Two Ghosts
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Two Ghosts
| type = single
| cover = Two Ghosts cover.jpg
| artist = Harry Styles
| album = Harry Styles
| released = {{Start date|2017|08|07|df=yes}}
| recorded =
| studio =
- Gee Jam (Port Antonio, Jamaica)
- The Village (Los Angeles, California)
| genre = Folk rock
| length = 3:49
| label =
| writer =
- Harry Styles
- John Ryan
- Julian Bunetta
- Mitch Rowland
- Tyler Johnson
| producer =
- Jeff Bhasker
- Alex Salibian
- Johnson
| prev_title = Sign of the Times
| prev_year = 2017
| next_title = Kiwi
| next_year = 2017
}}
"Two Ghosts" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Harry Styles for his self-titled debut studio album. The song was written by Styles, John Ryan, Julian Bunetta, Mitch Rowland, and Tyler Johnson and its production was handled by Jeff Bhasker, Alex Salibian, and Johnson. It was released as the second single from the album to US adult contemporary radio by Columbia Records on 7 August 2017, and to pop radio the next day.
Composition
"Two Ghosts" is a country-influenced folk rock ballad. Performed on slide guitar, the track leans toward country folk.{{Cite news |url=https://variety.com/2017/music/news/harry-styles-solo-album-track-breakdown-1202424544/ |title=Harry Styles' Solo Album: A Track-by-Track Breakdown |last=Barlow |first=Eve |date=12 May 2017 |work=Variety |access-date=7 July 2017}} Lyrically, it is about a relationship that did not last and the singer trying to reclaim his sense of humanity after its end, according to critics.{{Cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/harry-styles-paramore-zac-brown-band-music-reviews/story?id=47477007#1 |title=Harry Styles, Paramore, Zac Brown Band and more music reviews |last=Raible |first=Allan |date=18 May 2017 |work=ABC News |access-date=10 July 2017}} An editor from Entertainment Weekly interpreted the song as a "mournful acoustic autopsy of love lost."{{Cite news |url=https://ew.com/music/2017/05/12/harry-styles-review/ |title=Harry Styles pays tribute to his musical heroes on solo debut: EW review |last=Greenblatt |first=Leah |date=12 May 2017 |work=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=12 May 2017}} Written in the key of E major and set in a common time signature, it has a relatively slow tempo of 70 beats per minute.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0174323|title=Harry Styles "Two Ghosts" Sheet Music |website=Musicnotes|accessdate=8 August 2018}}
Critical reception
Leonie Cooper of NME opined the "subtle" song offers up a "country-indebted Laurel Canyon sound."{{cite web|last=Cooper|first=Leonie|title=Harry Styles-'Harry Styles' review|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/harry-styles-harry-styles-album-review-nme|website=NME|accessdate=12 May 2017}} In Pitchfork, Jamieson Cox considered Styles "makes a convincing alt-country troubadour" on the song.{{cite web|last=Cox|first=Jamieson|title=Harry Styles: Harry Styles Album Review|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/23204-harry-styles/|website=Pitchfork|date=16 May 2017|accessdate=18 May 2017}} Anjali Raguraman of The Straits Times thought the "sombre, country-tinged" track lyrically borrows from Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here".{{Cite news |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/soft-rock-with-an-edge |title=Soft rock with an edge |date=17 May 2017 |first=Anjali|last=Raguraman|work=The Straits Times |access-date=25 June 2017}} In the Los Angeles Times, Mikael Wood commented that the song has "the slow-rolling swagger of The Rolling Stones' "Tumbling Dice."{{cite web|last=Wood|first=Mikael|title=Review: Harry Styles is a young classic rocker on his dad-baiting solo debut|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-harry-styles-review-20170512-story.html|website=LA Times|accessdate=13 May 2017}} In Consequence of Sound, David Sackllah noted the slide guitar "could fit on Ryan Adams' Gold."{{Cite news |url=https://consequence.net/2017/05/album-review-harry-styles-harry-styles/ |title=Harry Styles – Harry Styles |last=Sackllah |first=David |date=17 May 2017 |work=Consequence of Sound |access-date=7 July 2017}} Chicago Tribune{{'}}s Greg Kot wrote "forlorn references drop to the Allman Brothers' "Melissa" on the song."{{Cite news |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-music-harry-styles-one-direction-ent-0515-20170512-column.html |title=Harry's solo style derivative, lacking One Direction hook power |last=Kot |first=Greg |date=14 May 2017 |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=7 July 2017}} Annie Zaleski of The A.V. Club wrote it "acutely captures the discomfiting, empty feeling of realizing that the spark is gone."{{Cite news |url=https://www.avclub.com/review/harry-styles-takes-bold-step-forward-leaning-past--255319 |title=Harry Styles takes a bold step forward by leaning on the past in his solo debut |last=Zaleski |first=Annie |date=15 May 2017 |work=The A.V. Club |access-date=7 July 2017}}
Kitty Empire of The Guardian said it "packs some good writing."{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/may/14/harry-styles-album-review-one-direction-carolina-sign-of-the-times |title=Harry Styles: Harry Styles review – a diverting new direction |last=Empire |first=Kitty |date=14 May 2017 |work=The Guardian |access-date=7 July 2017}} Allan Raible in ABC News found the song influenced by George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass." Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone thought the "lovelorn" song "could pass for vintage Bread".{{cite web|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|title=Review: Harry Styles Is a True Rock Star on Superb Solo Debut|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/review-harry-styles-harry-styles-w481586|website=Rolling Stone|accessdate=12 May 2017}} Eve Barlow of Variety believed "it's very easy to imagine an extended hyper emotional scene from The Notebook in the background" while listening to the "tragic, mystifying tale." In a similar way, David Dunn of The National thought its "plaintive" hooks and "easy-going" strum helps the song fits in a "teary" scene of Grey's Anatomy.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/album-review-harry-styles-finds-his-voice-on-his-self-titled-album-1.45628 |title=Album review: Harry Styles finds his voice on his self-titled album |last=Dunn |first=David |date=15 May 2017 |work=The National |access-date=10 July 2017}} BBC Music reporter Mark Savage noted references to Taylor Swift's "Style" in the storied lyrics;{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-39883061 |title=Is Harry Styles' album worth the wait? |last=Savage |first=Mark |date=12 May 2017 |work=BBC |access-date=21 May 2017}} Pitchfork{{'}}s Cox stated the song "only succeeds because it leans" on these references. In an interview with Nick Grimshaw on BBC Radio 1, Styles said in response to whether the song was about Swift: "I think it's pretty self-explanatory."{{Cite news |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7793007/harry-styles-taylor-swift-two-ghosts-bbc-radio-1-interview-video |title=Harry Styles on Whether 'Two Ghosts' Is About Taylor Swift: 'It's Pretty Self-Explanatory |last=Weatherby |first=Taylor |date=12 May 2017 |work=Billboard |access-date=9 July 2017}}
Billboard{{'}}s critics' list placed it seventh on "Every One Direction Solo Single, Ranked" in May 2017, stating "a plaintive strummer in the mold of Beck at his most contemplative or Ryan Adams at his most hungover, "Two Ghosts" is largely underplayed and undeniably effective [...] Not as grand or as riotous as some of Harry Styles' more obvious highlights, but sweetly winning all the same."{{Cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7808577/one-direction-solo-singles-ranked-list |title=Every One Direction Solo Single, Ranked Critic's List |last=Unterberger |first=Andrew | accessdate= 12 May 2018 |date=25 May 2017 |work=Billboard}}
Live performances
On 17 May 2017, Styles performed "Two Ghosts" on The Late Late Show with James Corden, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. In Rolling Stone, Elias Leight opined the singer demonstrated "impressive" vocal range, contorting his voice into a "bruising" rasp and a "light, angsty" falsetto moments later.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-harry-styles-perform-aching-two-ghosts-on-corden-w482907 |title=See Harry Styles Perform Aching New Song 'Two Ghosts' on 'Corden' |last=Leight |first=Elias |date=18 May 2017 |work=Rolling Stone |access-date=9 July 2017}} On 9 June, Styles performed the song from the rooftop of London venue Central Hall Westminster on The Late Late Show.{{Cite news |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-harry-styles-perform-two-ghosts-from-london-rooftop-on-corden-w486852 |title=Watch Harry Styles Perform 'Two Ghosts' From London Rooftop on 'Corden' |last=Reed |first=Ryan |date=9 June 2017 |work=Rolling Stone |access-date=9 July 2017}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2017)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Flanders Tip|5|artist=Harry Styles|song=Two Ghosts|rowheader=true|accessdate=13 October 2017}} |
| {{single chart|Canada|91|artist=Harry Styles|rowheader=true|accessdate=7 July 2017}} |
| scope="row"| Ireland (IRMA){{cite web|url=http://irma.ie/index.cfm?page=irish-charts&chart=Singles|title=IRMA - Irish Charts|publisher=Irish Recorded Music Association|accessdate=7 July 2017}}
| 66 |
| scope="row"| Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard){{cite web | url = https://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2017-09-09/mexico-ingles | work = Billboard| title = Mexico Ingles Airplay}}
| 9 |
| {{single chart|Portugal|94|artist=Harry Styles|song=Two Ghosts|rowheader=true|accessdate=16 May 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Scotland|77|date=20170519|rowheader=true|accessdate=18 August 2018}} |
| {{single chart|Slovakia2|71|year=2017|week=35|rowheader=true|accessdate=5 September 2017}} |
| {{single chart|Slovakdigital2|86|year=2017|week=20|rowheader=true|accessdate=18 August 2018}} |
| {{single chart|UK|58|date=20170525|rowheader=true|accessdate=7 July 2017}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardbubbling100|18|artist=Harry Styles|rowheader=true|accessdate=7 July 2017}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|32|artist=Harry Styles|rowheader=true|accessdate=3 October 2017}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|34|artist=Harry Styles|rowheader=true|accessdate=19 September 2017}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2017|certyear=2022|access-date=7 July 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2017|certyear=2022|relmonth=8|access-date=13 January 2023|artist=Harry Styles|title=Two Ghosts}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Harry Styles|title=Two Ghosts|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2017|certyear=2020|date=1 December 2020|access-date=14 January 2021|refname="Canada Cert"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Mexico|artist=Harry Styles|title=Two Ghosts|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2017|certyear=2021|access-date=30 March 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Harry Styles|title=Two Ghosts|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2017|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=13 April 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2017|certyear=2024|access-date=6 January 2024|artist=Harry Styles|title=Two Ghosts|id=16829-4394-1}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=Harry Styles|title=Two Ghosts|relyear=2017|certyear=2022|date=29 November 2022|access-date=29 November 2022}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Region
! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format(s) ! scope="col"| Label(s) ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| scope="row" rowspan="2"| United States
| 7 August 2017 | rowspan="3"| Columbia |
| 8 August 2017
| rowspan="3"|Contemporary hit radio |
| scope="row"| United Kingdom
| 1 September 2017 | {{cite web|title=BBC – Radio 1 Playlist: Friday, 1st September|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/playlist|publisher=BBC|access-date=1 September 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903103314/http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/playlist|archive-date=3 September 2017}} |
| scope="row"| Italy
| 8 September 2017 | Sony |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{YouTube|suNBBjPdkhA|Harry Styles - Two Ghosts (Live in Studio)}}
{{Harry Styles}}
Category:Songs written by Harry Styles
Category:Songs written by John Ryan (musician)
Category:Songs written by Julian Bunetta
Category:Songs written by Tyler Johnson (musician)
Category:Song recordings produced by Jeff Bhasker
Category:Columbia Records singles