Sadly Diamond Hoo Ha, Supergrass’ sixth album released in 2008, turned out to be their last as the group’s four members from Oxford went their separate ways two years later. Although to me it doesn’t rank up there as one of Supergrass’ best albums, Diamond Hoo Ha still provides many moments of melodic joy and rocking tunes.
From what I can recall, the album was available to listen to on NME’s website before it was physically released and one of the songs I remember listening to around the time was “Ghost of a Friend”. I liked it then, and it remains a favourable track of mine from Diamond. Apart from being a straight up memorable song, what also made it stick in my head was the observation that it was sung, not by Gaz Coombes or Mick Quinn, but by the band’s drummer Danny Goffey making it the only track (I am sure of this) in the band’s discography where this occurs.
Although the song has a brisk and peppy quality to its sound – Gaz provides some backing vocals as does vocalist Jodie Rose – it is quite a sad one thinking about it now. It concerns a narrator who is visited by the…. ghost of a friend who takes him away from the ‘fools’ and ‘clowns’ that are dragging him down. Eventually it comes to the point where the ghost has to leave again, but the narrator upon seeing the ghost feels much happier than he did before. A bit emotional.
But this all shouldn’t come to mind when actually listening to the song. I also feel much happier after hearing it. In fact, to me it had the potential of being a single. It was not meant to be. But it is an underrated gem amongst the many others Supergrass already have.
