Empty Spirits

Album: Greetings From California (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The Madden Brothers close their Greetings From California album with this track, which they penned with Ross Golan (Lady Antebellum's "Compass"). "Benji and I wanted the last song on the album and Side two to be more of a singer-songwriter-y type of a track," Joel Madden explained to Artist Direct. "We wanted to end the record with a very vulnerable, non-confronting simple moment."
  • Joel Madden explained the song's meaning: "At first listen, it's about a relationship," he said. "When the relationship's gone, why does that song, which was so special, become such a painful piece that you don't love it anymore? You actually resent it, and you don't' want to hear it. It brings up all kinds of emotions. Sometimes you hear it, and you're happy. Other times you hear it, and you're sad. It's all because of this playlist you made in your relationship. It was an important playlist in the beginning of the relationship. I've had the experience in a good way. My brother has had it in a bad way."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")

Director Mark Pellington ("Jeremy," "Best Of You")Song Writing

Director Mark Pellington on Pearl Jam's "Jeremy," and music videos he made for U2, Jon Bon Jovi and Imagine Dragons.

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions Answered

Why Does Everybody Hate Nu-Metal? Your Metal Questions AnsweredSong Writing

10 Questions for the author of Precious Metal: Decibel Presents the Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Paul Williams

Paul WilliamsSongwriter Interviews

He's a singer and an actor, but as a songwriter Paul helped make Kermit a cultured frog, turned a bank commercial into a huge hit and made love both "exciting and new" and "soft as an easy chair."

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine Band

Harry Wayne Casey of KC and The Sunshine BandSongwriter Interviews

Harry Wayne Casey tells the stories behind KC and The Sunshine Band hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's The Way (I Like It)," and "Give It Up."

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.