Ghosts (How Can I Move On) (song)

Muse song
Name	Ghosts (How Can I Move On)
Album/single	Will of the People (5)
Length	3:37
Alternative titles	Ghosts, The Great Reset
First live performance
Latest live performance
Recorded	2021
Writer/composer	Matthew Bellamy
Producer	Muse
Chart position

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Won't Stand Down	<	Ghosts (How Can I Move On)	>	You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween

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Simulation Theory (2018)	<	Will of the People (2022)	>

Description

Themeatically, the song empathises with those who lost their loved ones during the pandemic. Musically, it's described by NME as an "elegiac piano glower". This song spawned from his solo work, which he was busy with during the pandemic times, focusing on just piano and vocals; "That was the first time I really tried to do a simple piano/vocal ballad. I guess you’re always going to be in the company of people who have had big hits with those kinds of things. For us it was a bit of an unusual move. I’ve always had piano here and there, but never really a song that’s just vocal and piano. To be honest, I played the song for the guys in the band, and we weren’t sure if it was going to be on a Muse album. But they really liked it and we thought, "You know what, this adds a little bit of color, so maybe it can be on." I’m not sure yet to what extent it will be played live.". Because of that, Bellamy was surprised, when both Chris and Dom agreed on having this song on a Muse record, implying that he thought it wouldn't make it on the album, saying that "One of the things that we were doing for this album was we looked back at all of our setlists and all of our albums, and we thought about "what's missing?", and one thing that is missing is a good ballad, an acoustic track.". Solely featuring piano and vocals, this is perhaps one of the simplest Muse songs in terms of instruments in a while.

The term "piano ballad" is mentioned for Ghosts in an album review by Mark Beaumont for Classic Rock Magazine with Premier Guitar stating, that Ghosts is a "big piano number" which "opens with an arpeggiated keyboard figure similar to Adele's mega-hit, "Someone Like You". Ghosts has also been linked to Adele by Matt himself.

The song's title has been "officially" leaked on March 14th, 2022 via the JSON output from wontstanddown.muse.mu, which contains basic album info. The song itself was leaked together with the rest of the album on August 23rd, 2022. Originally, the song was named "The Great Reset" but shortly after the site was leaked it was changed to Ghosts (How Can I Move On).

The song was released as a single on November 25th, 2022, featuring Italian singer Elisa Toffoli. It can be seen here.

Lyrics

Now and then

My mind drifts to a place where I find you Lost in my head There are unsolved feelings that haunt me It's too late to heal I'll lay them to rest

How can I move on When everyone I see still talks about you How can I move on When all the best things I have we made together Here's to letting go But I am lost in a void With your ghost and our memories Lest we forget The great reset

If I could bring you back There are truths and confessions I'd tell you I'd set things straight And I believe that you would love and forgive me I know it's too late I need to let go

How can I move on When everyone I see still talks about you How can I move on When all the best things I have we built together Here's to letting go But I am trapped in a void with your ghost and our memories Lest we forget The great reset

How can I sleep with this coldness beside me How can I sleep with this coldness inside me I know I can't bring back your love

How can I move on When everyone I see still talks about you How can I move on When all the best things I have we made together Here's to letting go But I am lost in a void with your ghost and our memories Lest we forget The great reset

Alternative version with Italian lyrics (featuring Elisa)

Now and then

My mind drifts to a place where I find you Lost in my head There are unsolved feelings that haunt me It's too late to heal I'll lay them to rest

How can I move on When everyone I see still talks about you How can I move on When all the best things I have we made together Here's to letting go But I am lost in a void With your ghost and our memories Lest we forget The great reset

E ti direi di me Tutto ciò che ho tenuto segreto Senza mezze vie E so che tu mi perdoneresti Ma è così tardi ormai Sei quel che non ho

Forse sbaglierò Cercando te in fondo agli occhi di qualcun altro E quanto piangerò Pensando a quanto era grande il nostro sogno E poi ti lascerò Ma la mia mente rincorre i ricordi e i fantasmi E resti per me quello che non c’è

How can I sleep with this coldness beside me How can I sleep with this coldness inside me I know I can't bring back your love

How can I move on When everyone I see still talks about you How can I move on When all the best things I have we made together Here's to letting go But I am lost in a void with your ghost and our memories Lest we forget The great reset