City Ghosts

Two main versions, and also appears live on Terminal Kaleidoscope.

* "Buzzy Version" (1981) - Chemical Playschool 2 (4:20)

Fades in, almost cutting off the first vocals. Lots of screaming after the first bridge and before the song ends. Cuts off suddenly after Ka-Spel's ending screams.

Unavailable elsewhere.

Instruments: Single drum machine pattern; keyboard bassline; acoustic guitar, with a second guitar during the middle portion; high-pitched buzzy synth keys playing melody; vocal track, sometimes accented with second vocal track.

* "Full Band Version" (1982) - Brigher Now (5:43)

Starts with just the bassline, a much quieter and slightly slower approach to the song. There is a nice silent bridge in the middle, before the song resumes with enhanced percussion. The single scream during the percussive breakdown is either female or a sped-up sample of a Ka-Spel scream from the Buzzy Version. Ends with the bass and percussion crossfading into "Hanging Gardens."

Instruments: Bass guitar; acoustic drums with heavy reverb and echo; vocal track; acoustic guitar; warm synth chords; quick arpeggiated synth during the middle portion; additional percussion after the silent break; single high-pitched scream.

What It's About:

A mix of fairytale paganism combining druids, insanity, love, and "Alice in Wonderland" in worship to the old gods -- city ghosts and neon gladiators -- which still hold sway over modern cities. Their worshipers include a pair of idyllic lovers and a mysterious tramp-murdering character. The narrator frequently wonders if he should forsake the city ghosts (associated with insanity by those who don't believe) and instead join the "real world."

Lyrics (adapted from the Cloud-Zero archive):

There was a time, a time for secrets.
We'd walk together in the forest, hand in hand.
We'd look uneasy, cold and pallid.
Then we'd find some magic mushrooms and we'd skip across the clouds.

We danced for the old gods, danced for the new gods,
danced for the ones we'd never heard about.
Danced for the old days, danced for the new ways,
Danced for the phase that no-one talks about.

Tonight I feel nostalgic, feeling happy.
And the powder in my pocket's crying "Eat me! Eat me! Eat me!''
Could be my age, I could be going crazy.
But I know you feel the same way, I can see it in your eyes.


I've got my crown and I've got my scepter.
Letters on my passport spell "Napoleon."
I'll give you money, give you power,
I'll give you a palace in the Amazon.

Do you think that they'll lock us away?
Padded cells, packet soup on alternate days?
Maybe we should behave in a normal way?
Face facts...face the real world.

A shadow rests, suggests no entry.
A tramp complains, collapses, weeping gently.
A figure smiles and shines a blade discretely.
And the drains ad-libbed a soundtrack as he picked his victim out.

He sang in the rain, he danced in the thunder,
bowed as we bellowed from the balcony.
Stepped on a hand, set fire to a handbag,
slipped as the sparks skipped across his knees.

The songs decayed in suits of amber.
Coughing as they burned like glowing embers.
A priest held up his hands and said "It's over.''
We nodded wisely, scooped the ash, and cast it to the wind.

We played in the neon, bade out the paeons,
slobbering in tongues to the subway gods.
Just like the old times, rituals and red wine.
Hair all tangled and covered in blood.

Do you think that they'll lock us away?

Why You Should Care:

The backing tracks for the Full Band Version, slowed down drastically, are the basis for "Close Your Eyes, You Can Be a Space Captain."

City ghosts are also mentioned in "Down From the Country," and it could be argued that the characters from "Neon Gladiators" are also related.