A Ghost

"A Ghost" is the lead single from 10 Songs, an album co-produced by Travis frontman Fran Healy and by Robin Baynton (Coldplay, Florence & The Machine). The record finds Healy returning to the sole songwriting role for the first time since 2003's 12 Memories.

In 2006, Healy took a step back from the role of Travis' core songwriter after the birth of his son, Clay. He explained to NME that "he wanted to be the dad that I'd never had," so for the next 14 years Clay was his "sole focus and main project in the center of the table." Back in late 2019, Clay told his father, "Papa, you should really go for it with the band this time - I know you haven't been pushing as hard as you could but I want you to do that now." The lyrics to this song are about Healy re-adopting his role as Travis' main songwriter and relocating his creative drive. "It's about looking at yourself in the mirror and seeing the ghost of someone," he explained. "This reflection talks back to you and says, 'It's easier to be alive than hide under your pillow while your life is passing you by.'"

Just when the song's music video was ready to shoot, the world went into lockdown because of the coronavirus. A former student at Glasgow School Of Art, Healy is a good draughtsman, so he decided to create the clip himself using his drawing skills. Starting out with a mocked-up picture of himself and three ghosts playing the last chorus of the song in a deserted alleyway, Healy painstakingly drew the whole visual with Clay's help. He told NME: "It took four weeks working at 17 hours a day – almost without ever looking up. Every 10 seconds is like 12 hours of drawing. It was an all-or-nothing situation so I just went for it. It also keeps your mind occupied and stops you going on Twitter."