It’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. This well-known platitude perfectly sums up lost loves, departed family members, and faded relationships that were once larger than life. Honestly, I wasn’t on the Justin Bieber bandwagon when he released his debut single, “One Time” back in 2009. But, he grew on me like a fungal infection.
It’s not like he has the deepest song lyrics in the world. But the meaning behind “Ghost” song by Justin Bieber is something that I can relate to. And there is more to this song than initially meets the eye.
The lighter path in life is all about love, relationships, and being there for each other. It’s much better than the darker avenues of reality. If you’ve always wondered what the song “Ghost” by Justin Bieber is about, you are in the right place. Let’s get into it.
Did Justin Bieber Write “Ghost”?
When I first heard Dr. Dre rap, I thought he was the coolest dude that ever walked the face of the earth. But, when I found out that Snoop Dogg or his friend D.O.C. wrote the majority of the lyrics on his 1994 album, The Chronic, I was a little disappointed.
I had a lot to learn about the music industry at the time…
The vast majority of famous pop stars ever didn’t write their own songs or compose or produce any of the music. That’s just the way it is. The truth is that Justin Bieber is listed as co-writing his “Ghost” song with his team of writers. But I am not so sure about the amount of input he has writing the lyrics.
He is a singer and performer that has the look, style, and popularity to make these songs work. And that’s a skill unto itself. Not everyone has the charisma to pull this off. Justin Bieber co-wrote “Ghost” with Stefan Johnson, Michael Pollock, Jordan K. Johnson, and Jonathan Bellion.
What is Ghost by Justin Bieber About?
There is more than one meaning to “Ghost” by Justin Bieber. Likewise, it can be interpreted in a couple of different ways. When I first heard the song title, I thought it was going to have supernatural undertones. I was wrong.
The overall feeling I get from the lyrics and vocal delivery is one of grief and some kind of sadness and regret. Let’s take a look at the lyrics in the first verse to get an idea of the overall concept and meaning.
“Youngblood thinks there’s always tomorrow / I miss your touch some nights when I’m hollow / I know you crossed a bridge that I can’t follow / Since the love that you left is all that I get, I want you to know.”
First verse analysis…
“Youngblood thinks there’s always tomorrow” is quite an interesting line. It suggests that younger people always think that tomorrow will be there because that’s all they’ve known in their short lives. But anyone older will inform the youth that tomorrows are limited and will end at some point.
It’s a line that is essentially about being young and naïve and not realizing that life is relatively short. The people you love today, be they family, friends, or love interests, are transient, not forever in the eternal sense.
Initially, I thought the song was about breaking up with a love interest. But the line, “I know you crossed a bridge that I can’t follow,” made me think the lyrics might be about a close family member that died. It sounds like a grief-stricken line more than a lost love interest line.
Chorus Lyrics and Analysis
“That if I can’t be close to you, I’ll settle for the ghost of you / I miss you more than life (More than life) / And if you can’t be next to me, your memory is ecstasy / I miss you more than life, I miss you more than life.”
The chorus for “Ghost” by Justin Bieber is repeated three times in the track. It becomes obvious after the first verse and chorus that the “ghost” meaning in this track is the essence of someone who is not here anymore. This could be someone deceased or a broken love relationship with someone you still love. All you have left is a ghost of that person, literally and/or metaphorically.
The line, “That if I can’t be close to you, I’ll settle for the ghost of you,” explains it all. The songwriter loved that person so much that they are still okay basking in the essence of that person. They are happy enough enjoying the memories of the said person. Even if they are not next to us anymore.
Second Verse Lyrics and Analysis
“Youngblood thinks there’s always tomorrow / I need more time, but time can’t be borrowed / I’d leave it all behind if I could follow / Since the love that you left is all that I get, I want you to know.”
In my opinion, the second verse is very sad and full of grief and regret. “I need more time, but time can’t be borrowed” is the realization of the first line about Youngblood thinking that tomorrow will always be there.
When a close family member or friend dies, or a boyfriend or girlfriend you love leaves you, it’s almost impossible to follow. You are still left with the feeling of love for that person, but they are not there anymore.
Who was “Ghost” by Justin Bieber Written About?
Considering there are several co-writers on this track, it’s anyone’s guess who it’s really about. Some people said it was about one of Bieber’s former love interests. One of the song’s co-writers, Jonathan Bellion, said the song was inspired by the death of his grandmother.
That would certainly explain the grief-stricken feel of the lyrics. But I don’t think the track is about a specific person per se. It is more about the collective life experiences of the writers and their lost ones.
Songs like this are essentially about universal truths…
That’s why so many people can relate to the lyrics of Justin Bieber’s song “Ghost.” They have many meanings and can be interpreted in multiple ways depending on your life circumstances and experience.
One of the greatest songwriters of our time, John Lennon of The Beatles, quite often said he sometimes didn’t know what his song lyrics were about until a few years later. Although that might sound a bit strange, it makes sense when you think about it.
He initially thought he knew about the meaning of his own lyrics, but sometimes his subconscious was running rampant. Things are never quite as simple as they seem, especially where art and creativity are concerned.
What did Bieber say about the “Ghost” song meaning?
Bieber is quoted as saying that the song is about making “people feel like there is hope and that the trauma and the hurt you feel aren’t going to last forever.” Time does indeed heal most wounds, but not all of them.
Young people sometimes don’t have the life experience to know that life is about peaks and troughs. Sometimes you are up, sometimes you are down. And everything else resides somewhere in the middle.
Ghost Reception and Commercial Performance
Although the meaning behind “Ghost” song by Justin Bieber is quite ambiguous, it was well-received by fans and was a big hit. Just not Justin Bieber’s biggest song. It was originally released on 10 September 2021 and was the sixth single from his Justice album. That also happens to be his sixth studio album.
Commercially, it did very well and reached the Top 10 in the US, Indonesia, Ireland, Canada, The Philippines, and Lebanon. It also hit the top spot in Singapore and Malaysia. As well as making the top 10 in year-ending charts for 2022 in Malaysia, Singapore, and the USA.
An interesting fact about the song’s sales number. It sold over three million units in the USA and was 3x Platinum, although it only made #5 on the Hot 100 Billboard Charts. It has sold over 600,000 copies in the United Kingdom and has been streamed approximately four million times in Sweden and a million times in Greece.
Interested In The Meaning Behind Other Well-Known Songs?
If so, check out our thoughts on the Meaning Behind “Purple Rain” Song By Prince, The Meaning Behind “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, The Meaning Behind “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye, The Meaning Behind “Scar Tissue” by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and The Meaning Behind “Yellow Ledbetter” by Pearl Jam for more song interpretations.
The Meaning Behind “Ghost” Song by Justin Bieber – Final Thoughts
Everyone has lost someone close to them. There are only two things sure about this reality, and that’s life and death. Everything else is anyone’s guess. Whether you listen to the meaning of the song through the perspective of Bieber, Jonathan Bellion, or one of the other songwriters, they probably all have a slightly different take on the meaning behind “Ghost” by Justin Bieber. That’s only natural.
However, it’s without question a song about losing someone you care about. And basking in their essence, or “ghost,” because they are not physically around anymore.
The ghost is the essence of that special person that made a mark in your life in some way, shape, or form. They might not be here, but that can’t take away your memories or the good times you had. As I said, it’s better to have loved and lost than never have loved. And, I stand true to that meaningful philosophical musing.
Until next time, enjoy the music.
