The Ghosts of Beverly Drive

{{Infobox song

| name = The Ghosts of Beverly Drive

| cover = DeathCabBeverly.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Death Cab for Cutie

| album = Kintsugi

| released = March 9, 2015

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = {{hlist|Indie rock{{cite web | title=Death Cab for Cutie - The Ghosts of Beverly Drive Album Reviews, Songs & More | website=AllMusic | date=March 10, 2015 | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-ghosts-of-beverly-drive-mw0002827298 | access-date=September 24, 2022}}|post-punk}}

| length = 4:04

| label = Atlantic

| writer = Ben Gibbard

| producer = Rich Costey

| prev_title = Black Sun

| prev_year = 2015

| next_title = Good Help (Is So Hard to Find)

| next_year = 2016

}}

"The Ghosts of Beverly Drive" is a song by American rock band Death Cab for Cutie. It is the second single from their eighth studio album Kintsugi. The driving, uptempo track explores themes of loss in the aftermath of heartbreak. Frontman Ben Gibbard wrote the song after his divorce from actress Zooey Deschanel, and the lyrics of the song directly reference Beverly Hills and what he viewed as its vapid celebrity culture.

Music critics complimented the tune for its hooks and spirit, and "The Ghosts of Beverly Drive" was a radio hit in the United States, reaching the top five on Billboard{{'s}} rock and alternative rankings. It has been a staple of the band's live performances since its release.

Background

The mournful "Ghosts of Beverly Drive" focuses on the specters of the past.{{cite web | last=Rodman | first=Sarah | title=Death Cab For Cutie, ‘Kintsugi’ | website=BostonGlobe.com | date=March 31, 2015 | url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/03/30/death-cab-for-cutie-kintsugi/V3G3yWM2CzX2SLCLPlq9jI/story.html | access-date=August 13, 2024}} It deals with Gibbard's ill-fated stint living in Los Angeles between 2009 and 2011,{{cite magazine | last=Payne | first=Chris| title=Death Cab For Cutie Announces New Album, Moves on Without Chris Walla | magazine=Billboard | date=January 12, 2015 | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/death-cab-for-cutie-kintsugi-new-album-2015-6436515/ | access-date=September 24, 2022}} and more directly, his marriage and divorce from actress Zooey Deschanel.{{cite web | last=White | first=Caitlin | title=Death Cab For Cutie – "The Ghosts Of Beverly Drive" Video | website=Stereogum | date=June 15, 2015 | url=https://www.stereogum.com/1808550/death-cab-for-cutie-the-ghosts-of-beverly-drive-video/news/ | access-date=September 24, 2022}}{{cite magazine | last=Partridge | first=Kenneth | title=Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard Opens Up About Ex Zooey Deschanel, Celebrity 'Psychoses' and Why the Band Is in a 'Sweet Spot' | magazine=Billboard | date=April 3, 2015 | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/death-cab-for-cutie-ben-gibbard-interview-kintsugi-6523971/ | access-date=September 24, 2022}} Gibbard did not specifically suggest the song referenced Deschanel, but conceded it should be "fairly obvious". In the song's chorus, Gibbard finds himself "return[ing] to the scene of these crimes, where the hedgerows slowly wind."{{cite web | title=Review: Death Cab for Cutie returns to an L.A. that almost broke them | website=Los Angeles Times | date=July 13, 2015 | url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-death-cab-for-cutie-20150713-story.html | access-date=September 24, 2022}} In some ways, the song is a spiritual sequel to the band's 2001 song "Why You'd Want to Live Here", also a critique of Hollywood.{{cite web | last=Zaillian | first=Charlie | title=Death Cab for Cutie regroups, rebounds on ‘Kintsugi’ | website=The Seattle Times | date=March 30, 2015 | url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/death-cab-for-cutie-regroups-rebounds-on-kintsugi/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}}

Musically, critics interpreted its "muscular" sound as reminiscent of post-punk. Brian Stout from PopMatters compared it to the work of New Order.{{cite web | last=Stout | first=Brian | title=Death Cab for Cutie's 'Narrow Stairs' at 15 | website=PopMatters | date=June 8, 2023 | url=https://www.popmatters.com/death-cab-for-cutie-narrow-stairs-atr | access-date=August 13, 2024}} Electronic pulses and synthesizers take a forefront in the song, part of an increasingly natural textural focus for the band, according to bassist Nick Harmer.{{cite web | last=Leas | first=Ryan | title=Working With The Scars: Death Cab For Cutie Repair Themselves For Kintsugi | website=Stereogum | date=March 9, 2015 | url=https://www.stereogum.com/1785656/working-with-the-scars-death-cab-for-cutie-repair-themselves-for-kintsugi/interviews/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}} To this end, the song was remixed by electronic musician Tycho.{{cite web| last=Watercutter | first=Angela | title=Listen to a Dreamy Remix of Death Cab for Cutie's New Song | website=WIRED | date=September 9, 2015 | url=https://www.wired.com/2015/09/dcfc-tycho-remix/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}}

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Robert Hales. In the in black and white-shot clip,{{cite web | last=Ezell | first=Brice | title=Death Cab for Cutie – "The Ghosts of Beverly Drive" (video), PopMatters | website=PopMatters | date=June 16, 2015 | url=https://www.popmatters.com/194525-death-cab-for-cutie-the-ghosts-of-beverly-drive-video-2495517698.html | access-date=September 24, 2022}} the members of the band play employees of a celebrity tour bus company in Los Angeles, cruising tourists around the city's ritziest neighborhoods in search of stars.{{cite web | last=Brodsky | first=Rachel | title=Death Cab for Cutie Tour Los Angeles in 'The Ghosts of Beverly Drive' Video | website=SPIN | date=June 15, 2015 | url=https://www.spin.com/2015/06/death-cab-for-cutie-the-ghosts-of-beverly-drive-video/ | access-date=September 24, 2022}}{{cite web | last=Ladzinski | first=Alyssa | title=Death Cab for Cutie Takes a Creepy L.A. Tour for 'The Ghosts of Beverly Drive' [WATCH] | website=Music Times | date=June 16, 2015 | url=https://www.musictimes.com/articles/40994/20150616/death-cab-cutie-takes-creepy-l-tour-ghosts-beverly-drive.htm | access-date=September 24, 2022}} Hales took several star tours as research for the role, and based several moments, such as the scene in which the band are sprayed with a hose, from real moments. James Montgomery at Rolling Stone wrote that the video "explore[s] the sense of separation that's so prevalent in a city like Los Angeles, where societal divides are often as apparent as the ivy-covered walls surrounding a Bel-Air mansion."{{cite magazine | last=Montgomery | first=James | title=Watch Death Cab for Cutie's 'Ghosts of Beverly Drive' Video | magazine=Rolling Stone | date=June 15, 2015 | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/watch-death-cab-for-cuties-evocative-the-ghosts-of-beverly-drive-video-73904/ | access-date=September 24, 2022}}

Release

File:Ben Gibbard - Death Cab for Cutie - Palace Theatre St. Paul (cropped).jpg's appealing and allegorical songwriting.]]

The band debuted the song in live performances leading up to release of Kintsugi.{{cite magazine | last=Lipshutz | first=Jason | title=Death Cab For Cutie Performs New Songs, Reveals Madison Square Garden Booking at Brooklyn Show | magazine=Billboard | date=January 29, 2015 | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/death-cab-for-cutie-brooklyn-live-review-6457865/ | access-date=September 24, 2022}} Its studio version premiered on March 9, 2015.{{cite web | title=Death Cab for Cutie Share "The Ghosts of Beverly Drive" | website=Pitchfork | date=March 9, 2015 | url=https://pitchfork.com/news/58773-death-cab-for-cutie-share-the-ghosts-of-beverly-drive/ | access-date=September 24, 2022}} The band promoted the song and album with a performance on the late-night programs The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon{{cite web | last=Brodsky | first=Rachel | title=Death Cab for Cutie Are Haunted by 'The Ghosts of Beverly Drive' on 'Fallon' | website=SPIN | date=May 12, 2015 | url=https://www.spin.com/2015/05/death-cab-for-cutie-fallon-live/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}} and Conan.{{cite web | last=Unterberger | first=Andrew | title=Death Cab for Cutie Bring 'The Ghosts of Beverly Drive' to 'Conan' | website=SPIN | date=July 14, 2015 | url=https://www.spin.com/2015/07/death-cab-cutie-ghosts-beverly-drive-conan/ | access-date=September 24, 2022}} "The Ghosts of Beverly Drive" was a domestic alt-rock radio hit,{{cite web | last=Cosores | first=Philip | title=Death Cab For Cutie Have Teased A New Album For 2018 | website=UPROXX | date=November 17, 2017 | url=https://uproxx.com/music/death-cab-for-cutie-2018-album/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}} reaching the top five on Billboard{{'s}} Alternative Airplay and Rock Airplay rankings.

The song was well-received by contemporary music critics. Brian Passey from USA Today considered it an album highlight.{{cite web | last=Passey | first=Brian | title=Death Cab is back with best in a decade | website=USA TODAY | date=April 9, 2015 | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/2015/04/09/death-cab-back-best-decade/25490089/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}} James Rettig from Stereogum praised its "tight hooks".{{cite web | last=Rettig | first=James | title=Death Cab For Cutie – “The Ghosts Of Beverly Drive (Tycho Remix)” | website=Stereogum | date=September 9, 2015 | url=https://www.stereogum.com/1829471/death-cab-for-cutie-the-ghosts-of-beverly-drive-tycho-remix/news/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}} Evan Sawdey at PopMatters praised its energy,{{cite web | last=Sawdey | first=Evan | title=Death Cab for Cutie: Kintsugi, PopMatters | website=PopMatters | date=March 31, 2015 | url=https://www.popmatters.com/191878-death-cab-for-cutie-kintsugi-2495547137.html | access-date=September 24, 2022}} while Colin Stutz at Billboard called the song "a moving number from the band that’s no stranger to literary lyrics, as frontman Ben Gibbard leads listeners along a winding metaphor propped up by lush production."{{cite magazine | last=Stutz | first=Colin| title=Listen to Death Cab for Cutie's New Song 'The Ghosts of Beverly Drive' | magazine=Billboard | date=March 9, 2015 | url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/death-cab-for-cutie-the-ghosts-of-beverly-drive-stream-6495052/ | access-date=September 24, 2022}} Rachel Brodsky of Spin complimented its "radio-ready" uptempo rhythm.{{cite web | last=Brodsky | first=Rachel | title=Review: Death Cab for Cutie, 'Kintsugi' | website=SPIN | date=April 3, 2015 | url=https://www.spin.com/2015/04/review-death-cab-for-cutie-kintsugi/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}} Ian Cohen, writing for Pitchfork, considered it among the better songs on its parent album, writing: "[It's] where Gibbard remembers to write great Death Cab for Cutie songs the way he knows how—zooming on important specifics that speak on a larger idea, trying to make sense of newly formed concepts as he’s explaining them to someone else, rather than starting with the most broad, market-tested metaphors."{{cite web | last=Cohen | first=Ian | title=Death Cab for Cutie: Kintsugi | website=Pitchfork | date=April 2, 2015 | url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20343-kintsugi/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}} He later ranked it among the band's best songs for Uproxx.{{cite web | last=Cohen | first=Ian | title=The Best Death Cab For Cutie Songs, Ranked | website=UPROXX | date=June 25, 2021 | url=https://uproxx.com/indie/death-cab-for-cutie-best-songs-ranked/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}}

The song has been a staple of the band's live performances since its debut.{{cite web | last=Bache | first=Rachel | title=Review: There's only so much Death Cab you can take | website=The New Zealand Herald | date=February 23, 2016 | url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/concert-review-death-cab-for-cutie-st-james-theatre/CGTSBBK6DYZPAFQG5YOC5ZT2BY/ | access-date=August 13, 2024}}{{cite web | last=Spera | first=Keith | title=Concert review: Death Cab for Cutie showed off its rock side at a full Orpheum Theater | website=NOLA.com | date=April 10, 2019 | url=https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/keith_spera/concert-review-death-cab-for-cutie-showed-off-its-rock-side-at-a-full-orpheum/article_6ec6e6e4-9316-5be9-9e87-b6a6ceab16fd.html | access-date=August 13, 2024}}{{cite web | last=Fredrich | first=Lori | title=Death Cab for Cutie closes out Summerfest with ample doses of nostalgia & new | website=OnMilwaukee | date=July 10, 2022 | url=https://onmilwaukee.com/articles/death-cab-for-cutie-summerfest-review | access-date=August 13, 2024}}

Personnel

Credits adapted from AllMusic:{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/kintsugi-mw0002812976/credits|title=Kintsugi – Death Cab for Cutie – Credits|accessdate=April 7, 2015|work=AllMusic|publisher=Rovi Corporation}}

Death Cab for Cutie

Benjamin Gibbard – guitar, vocals
Nicholas Harmer – bass guitar
Jason McGerr – drums, percussion
Chris Walla – guitar, keyboard, backing vocals

Production

Christopher Possanza – producer
Martin Cooke – engineer
Rich Costey – engineer, mixing, producer
Nicolas Fournier – engineer
Mario Borgatta – assistant engineer
Bob Ludwig – mastering
Josh Rosenfeld – producer

Charts

=Weekly charts=

Chart (2015) ! Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
{{single chart\|Billboardalternativesongs\|3\|artist=Death Cab for Cutie\|rowheader=true\|access-date=September 20, 2022\|refname="billboardalt"}}
{{single chart\|Billboardadultalternativesongs\|15\|artist=Death Cab for Cutie\|rowheader=true\|access-date=September 20, 2022}}
{{single chart\|Billboardcanadarock\|31\|artist=Death Cab for Cutie\|rowheader=true\|access-date=December 11, 2021}}
{{single chart\|Billboardrockairplay\|4\|artist=Death Cab for Cutie\|rowheader=true\|access-date=July 23, 2015}}
{{single chart\|Billboardrocksongs\|21\|artist=Death Cab for Cutie\|rowheader=true\|access-date=September 20, 2022\|refname="billboardrock"}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (2015) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Rock Airplay Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/rock-airplay-songs\|title=Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2015\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=September 6, 2018}} \| 38
scope="col"\| Chart (2016) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/hot-rock-songs\|title=Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2016\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=September 6, 2018}} \| 97
scope="row"\| US Rock Airplay Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/rock-airplay-songs\|title=Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2016\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=September 6, 2018}} \| 31

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (2015)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Rock Airplay Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/rock-airplay-songs|title=Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2015|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 6, 2018}}

| 38

scope="col"| Chart (2016)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/hot-rock-songs|title=Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2016|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 6, 2018}}

| 97

scope="row"| US Rock Airplay Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/rock-airplay-songs|title=Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2016|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 6, 2018}}

| 31

References

External links

{{YouTube|srvcc8izHSU|The Ghosts of Beverly Drive Music Video}}.

Category:2015 singles

Category:2015 songs

Category:Death Cab for Cutie songs

Category:Atlantic Records singles

Category:Songs written by Ben Gibbard

Category:Music videos directed by Robert Hales