Livin with a Ghost Meaning
 

Really getting to love this track, I think its a really well crafted song in terms of the lryics, Jon says its about the loss of a person(s). Do you folks think its partly or totally a nod to Richies departure....the lryic "I wrote each word, you gave the toast But we were fire and gasoline" certainly makes me think that, ie Fire and Gasoline go up in flames, does that draw parallels with the latter years of Jon & Richie's relationship.

Also the last verse...what do you guys read into that....Obviously Jon is that man, but what is the relief, is it a reference to wanting to move on, etc etc

"Last night I had this dream
I saw a man wash his feet in the church holy water
He worked up to his knees
From his arms to his neck said I'm over in my head
He was crying trying to get some relief
Lord, I'm just trying to get some relief
I had this dream
That man was me"

Just found this on YT, All becomes blatently obvious really

Jon had already said at the album preview shows when doing the introduction to this song - it's Richie. Now, he is in the lyrics as well but it's imo the easiest of this album to interpret the writers intent since he has told us as much.

I can't believe anyone would even question this... As far as the message of the song and where the writer was coming from it's one of the most straight forward songs Jon has ever done.

The lyrics basically reflect what Jon has said many times in the interviews. He wants to move on. He knows it's not the same without his long time friend and collaborator, it cost him some thought and pain, but he's finally made a decision. I believe this image of a tired man being himself was Jon being in the dilemma but once he shed the doubts he's free again to do what he wants to do. Of course the machine is rolling on although the spark's gone. Now you've got a decent job done but the magic works only when the right elements fall into place. This is what differentiates art and craft and the line is fine.

In some ways, to me, it comes across as someone who has had a burden lifted from them because the lyrics take what is obviously a bad situation and turn it into a positive one. The lyrics are very beautiful and poetic and speak to a strength of recovery. It's as Jon has said of many songs, they can become your own. Anyone could have a "ghost" haunting them that they they overcome and refuse to let overshadow them anymore and once you step out of that ghost's shadow and into the light, there is relief.

I applied the lyrics to a situation in my life and burst into to tears over the song and believe me, it had nothing to do with Richie. That's the beauty of poetry.

Such a beautiful comment!