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"Ghosts" is a song by Michael Jackson released as the fourth track from the Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix album. It serves as the second single from the album, being released as a part of the "HIStory/Ghosts" double a-side single, put out on July 30, 1997.

Background[]

The track was initially written in 1990 for Dangerous under the title "Ghost".[1] Teddy Riley is credited as the producer. Although it didn't make the cut, "Ghost" would be re-recorded and reworked in 1993 for the HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album, now titled "Ghosts". It once again wasn't featured on the album. The track was finally tampered with for the last time in 1996.

The song itseld is speculated to be referencing Jackson's fight with individuals in the industry, who turned their backs on the King of Pop over the years, with lyrics such as "You put a knife in my back, shot an arrow in me" seemingly confirming it.

Music video[]

The clip is a montage of scenes from the Michael Jackson's Ghosts short film.

Audio[]

In 2017, a demo of "Ghosts" would leak online. Different sources state it originates from 1993, other claim it is a much later version from 1996. Throughout the recording, Michael mostly mumbles or sings with much lower-effort.

Lyrics[]

[Verse 1]
There's a ghost down in the hall
There's a ghoul upon 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 fled its tomb
Because now it's haunting me

[Refrain]
I don't understand it
Hey!
I don't understand it!
Aaow!

[Verse 2]
There's a tapping 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 coughing and a yawning
Where a restless soul is going

[Refrain]
Don't understand it
(Got a ghost, got a break in the walls)
Hey!
(Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls)
Don't understand it!
(Got a ghost, got a break in the walls)
(Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls)
(Got a ghost, got a break in the walls)
(Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls)
(Got a ghost, got a break in the walls)
(Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls)

[Chorus]
And who gave you the right to scare my family?
And who gave you the right to share my baby, she needs me
And who gave you the right to shake my family tree?
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 3]
There's a tapping 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 in-lay open
Where a restless soul is spoiling

[Refrain]
Don't understand it!
(Gotta ghost, gotta break in the walls)
Yeah, yeah!
(Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls)
Don't understand it!
(Got a ghost, got a break in the walls)
You’re just a dog gone!
(Got a ghoul, got a break in the halls)
Aaow!

[Chorus]
And who gave you the right to scare my family?
And who gave you the right to share 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 shake 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?
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
Aaow!
And who gave you the right to shake my family?
And who gave you the right to share 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 hurt my family?
And who gave you the right to hurt my baby, she needs me
And who gave you the right to scare my family tree?
You put a knife in my back, shot an arrow in me!
Tell me, are you the ghost of jealousy?
The ghost of jealousy
Aaow!

[Outro]
Dog gone
But there's no doubt about it, piece of mind
Tell me, are you the ghost of jealousy?

Trivia[]

  • Lyrics from "Ghosts" were reused in another song featured on the remix album, "Is It Scary".

References[]

Discography
Studio albums
Got to Be ThereBenMusic & MeForever, Michael Off the WallThrillerBadDangerousHIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book IInvincible
Other albums
Farewell My Summer LoveBlood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the MixThe Ultimate CollectionThriller 25MichaelBad 25XscapeScreamThriller 40
Singles
"Got to Be There" • "Rockin' Robin" • "I Wanna Be Where You Are" • "Ain't No Sunshine" • "Ben" • "With a Child's Heart" • "Music & Me" • "We're Almost There" • "Just a Little Bit of You" • "You Can't Win" • "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" • "Rock with You" • "Off the Wall" • "She's Out of My Life" • "Girlfriend" • "One Day in Your Life" • "The Girl is Mine" • "Billie Jean" • "Beat It" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" • "Human Nature" • "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" • "Thriller" • "Happy" • "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" • "Bad" • "The Way You Make Me Feel" • "Man in the Mirror" • "Dirty Diana" • "Another Part of Me" • "Smooth Criminal" • "Leave Me Alone" • "Liberian Girl" • "Black or White" • "Remember the Time" • "In the Closet" • "Jam" • "Who Is It" • "Heal the World" • "Give In to Me" • "Will You Be There" • "Gone Too Soon" • "Scream/Childhood" • "You Are Not Alone" • "Earth Song" • "They Don't Care About Us" • "Stranger in Moscow" • "Blood on the Dance Floor" • "HIStory/Ghosts" • "Smile" • "You Rock My World" • "Butterflies" • "Cry" • "What More Can I Give" • "One More Chance" • "The Girl is Mine 2008" • "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 2008" • "Hold My Hand" • "Mind Is the Magic" • "Hollywood Tonight" • "Behind the Mask" • "(I Like) The Way You Love Me" • "Love Never Felt So Good" • "A Place with No Name" • "Blood on the Dance Floor X Dangerous (The White Panda Mash-Up)"
Promotional singles
"Speed Demon" • "Someone Put Your Hand Out" • "This Time Around" • "Is It Scary" • "Speechless" • "Unbreakable" • "Cheater" • "This Is It"
Non-single songs
"Girl Don't Take Your Love from Me" • "In Our Small Way" • "Wings of My Love" • "Maria (You Were the Only One)" • "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" • "You've Got a Friend" • "Greatest Show on Earth" • "People Make the World go Round" • "We've Got a Good Thing Going" • "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" • "My Girl" • "What Goes Around Comes Around" • "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" • "You Can Cry on My Shoulder" • "Up Again" • "All the Things You Are" • "Too Young" • "Doggin' Around" • "Euphoria" • "Morning Glow" • "Johnny Raven" • "Take Me Back" • "Cinderella Stay Awhile" • "We've Got Forever" • "You Are There" • "Dapper Dan" • "Dear Michael" • "I'll Come Home To You" • "Workin' Day and Night" • "Get on the Floor" • "I Can't Help It" • "It's The Falling In Love" • "Burn This Disco Out" • "Someone in the Dark" • "Baby Be Mine" • "The Lady In My Life" • "Just Good Friends" • "Why You Wanna Trip on Me" • "She Drives Me Wild" • "Can't Let Her Get Away" • "Keep the Faith" • "Dangerous" • "D.S." • "Money" • "Come Together" • "Tabloid Junkie" • "2 Bad" • "Little Susie / Pie Jesu" • "On the Line" • "Morphine" • "Superfly Sister" • "Carousel" • "Streetwalker" • "Fly Away" • "Heartbreaker" • "Invincible" • "Break of Dawn" • "Heaven Can Wait" • "2000 Watts" • "You Are My Life" • "Privacy" • "Don't Walk Away" • "The Lost Children" • "Whatever Happens" • "Threatened" • "Shout" • "Sunset Driver" • "Scared of the Moon" • "We Are Here to Change the World" • "Monkey Business" • "Fall Again" • "In the Back" • "Beautiful Girl" • "We've Had Enough" • "For All Time" • "Got the Hots" • "Best of Joy" • "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" • "Much Too Soon" • "Don't Be Messin' 'Round" • "I'm So Blue" • "Abortion Papers" • "Free" • "Price of Fame" • "Al Capone" • "Chicago" • "Loving You" • "Slave to the Rhythm" • "Do You Know Where Your Children Are" • "Blue Gangsta" • "Xscape" • "Starlight" • "Who Do You Know" • "The Toy" • "What a Lovely Way to Go" • "She's Trouble"
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