thumping in the floor

There's a creak behind the door

There's a rocking in the chair

But there's no one sitting there

There's a ghostly smell around

But nobody to be found

And a coffin inlay open

Where a restless soul is spoiling

I don't understand it

[Pre-Chorus]

Got a ghost, got a break in the walls (Hey)

Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls

Gotta see it, won't ya? (Don't understand it)

Got a ghost, got a break in the walls

Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls

Gotta see it, won't ya?

Got a ghost, got a break in the walls

Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls

Gotta see it, won't ya? (I'm sayin')

Got a ghost, got a break in the walls

Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls, gotta see it (I said)

[Chorus]

And who gave you the right to scare my family?

And who gave you the right to scare my baby? She needs me

And who gave you the right to shake my family tree?

[Post-Chorus]

You put a knife in my back, shot an arrow in me

Tell me, are you the ghost of jealousy?

The ghost of jealousy

[Verse 2]

There's a thumping in the floor

There's a creak behind the door

There's a rocking in the chair

But nobody's sitting there

There's a ghostly smell around

But nobody to be found

And a coffin inlay open

Where a restless soul is spoiling

Don't understand it

[Pre-Chorus]

Got a ghost, got a break in the walls (Yeah, yeah)

Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls

Gotta see it, won't ya? (Don't understand it)

Got a ghost, got a break in the walls

Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls

Gotta see it, won't ya? (You just a doggone)

Got a ghost, got a break in the walls (Ow!)

Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls

Gotta see it, won't ya?

Got a ghost, got a break in the walls

Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls (I said)

Gotta see it

[Chorus]

And who gave you the right to scare my family?

And who gave you the right to scare my baby? She needs me

And who gave you the right to shake my family tree?

And who gave you the right to take intrusion, to see me?

And who gave you the right to scare my family?

And who gave you the right to hurt my baby? She needs me

And who gave you the right to shake my family tree?

[Post-Chorus]

You put a knife in my back, shot an arrow in me

Tell me, are you the ghost of jealousy?

A suckin' ghost of jealousy

Ow!

[Instrumental Break]

[Chorus]

And who gave you the right to scare my family?

And who gave you the right to scare my baby? She needs me

And who gave you the right to shake my family tree? (Hold on now)

And who gave you the right to take intrusion, to see me? (Didn't I, baby?)

And who gave you the right to svare my family? (You just a doggone, yeah, baby)

And who gave you the right to hurt my baby? She needs me (Yeah, my baby)

And who gave you the right to shake my family tree? (Hold on now)

[Post-Chorus]

You put a knife in my back, shot an arrow in me

Tell me, are you the ghost of jealousy?

The ghost of jealousy

[Outro]

Ow!

Doggone

But listen, try to find, a piece of mind

Tell me, are you the ghost of jealousy?

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Blood On The Dance Floor / HIStory In The Mix

1997
Listen
Album
Blood On The Dance Floor / HIStory In The Mix
Blood On The Dance Floor / HIStory In The Mix
Michael Jackson
Release year
1997
  1. —Scream Louder (Flyte Tyme Remix)
  2. —Stranger in Moscow (Tee's In-House Club Mix)
  3. —Ghosts
  4. —Superfly Sister
  5. —This Time Around (D.M. Radio Mix)
  6. —Is It Scary
  7. —2 Bad (Refugee Camp Mix)
  8. —You Are Not Alone (Classic Club Mix)
  9. —Money (Fire Island Radio Edit)
  10. —HIStory (Tony Moran’s HIStory Lesson)
  11. —Earth Song (Hani's Club Experience)
  12. —Morphine

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  4. I'll Be ThereMichael: Songs From The Motion Picture
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  5. Medley: I Want You Back / ABC / The Love You Save - Live from the 1981 U.S. TourMichael: Songs From The Motion Picture
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Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer
Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley
Producer
Michael Jackson, Teddy Riley
Engineer
Albert Boekholt, Armand Volker, Bobby Brooks, Eddie DeLena, Matt Forger, Teddy Riley
Keyboards
Brad Buxer, Doug Grigsby, Teddy Riley
Additional Engineering
Albert Boekholt, Andrew Scheps, Armand Volker, Bobby Brooks, Matt Forger
Assistant Engineer
Andy Strange, Gerd Krenz, Greg Collins, Mike Scotella, Patrick Ulenberg, Paul Dicato, Rob Hoffman, Tom Bender, Tony Black
Background Vocals
Michael Jackson
Drum Programmer
Alex Breuer, Andrew Scheps, Doug Grigsby, Matt Carpenter, Rob Hoffman
Mastering Engineer
Bernie Grundman
Mixing Engineer
Dave Way
Synthesizer
Brad Buxer, Doug Grigsby, Teddy Riley
READ MORE ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSONREAD MORE ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSONREAD MORE ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSONREAD MORE ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSON
READ MORE ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSONREAD MORE ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSONREAD MORE ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSONREAD MORE ABOUT MICHAEL JACKSON
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