Released: 2024
“Ghost Town” by Benson Boone is a heart-tugging song that dives deep into the throes of a relationship splintering apart, painted in vivid emotional colors. Boone sings about the stark realization that his love might be the very thing preventing his partner from finding contentment or self-love.
In the line “You fill me up ’til you’re empty”, Boone talks about a relationship that’s turned one-sided, forcing his partner to give until there’s nothing left. This sort of emotional drain can oftentimes lead to an end, which is suggested in the following line, “We’ve been down all these roads before/And what we found don’t live there anymore.” These lyrics reflect the futile search for the love that once filled their relationship.
The repeated phrase “Maybe you would be happier with someone else/Maybe loving me’s the reason you can’t love yourself.” exemplifies the confusion and self-doubt that often come with a failing relationship. Boone even contemplates the idea that his love might be suffocating, suggesting that he may be the one holding his partner back.
Perhaps the most heartbreaking part of the song is when Boone sings “Before I turn your heart into a ghost town/Show me everything we built, so I can tear it all down.” The “ghost town” in this context represents an empty, deserted heart filled with the remnants of a love that once thrived. Here, Boone accepts his role in the demise of their connection and is willing to dismantle what they’ve built to avoid hurting his partner more.
In the end, “Ghost Town” pulls at the strings of unrequited love and the melancholy that accompanies it. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a relationship that’s expired and the confusion, guilt, and heartbreak that follow. It’s a bold look at the complex emotions that often accompany the end of a relationship, wrapped in Boone’s mournful vocal delivery.
