Ghosttown
Lyrics
Maybe it was all too much
Too much for a man to take
Everything's bound to break
Sooner or later, sooner or later
You're all that I can trust
Facing the darkest days
Everyone ran away
We're gonna stay here, we're gonna stay here
Ahh, ahh I know you're scared tonight
Ahh, ahh I'll never leave your side
When it all falls, when it all falls down
I'll be your fire when the lights go out
When there's no one, no one else around
We'll be two souls in a ghosttown
When the world gets cold, I'll be your cover
Let's just hold onto each other
When it all falls, when it all falls down
We'll be two souls in a ghosttown
Tell me how we got this far
Every man for himself
Everything's gone to hell
We gotta stay strong, we're gonna hold on
This world has turned to dust
All we've got left is love
Might as well start with us
Singing a new song, something to build on
Ahh, ahh I know you're scared tonight
Ahh, ahh I'll never leave your side
When it all falls, when it all falls down
I'll be your fire when the lights go out
When there's no one, no one else around
We'll be two souls in a ghosttown
When the world gets cold, I'll be your cover
Let's just hold onto each other
When it all falls, when it all falls down
We'll be two souls in a ghosttown
I know we're alright
Cause we'll never be alone
In this mad mad
In this mad mad world
Even with no light
We're gonna shine like gold
In this mad mad
In this mad mad world
When it all falls, when it all falls down
I'll be your fire when the lights go out
When there's no one, no one else around
We'll be two souls in a ghosttown
When it all falls, when it all falls down
I'll be your fire when the lights go out
When there's no one, no one else around
We'll be two souls in a ghosttown
When the world gets cold I'll be your cover
Let's just hold onto each other
When it all falls, when it all falls down
We'll be two souls in a ghosttown
When it all falls, when it all falls down
We'll be two souls in a ghosttown
Credits
Written by Madonna, Sean Douglas, Evan Kidd Bogart and Jason Evigan
Produced by Madonna, Billboard and Jason Evigan
Backing vocals by Jason Evigan
Album
Single
This track was part of the album pre-order on December 20, 2014. In several interviews Madonna declared it to be one of her favourite songs and on March 13, 2015 it was released as second single. It received a remix treatment by several producers, including THRILL, Mike Cruz, Don Diablo and Dirty Pop. It became Madonna's 45th number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play breaking the record of the most #1's on a single Billboard chart. Though one of her most beautiful ballads in recent years, it was discriminated against in most charts. Producer Diplo slammed ageism as the main reason: "Her song 'Ghosttown' was a guaranteed Number One for anybody else, but she didn't get a fair shot," he said in an interview with Rolling Stone.
Video
The video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund mid March, while his wife Bea Åkerlund styled Madonna in a Chrome Hearts leather greatcoat replete with billowing train. The dress was designed by Belgian designer duo A.F. Vandevorst. After the planned video premiere on mobile app Meerkat failed twice, it first became available on Madonna's Vevo channel on April 8, while a Making Of was available on the Tidal platform. The video, which is her most cinematographic clip in years, shows Madonna as a survivor after a nuclear disaster, making her way through the rubble and destruction, until she meets another survivor, portrayed by Terrence Howard. Once their distrust is set aside, they connect together in a wonderful tango. A small child joins them in their post-Apocalyptic family as they walk away hand in hand.
Tour
The single and video were released during the Rebel Heart promo tour, so the song was performed on several TV shows (Jonathan Ross, Ellen DeGeneres, Le Grand Journal & Che Tempo Che Fa), as well as at the iHeart Radio Music Awards, where Madonna was joined on stage by Taylor Swift who played the guitar during the performance.
This fantastic single was unfortunately excluded from the Rebel Heart Tour setlist. However, Madonna added the track as surprise song during the Latin / Gypsy in Brooklyn. After that, Ghosttown was performed at 15 more shows. It featured Madonna sitting on a bar stool, with Monte on guitar next to her.