Ghost In The Machine

## Ghost In The MachineSong by SZA

"**Ghost In The Machine**" is the twelfth track from SZA's sophomore album *SOS*. It was released through Top Dawg and RCA on December 9, 2022. It features singer Phoebe Bridgers.

## Background

SZA released her debut studio album, *Ctrl*, in 2017. Primarily an R&B album that deals with themes like heartbreak, it received widespread acclaim for its vocals and eclectic musical style, as well as the emotional impact and confessional nature of its songwriting. The album brought SZA to mainstream fame, and critics credit it with establishing her status as a major figure in contemporary pop and R&B music and pushing the boundaries of the R&B genre. Her next studio album was therefore highly anticipated, and she alluded to its completion as early as August 2019 during an interview with DJ Kerwin Frost.

From April to May 2022, SZA told media outlets that she had recently finished the album in Hawaii and said that it was coming soon. Wanting to experiment with genres she had not yet incorporated in her discography, she envisioned it to be an amalgamation of various disparate musical styles, or in her words, "a little bit of everything". While some tracks had an "aggressive" sound, certain others were balladic, soft, or heartfelt. Apart from the "traditional" R&B that had been a staple of SZA's past works, the album also contained prominent elements of "acoustic singer-songwriter" music.

During the build-up to the album's release, SZA created a list of possible collaborators for the album. The roster ranged from Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Olivia Rodrigo; to Doja Cat, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar. Of the several artists she contacted for the album, only three people sent their verses: Don Toliver, Travis Scott, and Phoebe Bridgers. Toliver and Scott appear in the tracks "Used" and "Open Arms", respectively, while Bridgers contributed vocals for "Ghost In The Machine".

## Song reaction

On December 5, 2022, SZA posted the album tracklist revealing the Phoebe Bridgers feature. The following day, SZA went to Twitter and Instagram to post social media influencer Quenlin Blackwell’s reaction to Phoebe Bridgers appearing on *SOS*.

## Lyrics

**[Verse 1: SZA]**

Everything disgusting, conversation is so boring

Heard about what?

"I hate her," "I don't agree," "I did it first"

I give a fuck

I just wanna fuck, eat, sleep, love happy

Can you make me happy? Can you keep me happy?

**[Pre-Chorus: SZA]**

Can you distract me from all the disaster?

Can you touch on me and not call me after?

Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?

Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?

**[Chorus: SZA]**

I need humanity

Y'all lack humanity, drowning in vanity

Craving humanity

Y'all lack humanity, I need humanity

I need–

**[Verse 2: SZA]**

Everybody wanna be beautiful, scared of the unusual

Scared of givin' mutual respect, all that you hate

You reflect all that godlike, you forget how to love somebody

I hate everybody, I hate everyone

Let's talk about A.I., robot got more heart than I

Robot got future, I don't

Robot get sleep, but I don't power down

I'm wide open, I'm awake, I'm on autopilot

I'm out of my mind and I'm wide open

**[Pre-Chorus: SZA]**

Can you distract me from all the disaster?

Can you touch on me and not call me after?

Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?

Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?

**[Chorus: SZA]**

I need humanity

Y'all lack humanity, drowning in vanity

Craving humanity

Y'all lack humanity, I need humanity

I need–

**[Verse 3: Phoebe Bridgers]**

You said all of my friends are on my payroll

You're not wrong, you're an asshole

Screaming at you in the Ludlow

I was yours for free

I don't get existential

I just think about myself and look where that got me

Standin' on my own in an airport bar or hotel lobby

Waiting to feel clean

That's so fucking boring

**[Pre-Chorus: SZA]**

Can you distract me from all the disaster?

Can you touch on me and not call me after?

Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?

Can you lead me to the ark? What's the password?

**[Chorus: SZA]**

I need humanity

Y'all lack humanity, drowning in vanity

Craving humanity

Y'all lack humanity, I need humanity

I need–

**[Outro: Sadhguru & SZA]**

Those who have forsaken their humanity

They like to patch their life with morality

I think I might be tryna patch my life with morality

I'm curious, I'm curious

## References

1. ↑ *Response to having phoebe on the albums been pretty positive lol - Dec 6, 2022*