Ghost Of The Heart - 2023 (Bedroom Demo #275)

"Ghost Of The Heart"

words and music: Terry Scott Taylor

Way back of my heart is the motive for this

I ask the question “Did I do it for self?”

I need the light on

The monster of vanity

Gets frightened by the ghost of the heart

An observation that’s pertinent to

The subject which I want to address is

When I seek the kingdom

The master of disguises gets

Frightened by the ghost of the heart

Shed the light on

Shed the light on me

Oh no, who is that?

Oh no, it’s me

It’s gonna leave you in the dust (I’m goin’ down)

It’s gonna leave you in the rough (I’m crawlin’ ‘round)

It’s gonna leave you in the dust (it’ll leave me in His hands…)

And in conclusion, when I stand alone and

I’m asked the question ‘Did I do it for self?”

Can I then answer “The demon of hatred was

Frightened by the ghost of the heart”

Oh oh oh oh oh woah oh

Oh oh oh oh oh woah oh…

instruments and vocals: T.S. Taylor

note:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourself.” Philippians 2:3

This one often gets requested. As always, I’m happy to oblige.

Like a number of my songs, I don’t remember writing Ghost Of The Heart. Obviously I wrote it, but I don’t know exactly when (other than sometime in 1981 for the Alarm album), or where I wrote it, or why I wrote it. What I mean by the latter is that I don’t know exactly what inspired it. My guess is that by that time I’d become mature enough in my faith walk to be more willing to recognize arrogance in myself and to question (from time to time) the motives behind my “service to God.” Were qualities such as love, humility, and self sacrifice fueling my desire to write, record, and perform music, or was pride more often the compelling force; the need to be recognized, admired, envied, etc.? In my younger days of my musical pursuits, those heady days of growing popularity, relatively impressive record sales, radio airplay, and seemingly inexhaustible creative energy, the temptation to fail to differentiate between self-promoting, ego driven motives and Holy Spirit inspired directives, was never stronger. I can’t help but think that God took extra pains in considering my youth when it came to chastising me for my occasional arrogance; What I got from Him was something like a father’s scolding, when what I really deserved was a swift kick to the gluteus maximus. It’s important to know however that asking the Holy Spirit to search our hearts for any vestige of spiritual pride does not cease to be an imperative once our youth is behind us. The question the song asks, “Did I do it for self?,” is just as relevant and sobering today as it was back in 1981 when a young man first wrote it down.