What if becoming a ghost wasn’t really about scaring people at all but was in fact about discovering a world with no boundaries? That’s the premise of Rich Anthony’s “If I Were a Ghost” which is a delightfully imaginative and thoughtful single that takes the traditional Halloween theme and turns it into a whole adventure of humour, curiosity and a few moments of real reflection. Released 18th September 2026 it takes a completely non-horror approach to the supernatural, instead focusing on the freedom of being able to do whatever you like without any of the normal constraints. The ghost in this scenario can simply float through windows, pass through walls, travel without a passport or plane ticket and fly under the Northern Lights. There’s even a little bit of mischief in there with the prospect of hanging out with bats and taking a nap in a bell. All of these little details give the song a very playful character which makes the supernatural concept accessible to a younger audience and at the same time gives an adult listener a chance to re-connect with the boundless freedom of childhood imagination. The song’s appeal is not in the horror or the darkness though. It’s in the sheer freedom of possibility. The song is about what you might do if you could go anywhere, do anything. The question of what you’d do if you could be a ghost is a very simple one and is one that allows for a great deal of interpretation. A child will probably be drawn to the idea of floating through walls or spending time with bats. An adult will probably be drawn to the more subtle questions of memory and feeling and whether the experience of watching a sunset would still be meaningful in another life. “What if the biggest mystery of becoming a ghost isn’t where you could go, but what parts of you would still be with you?”** That’s the real question at the heart of the song and it’s a question that gives it an emotional depth that balances out the humour. The idea of being able to go anywhere is exciting, but Anthony also asks if the memories and feelings of the past would still be with you. It’s a simple concept with a lot of potential for different interpretations. It’s a song that doesn’t rely on being scary to capture the imagination. It’s a song that uses curiosity as its engine and makes the supernatural feel like an invitation rather than a threat.
One of the most effective things about “If I Were a Ghost” is the way Anthony manages to blend the comedy with real wonder. He has a wealth of opportunities for the kind of absurd imagery that would be perfect for a Halloween song, but the more serious questions that underpin the piece stop it from becoming just a string of Halloween jokes. The contrast between hanging out with bats, sleeping in a bell and wondering if you could still feel the warmth of a sunset is what gives the piece its character. The humour gets you in the door and the reflection keeps you there. Anthony has said he wanted people of all ages to find something in the song, whether it was in the funny bits or in the more considered observations. That’s an important point because so much seasonal music is geared towards a very specific audience and a very narrow set of images. “If I Were a Ghost” is really about the universal human tendency to imagine what it would be like if the rules suddenly changed. We’ve all asked ourselves what we’d do if we had some extraordinary ability, if we could go anywhere we wanted, if we could see the world from a completely different point of view. Anthony takes that familiar curiosity and gives it a supernatural twist by making the idea of being a ghost the gateway to freedom, discovery and fun. The idea of being able to spend time with a ghost dog of course is a very personal touch which adds a layer of companionship to a song which otherwise imagines a world without the constraints of the physical world. That in itself is a very human thing to consider and is a very real question to ask when the familiar circumstances of life are gone. Even in an imagined existence without the physical world, relationships and memories are still important. The song is light and playful enough to be accessible without necessarily demanding that you come to any particular conclusion. The recording itself is also the product of a team of musicians. Colin Schlegel did the live instrumentation, Brandon Harvey recorded the vocals and Dan Vasquez did the mixing and mastering. That gives the song a real sense of being a finished product and the live instrumentation credits confirm that the recording is not just a vocal performance. The result is a seasonal release that is accessible and entertaining and will appeal to those looking for something imaginative and fun without the inherent “scare factor” of a traditional Halloween song. **“You don’t need a scary story to explore the unknown. Sometimes all you need is a little bit of imagination and the courage to ask ‘what if’.”** That’s the spirit of the song and it’s a very good one for a song that is essentially about the joy of imagination. It has a very accessible premise and the questions it raises are sufficiently deep to mean that you can go back to it again and again after the season is over.
For Rich Anthony “If I Were a Ghost” is another chapter in a songwriting journey that has spanned over 20 years. He describes a constant drive to keep writing songs and this release is a prime example of what happens when you approach songwriting with an open imagination. His catalogue of work is quite broad, ranging from the very silly and inventive (seasonal stuff) to the very personal (love, loss, hope and the stuff that actually connects people). That breadth of material allows him to go in all sorts of different emotional directions without being constrained by any one theme. “If I Were a Ghost” is a case in point where he’s chosen to go with curiosity and a bit of playful storytelling. It’s a song that can be enjoyed and is likely to get people thinking. It has a natural fit with Halloween playlists, but it’s not reliant on any kind of scary imagery or a particularly dark atmosphere. It’s a song that could easily be a part of a family Halloween playlist. The central premise of the song is of course a very open one and is one that will undoubtedly spark a million different conversations in the minds of listeners after the final note. Where would you go if you could be a ghost for a day? Who would you visit? What would you hope to find? Each person will have their own answer and that’s part of the appeal of the song. It’s an invitation to each of us to imagine our own version of that experience. The song also brings in references to memory, love and the warmth of a sunset which brings a more reflective and contemplative dimension to it. It’s a reminder that the things we value may actually be more important than the extraordinary abilities we sometimes wish we had. One of the most interesting things the song actually suggests is that even in a world with no walls and no boundaries, we may still be bound by the need to remember, to connect and to feel. The freedom to go anywhere would be incredible, but the people and the experiences we carry with us would still be what actually gave that freedom any real meaning. That is the real heart of the song. That is what makes it a lasting song beyond the confines of the seasonal. “Even in a world without walls or limits it may be our memories, our connections and the things we love that make the journey worthwhile.” “If I Were a Ghost” is a great example of how a simple Halloween concept can be turned into a fun and entertaining song that can be enjoyed by the whole family. It’s a song that is accessible and will appeal to children as well as adults. It’s a song that brings a different kind of spirit to the season. It’s a song that reminds us that the imagination can take us to some very extraordinary places, even if we don’t have to leave behind the things that really matter. It’s a song that is both fun and thought provoking and it’s a song that can be enjoyed in a number of different ways. It’s a song that can entertain and it’s a song that can also make you think. It’s a song that can be enjoyed by all.