20 Hauntingly Cool Classic Rock Ghost Songs

Many of classic rock's greatest artists have found a way to mix ghosts into their work.

In some cases -- like songs from Ozzy Osbourne and Iron Maiden -- the results have been demonic, but in many others they have been far from spooky. Bruce Springsteen invoked the ghost of a literary character for one of his most poignant social justice tunes, while the White Stripes conjured up a specter to create a bouncy little ditty about love.

Stevie Nicks used ghosts as a metaphor for living in the past, while Depeche Mode embraced apparitions as they pondered mortality.

Whether scary or symbolic, jarring or joyful, thrilling or thought provoking, all of the ghost songs below have one thing in common -- they remained hauntingly memorable long after the music ended.

Rolling Stones, “Living in a Ghost Town”
Was Mick Jagger seeing into the future or was it simply a coincidence? When the Rolling Stones began recording what would eventually become “Living in a Ghost Town” in 2019, their frontman penned dark lyrics “about being left in a semi-alive state after a plague.” A year later, the topic felt prescient, as the world largely shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Stones’ made a few slight changes to “Living in a Ghost Town,” then released the tune in April 2020. It marked their first original song in eight years.

Ozzy Osbourne, “Ghost Behind My Eyes”
It’s no surprise to see the Prince of Darkness invoking spirits from the great beyond. In this track from 1995’s Ozzmosis, Ozzy describes a demon living in his head, who haunts his dreams and “dances on my heart with fire in my soul.”

The Doors, “Ghost Song”
In 1978, seven years after Jim Morrison’s death, the Doors released An American Prayer. The album featured the later frontman’s spoken word poetry, set to new music recorded by the surviving members. One of the most haunting tunes was “Ghost Town,” its lyrics reportedly inspired by a tragic car accident Morrison witnessed as a child.

Depeche Mode, “Ghosts Again”
Mortality was an overarching theme to Depeche Mode’s 2023 album Memento Mori, a topic which took on greater weight following the death of the band’s co-founder and keyboardist, Andy Fletcher. According to frontman Dave Gahan, lead single “Ghosts Again” struck the “perfect balance of melancholy and joy,” as Depeche Mode confronted death's inevitability.

Bruce Springsteen, “The Ghost of Tom Joad”
The Boss famously invoked the name of Tom Joad, a character from The Grapes of Wrath, for this 1995 track. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” is pure Springsteen, with finely woven lyrical storytelling combined with a socially conscious message. While the original is a pensive acoustic track, Springsteen rerecorded the tune in 2013 with Tom Morello. The electrified version was officially released a year later on Springsteen’s High Hopes LP.

Stevie Nicks, “Ghosts”
Stevie Nicks’ 1989 album The Other Side of the Mirror featured the song “Ghosts,” which took an trancendental view on living for the moment. “‘Ghosts’ is about…a lot of people tell me that I live too much in the past,” Nicks explained in ‘89. “I don’t want even to use the word holy, but there is certainly a spiritual thing about it, you know, and you turn to your guardian angel, and you realize that the ghost of the past and the present and the future all are a part of you and that you have to dig the past and the future and what you’re living day to day and you have to stop for a second and check out how cool today is and how cool yesterday was and also hopefully how cool tomorrow’s gonna be. And that’s really what ‘Ghosts’ is about”

Radiohead, "Give Up the Ghost"
Radiohead’s music has always had a haunting, otherworldly element to it. “Give Up the Ghost” is a perfect example, with an eerie vibe that is equal parts foreboding and beautiful. One of the highlights from 2011’s The King of Limbs, the track features Thom Yorke singing on top of his own vocal harmonies, including the repeated line “Don’t hurt me.”

The Police, "Spirits in the Material World"
Ok, we’re cheating a little here since “ghost” isn’t in the song title. But considering “spirits” is a synonym, and that it came from an album titled Ghost in the Machine, we’re going to go ahead and allow this 1981 Police hit to make the cut. Inspired by the work of philosopher Arthur Koestler, Sting’s lyrics reflected society’s – and, more specifically, politicians’ – inability to see the larger cosmic picture.

Jethro Tull, "Old Ghosts"
Ian Anderson pulled out every ominous lyric he could conjure for Jethro Tull’s 1979 tune “Old Ghosts.” Growls, howls and killers all highlight the early verses, while Anderson later describes the titular apparitions: “Misty colors unfold a backcloth cold / Fine tapestry of silk / I draw around me like a cloak / And soundless glide a-drifting.”

Iron Maiden, "Ghost of the Navigator"
In this epic tune from Iron Maiden’s 2000 album Brave New World, frontman Bruce Dickinson harnesses an array of maritime imagery. His lyrics speak of treacherous seas and crashing waves, as he embarks on his “final journey.” Dickinson isn’t the only one making this voyage – a metaphor for life and death – as he witnesses other lost souls cast upon the waves: “I see the ghosts of navigators but they are lost / As they sail into the sunset they'll count the cost / As their skeletons accusing emerge from the sea / The sirens of the rocks, they beckon me.”

White Stripes, "Little Ghost"
There's no doom and gloom to this country tinged ditty from 2005, instead Jack White tells the story of falling in love with a charming specter that only he can see. The catchy track, found on the White Stripes' album Get Behind Me Satan, featured the buoyant chorus: “Little ghost, little ghost / One I'm scared of the most / Can you scare me up a little bit of love? / I'm the only one that sees you / And I can't do much to please you / And it's not yet time to meet the Lord above.”

King Diamond, "The Family Ghost"
In 1989, Danish heavy metal group King Diamond released Abigail, a concept album centered around a young couple who moves into a haunted mansion. Early on, they come in contact with Count de La'Fey, a dead relative who is referred to as “The Family Ghost.” As you’d expect, the song of the same name is filled with titanic riffage, accompanied by howling, manic vocals.

The Specials, "Ghost Town"
The early ‘80s U.K. recession inspired English ska band the Specials to record their biggest hit. “Ghost Town” touched on the real life issues facing Britain at the time, including unemployment, violence and deindustrialisation. “The overall sense I wanted to convey was impending doom,” Specials founder Jerry Dammers later explained. “It's hard to explain how powerful it sounded. We had almost been written off and then ‘Ghost Town’ came out of the blue.”

Johnny Cash, "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky"
The classic folk tune “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky” tells the story of a cowboy haunted by a thunderous herd of demonic cattle. He watches in terror as they stampede through the clouds, chased by a group of damned cowboys. The vision serves as a warning to the earthbound rancher, who is cautioned to “Change your ways today / Or with us you will ride / Trying to catch the devil's herd / Across these endless skies.” While “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky” has been recorded by a long list of famous artists, Johnny Cash released what was arguably the definitive version in 1979.

Rush, "Ghost of a Chance"
This track, released on Rush’s 1991 LP Roll the Bones, isn’t about an apparition from beyond the grave. Instead, it focuses on something far more tangible – or scary, depending on your point of view – love. Though Neil Peart’s lyrics dispel notions of fate and destiny, the drummer remains open to romance: “I don’t believe in the stars or the planets / Or angels watching from above / But i believe there’s a ghost of a chance / We can find someone to love.”

Psychedelic Furs, "The Ghost in You"
English new wave group the Psychedelic Furs scored one of their biggest U.S. hits in 1984 with “The Ghost in You.” Here the titular specter is a former lover who has moved on, yet their impact on the narrator refuses to fade.

Suicide, "Ghost Rider"
Legendary punk rock group Suicide gleaned inspiration from the Marvel character Ghost Rider for their 1977 song of the same name. In the comics, Ghost Rider was a stunt motorcyclist who sold his soul to the devil to save his foster father. Suicide stay true to these origins in their song, noting their "Ghost Rider" is a "motorcycle hero" who is "screaming the truth."

Red Hot Chili Peppers, "American Ghost Dance"
Red Hot Chili Peppers hadn’t yet perfected their distinctive formula when they released their sophomore album, 1985’s Freaky Styley. Still, you could hear the band’s ambition, and funk legend George Clinton even came on board to produce the LP. One of the standout tracks was “American Ghost Dance,” in which Red Hot Chili Peppers invoked the western classic “Home on the Range” to deliver a dramatic criticism on the treatment of Native Americans.

Mazzy Star, "Ghost Highway"
Alt-rock pioneers Mazzy Star are largely remembered for "Fade Into You," the 1994 single that proved to be their biggest commercial hit. Still, the group had more to their arsenal, mixing ambient dream pop with elements of psychedelic rock. "Ghost Highway" was one of the standout tracks from their 1990 debut album, She Hangs Brightly. The tune find singer Hope Sandoval delivering engrossingly haunting vocals, declaring, "You're a ghost on the highway / And I'll love you forever."

David Bowie - Flying

David Bowie’s music may have been out of this world, but for his earthly travels the rocker went to great lengths to avoid airplanes. For nearly five years, from fall 1972 to spring 1977, Bowie didn’t fly at all. The icon reportedly had a premonition in which he died in a plane crash and the ensuing fear kept him out of the sky for quite some time. That didn’t stop the legendary performer from touring. Bowie looped the globe, traveling by boat, bus and train while performing in the U.S., Japan and throughout Europe.

Ozzy Osbourne - Rats

The Prince of Darkness is afraid of something? Yes, by his own account, Ozzy Osbourne has many fears. Chief among them the little vermin that scurry along the ground. “I tell you what I am scared of … rats. They’ve got so many diseases we don’t have the cure for,” Osbourne explained in a 2018 interview with 'The Guardian.' “It’s crazy that anyone would think I’d be in league with the devil, because I’m terrified of all kinds of shit. I’m very superstitious. I have to try not to be, otherwise I wouldn’t leave the house.”

Slash - Hand Injuries

Slash is among the greatest guitar players in the history of rock. Given that he built his legacy by working with his hands, the rocker’s phobia makes some sense. Describing it as “quirky,” the Guns N’ Roses guitarist explained to Louder that he has a fear of hand injuries. “Like, if I’m watching a movie or actually there in person, if someone has a hand accident, that really gives me the heebie-jeebies.” Slash went on to admit that his hurt-hand-phobia also affected his day-to-day life: “I don’t like leaning my arm out of the window of my car when I'm driving like some people do. I’m very sensitive about fingers, hands and all that … digits!”

John Lennon - Legacy

Though he’s widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, John Lennon feared his own legacy. The revelation came from Paul McCartney during an interview with '60 Minutes.' “I remember John was a bit insecure. I remember him once, particularly, strangely out of the blue saying, ‘I worry about how people are gonna remember me,’” McCartney recalled on the news program. “I was like, ‘John, listen to me. Look at me. You’re gonna be remembered as one of the greatest people,’” an emotional McCartney continued. “I said, ‘Because you are. You know, you’re fantastic.”

James Hetfield - Responsibility

In a 2014 video discussing his addiction recovery, Metallica frontman James Hetfield admitted that responsibility has always frightened him. “I’ve been afraid of responsibility my whole life – not wanting to take responsibility for myself.” The rocker went on to recall an elementary school project where he was told to work with a group of fellow students. “I was, ‘Hey, how about we do this?’ and all these ideas. Then they said, ‘Okay now, choose your leaders who’s responsible for the stuff.’” Hetfield immediately retreated. “I shrunk, man. I got scared. The group was like, ‘You’re the leader because you had all the ideas.’ I was like, ‘No, no, no’ – and I bailed. I was afraid of responsibility. Afraid of failure, maybe; afraid that I didn’t know what I was really doing.” Though his fear of responsibility lingers to this day, Hetfield has been making strides to work past it. His continuing addiction recovery is one such step.

Freddie Mercury - Spiders

As the frontman of Queen, Freddie Mercury had a fearless onstage persona. In his personal life, however, one thing gave the singer significant anxiety. In the book 'Mercury and Me,' Mercury’s former partner Jim Hutton recalled the rocker’s arachnophobia. “On many occasions, no sooner had Freddie gone to the bathroom to clean his teeth before bed than he’d come running out screaming. ‘Spider!’ he’d say. ‘You’ll have to get it out. I can’t do it.’" Though Mercury hated the eight-legged arachnids, he also showed them mercy. “Freddie didn’t like spiders, but he meant them no harm and would never ask me to kill one,” Hutton admitted. “He liked me to catch it in a glass or a box and throw it outside.”

Dave Grohl - Small Spaces

In a 2002 interview with MTV’s Kurt Loder, the Foo Fighters' frontman admitted small spaces make him feel trapped. “I'm kind of claustrophobic,” Grohl revealed. “I have crazy claustrophobic dreams, weird elevator dreams where the elevator closes in and all of a sudden I am lying down — oh my God, it's a casket. Just freaky stuff like that.” The feeling also cropped up while traveling. “Sometimes in airplanes I can't stand that fact that I can't get off if I want to,” the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer confessed. Grohl has his own Foo Fighters plane these days, so perhaps flying is a little less stressful.

Gene Simmons - Flying

He’s outspoken, full of bravado and never lacks for confidence. So, what could possibly scare the Demon? Turns out Gene Simmons is another rocker who has battled a fear of flying. Kiss bandmate Paul Stanley revealed the phobia in his book ‘Backstage Pass,’ noting that Simmons pushed past the fear to visit his lifelong friend in hospital. “When I had my first operation to rebuild my ear from rib cartilage,” Stanley noted, “Gene flew up to see me in the hospital – despite an intense fear of flying at the time.”

Axl Rose - People

In 2008, Guns N’ Roses finally delivered their long-awaited LP ‘Chinese Democracy.’ Much fanfare preceded the release, due to its outrageous cost and the fact it took more than a decade to make. Despite that, frontman Axl Rose refused to give interviews or make appearances to promote the album, going completely off the radar for multiple months. Reports surfaced that the singer was suffering from anthropophobia, the fear of people and society. Rose never commented on the rumors and eventually reemerged for touring in 2009.

Alice Cooper - Needles

Snakes, fire and a menacing guillotine are all part of Alice Cooper’s daily routine. So what makes the Godfather of shock-rock squeamish? Turns out it’s needles. The iconic rocker admitted the fear during a 2015 appearance on 'The Late Late Show.' "I hate needles," he confessed to host James Corden. "They can put my head in a guillotine, they can put a snake around me, but a blood test? I haven't had a shot in probably 30 years, 40 years." Despite his fear, Cooper got a COVID vaccine shot in 2021 and openly encouraged his fans to do the same.

Nikki Sixx - Snakes

It’s hard to imagine a man who literally died and was shocked back to life can have many fears. Still, there is one thing that creeps out Nikki Sixx. “I really don’t like snakes,” he admitted during a 2007 interview with 'NME.' “Don’t fucking like ’em. They’re creepy. I was talking to Slash about this because I got this idea on the Carnival of Sins Tour for Motley. I wanted to have these girls coming out naked with snakes on them and blowing fire and Slash goes, ‘Well, you gotta spend time with the snakes’.” The idea of being in close proximity to the serpents did not sit well with Sixx. “I’m like, ‘Fuck. Forget it’. So we just settled on the naked girls blowing fire. … It's fine for other people to hold [snakes] but just don’t get that fucking thing near me.”

David Lee Roth - Flying

Van Halen singer David Lee Roth has carved a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame career by taking the role of charismatic frontman to extreme heights. Still, the only place the confident rocker may feel out of place is thousands of miles above the ground. In the book 'Runnin’ With the Devil: A Backstage Pass Into the Wild Times, Loud Rock and the Down and Dirty Truth Behind the Making of Van Halen' former tour manager Noel E. Monk revealed Roth’s fear of air-travel. Describing it as “a near-crippling fear of flying,” Monk opined that the singer hated the lack of control that comes with airplanes. Still, Roth has seemingly overcome his fear. The singer regularly travels by plane these days and even admitted to Buzzfeed that he enjoys long flights because they allow him time to “read a full paperback uninterrupted.”

Bruce Springsteen - Donald Trump

There’s no denying Donald Trump's divisiveness. But while many musicians either love or loath the 45th president, Bruce Springsteen is actually scared of his presidency. "I've felt disgust before, but never the kind of fear that you feel now," he said in an interview with 'Billboard.' The Boss went on to explain that his fears stem from concerns over hate crimes, racism and bigotry. “My fears are that those things find a place in ordinary, civil society and the country changes in a way that is unrecognizable, and we become estranged.”

Ringo Starr - Germs

Here’s another phobia that can be traced back to childhood. Ringo Starr, then known as Richard Starkey, was only six years old when he had his appendix removed. Complications left the young future Beatle in a coma for several days. At the age of 13 he again battled health issues, contracting tuberculosis. These events forged a strong case of germaphobia in Starr that continues to this day. The rocker refuses to shake hands and instead rubs elbows as a way of saying hello.

Dave Davies - Clowns

The Kinks’ Dave Davies was afraid of clowns from an early age. Yet, while many artists are stunted by their phobias, Davies’ fear provided inspiration for the classic track “Death of a Clown.” “I never liked the circus as a kid and was always scared of clowns, so I was facing that fear,” the rocker recalled in an interview with 'Songwriting.' “It always scared me, that false smile, always hiding behind something.” The track would peak at No. 3 in the U.K., becoming one of the most successful songs of his solo career.

Matt Bellamy - Alien Impregnation

The Muse frontman is known for his conspiracy theories and general disdain for government, but his phobia is decidedly more interplanetary. In a 2000 interview with 'NME,' Matt Bellamy declared that his biggest fear is “being impregnated by an alien and giving birth. It’d be awful to give birth to a freak so you’d have to hide it away from everyone but still bring it up as your own.”

Joe Elliott - Thanking the Wrong City

It’s extremely common for people to have nightmares about their workplace. Rock stars are no different. In a 2017 conversation with 'Kerrang!,' Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott admitted he has “an absolute phobia” of getting up onstage and thanking the wrong city. His fear, however, doesn’t breed compassion. In the same interview, Elliott confessed to sabotaging the band Krokus while the two groups were on tour together. The Def Lep boys would change Krokus’ monitors to read the wrong city’s name, resulting in a couple of cringe-worthy moments.

Brian Wilson - Flying

In December 1964, the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson suffered a panic attack during a flight to a Houston. The 'Houston Press' reported the musician "started crying and making shrieking noises. He screamed into a pillow, spun out of his seat and sobbed on the cabin floor." Wilson returned to Los Angeles almost immediately and refused to appear onstage with the Beach Boys again for another 12 years. Though fear stunted the rocker’s touring ability, it also gave him unmatched freedom without the burden of the road. By sequestering himself in the studio, the musician was able to devise innovative stylistic endeavors for the band, culminating in the Beach Boys’ groundbreaking 1966 album, ‘Pet Sounds.’

Marilyn Manson - Sleeping Naked

Most people would expect Marilyn Manson to do the scaring, but the shock-rocker does have a fear of his own. In the book ‘Marilyn Manson: Talking,' the singer admitted that he refuses to sleep naked. The fear has more to do with potential consequences than anything else. “I have a phobia that I'm going to wake up naked in front of the police or someone," the singer confessed.

Johnny Cash - Snakes

While his image may have been fearless, the Man in Black certainly had several phobias, most notably a fear of snakes. Cash reportedly suffered the fear his entire life and was known to freeze at the sight of the slithery beasts. The singer also suffered from a fear of flying, so it’s safe to assume that ‘Snakes on a Plane’ was not among his favorite films (especially since it came out three years after the legend's death).

Paul Stanley - Bullying

Kiss frontman Paul Stanley was born with a facial deformity, which prevented his right ear from completely forming. As a child, he lived in constant fear of bullying, something he regularly encountered at school. In his book ‘Face the Music: A Life Exposed’ the singer recalled being labeled as “Stanley the one-eared monster.” The rocker was able to rise above his bullies, joining a choir in childhood, growing his hair longer to hide his ear and eventually becoming one of the most successful frontmen in music.

Thom Yorke - Cars

Radiohead singer Thom Yorke has had a serious fear of cars dating back to his childhood. “Our family almost had a terrible [car] accident,” he explained in a 2017 interview with 'Rolling Stone.' “My dad used to talk to me a lot about it. I think he was trying to instill the idea that anything could happen at any moment and you’re not in control of it, which led to a slight paranoia, maybe justified.” Yorke, who refers to cars as “one of the most dangerous forms of transport on Earth,” channeled his phobia into music. His fear of cars influenced many Radiohead songs, including "Airbag," "Killer Cars" and "Stupid Car."

Christine McVie - Flying

Shortly after Fleetwood Mac’s 1998 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Christine McVie removed herself from the band. While Fleetwood Mac continued touring, their keyboard player stayed at home, the result of a crippling fear of flying. The phobia would hinder the singer and keyboardist for more than a decade, leaving her confined to her house in the English countryside. As Fleetwood Mac toured and enjoyed several reunions, McVie’s desire to get back onstage spurred an effort to get past her fear. She worked with a psychologist and eventually got up the courage to take a flight alongside bandmate Mick Fleetwood. “We took off, and the feeling was, ‘God, I’m free,‘” McVie told 'Elle' of the moment she got past her anxiety. She rejoined the band in 2014 and has remained an active member since.

Joe Perry - Needles

In his autobiography ‘Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith,’ guitarist Joe Perry details his own various battles with addiction. In one anecdote, Perry remembered a failed attempt to shoot up coke. “I don’t know if it was my needle phobia or injection inexperience, but I somehow turned myself into a blood donor,” the rocker recalled. “Blood was spurting everywhere - my clothes, the counter, the floor. I made one horrible goddamn bloody mess.” The traumatic experience exacerbated Perry’s already established fear of needles. He would never shoot up again, though he admittedly still found plenty of other ways to ingest drugs.

Johnny Depp - Clowns

He’s certainly worn plenty of makeup, both as a movie star and member of Hollywood Vampires, but that hasn’t helped Johnny Depp move past his fear of clowns. The actor admitted his phobia while promoting the 1999 film ‘Sleepy Hollow,’ stating that "something about the painted face, the fake smile,” makes him uneasy. “There always seemed to be a darkness lurking just under the surface, a potential for real evil."

Chris Cornell - Flying

Chris Cornell may have had a soaring voice, but the late singer did everything he could to keep his feet firmly on the ground. A fear of flying plagued the rocker for most of his life, with Cornell often taking sedatives to combat his anxiety. “The first commercial flight I ever had was to New York,” the singer recalled in a 1996 interview with 'Kerrang!' “It took off from Seattle in bad weather, and as soon as we got up we heard this huge explosion, and the pilots came on and said it was ‘static discharge.' Yeah, right! That means the plane got struck by lightning. The whole flight was storms all the way, and we had an abortive landing. So that totally freaked me out for a long time.” The traumatic experience stuck with Cornell, even as he toured all over the world. The rocker was known to regularly change or cancel flights if he believed there was a possibility of flying through bad weather.

Sheryl Crow - Heights

She’s won nine Grammy Awards and sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, so it’s clear Sheryl Crow isn’t afraid of success. Instead, the singer has a fear of heights. It’s a problem the songstress has worked through in therapy, where she’s also battled depression. Suddenly the lyric “Everybody gets high, everybody gets low” has a little more context.

Brandon Flowers - The Number 621

The Killers singer Brandon Flowers has a fear of the number 621, which also happens to be his birthday (June 21). The phobia dates back to his childhood, when a Ouija board predicted he would die on that day. Though Flowers admitted to 'The Guardian' that his fear is “stupid” and “not a way to live,” he goes to great lengths to avoid 621. He doesn’t fly on his birthday, won’t stay in hotel rooms with that number and is extra cautious when he realizes he’s driving at 6:21.

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