Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights

Subject: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 20 Nov 08 - 11:46 AM

WITCHES ON BROOMSTICKS

Witches on broomsticks
With cats and bats
Fly around after dark
In their funny black hats

How queer are the noises
On Halloween night
And then through the window
You see a strange sight

Big red eyes
And a big red nose
You sit close to Mother
And curl up your toes

It's good to have Mother
To kiss you goodnight
And know that the witches
Have all taken flight

My mother sang this to me when I was a little one. I sang it to my children. I have no idea where it comes from. Anyone familiar with it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 21 Nov 08 - 02:53 AM

has anyone else heard this song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 Nov 08 - 03:26 AM

Hi, Tam -
It looks like the person who posted on this page (click) has a far weaker memory than yours, but maybe it will trigger your memory.
I checked our School Songbook Index threads and found nothing likely to be your song.
-Joe-

witches on brooms with cats and bats
fly right after dark in their funny black hats
how queer are the noises on halloween night
and then thru the window i see a strange light..
big scary eyes and a big red nose
i get close to mother and curl up my toes,
it's old jack-o-latern, he peeks in the room
a worse looking spook than a witch on a broom.

halloween night is lots of fun
but sometimes i'm glad when it's over and done
it's good to have mother to kiss me goodnight
and know that the witches have all taken flight

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 21 Nov 08 - 01:19 PM

Thanks Joe

You did better than I did in searching for it. I tried every permutation of lyric in google. I was hoping it was something my Gammy (grandmother) had composed and taught to my Mom. Ahh well. I know the tune but as I don't read music I cannot get it down in print.

I have been trying to catch up with my octagenarian Mom (very busy lady) to ask her about it. I am thinking it is something she learned in school (Virginia) in the mid 1930s to late 1940s.   If I learn more I will post it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 26 Nov 08 - 04:34 PM

What a world what a world.

So I finally catchup with my jet setting octagenarian Mom. She emails me that she doesn't remember the song. She did a google search on Witches on Broomsticks and came up with Harry Potter.

I feel so weird. My 82 year old mom, who I am looking to for a bit of folk memory resorts to lookin it up on the internet.

Subject: Lyr Add: HALLOWE'EN SIGHTS (Lillian Mohr)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 10:04 PM

Copied from KIDiddles.com:

(They have a playable midi file on that page.)

HALLOWE'EN SIGHTS
Words and Music By: Lillian Mohr
Adapted By: Terry Kluytmans
Copyright © 1998 KIDiddles.com

1. Witches on broomsticks with cats and bats
Ride 'round after dark in their pointed black hats.
How spooky are the noises on Hallowe'en night,
And then through the window we see a strange light.

2. Bright staring eyes and a glowing nose;
I sit close to Daddy and curl up my toes.
It's old Jack-o'lantern, he peeks in the room,
A worse looking spook than a witch on a broom.

3. Hallowe'en night can be lots of fun,
But somehow I'm glad when it's over and done.
It's good to have Daddy to kiss me good-night,
And know that the spooksters have all taken flight.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 28 Nov 08 - 02:46 AM

Wow Jim

Thanks

Melody is as I remember it on midi. I learned this sitting on my mothers lap at age 4 or 5 in 1962 or 63. But only one verse.

Now to research Lillian Mohr and Terry Kluytmans. Pure curiosity.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Nov 08 - 03:20 AM

A Google search tells me Lillian Mohr Fox was involved in the preparation of school songbooks for publication by Birchard and by Silver Burdett. We have most of the Silver Burdett songbooks indexed in our School Sonbook Index, but we haven't done much with Birchard (possibly because the Birchard books are not as interesting and colorful). Maybe the song will come up as we continue the indexing project.

Oh, and here (click) is information on Terry Kluytans, who operates the "kididdles.com" Website - I don't think she had anything to do with the song's origins.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 28 Nov 08 - 04:12 PM

Thanks Joe

You did it before I got a chance to. Suppose I can lay this to rest. now.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 04:12 PM

My Grandma & Mom sang this song to me....

Witches on brooms with cats & bats
Ride round after dark in their funny black hats
How queer are the noises on Halloween night
And then at the window I see a strange sight....

Bright staring eyes, a big red nose
I sit close to Mother and curl up my toes
And then at the door I hear a loud 'rap'
Again at each window a 'tap, tap, tap'

Halloween night is lots of fun
But somehow I'm glad when it's over & done
It's good to have Mother to kiss me good night
And know that the witches have all taken flight

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks
From: open mike
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 06:13 PM

Hey -- have we heard anything from V. Tam lately??


this reminds me of this one...
"who are the witches, where did they come from?
Maybe your great great grandmother was one..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QE2gGUP5gw

one source credits it to Anne Hills..

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Sep 12 - 11:14 PM

Well my DAD used was a radio personality here in the Jackson Mississippi area and every Halloween I could remember he'd recite this to us just before we went to bed. Only this is how I recall it. And ONLY this part: Halloween night is lots of fun but oh am I glad when it's over and done. It's good to kiss mommy and daddy good night and know that the witches have all gone on flight.

Weird. And he's originally from New York. I believe his dad taught it to him. I like the way his version is first person and brings in mommy and daddy. But that's just me. ;)

Just wanted you to know that yes, it is a small world.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: GUEST,Francesca Santoro
Date: 01 Feb 19 - 05:54 AM

I sang it in grade school in the 1940s in California.

I learned the second verse differently:

Bright staring eyes and big red nose!
I sit next to mother & curl up my toes.
It's Old Jack O' Lantern he peeks in the room.
A worse-looking spook than a witch on a broom.

The rest is the same, though, and it's fun to see it again. I'll never forget the tune or the words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: GUEST,So excited to read about my fav Halloween so
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 11:06 PM

I learned this in grade school too and never forgot it and sang it to my children too . I remember it with slight differences .

Witches on brooms and cats and bats
Ride round after dark in their funny black hats
How queer are the noises on Halloween night
And then thru the window I see a strange sight

Bright stary eyes and a big red nose
I sit close to mother and curl up my toes
It’s old Jack O Lantern he peeked in the room
A worse looking sight than a witch on a broom

Halloween night is lots of fun but somehow I wish it was over and done
Tis Momma ( this is stretched out) she tucks me in bed
And then I won’t have nothing to dread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: GUEST,mi kelly
Date: 29 Oct 22 - 12:43 PM

My mother sang this to my sister and I, grandkids and great grandkids. I'm sending out to them in an email today. We are from Ohio. The variations above are funny. We used: strange sight, instead of light and Bright starey eyes. My favorite for Halloween and not too scary for the kids. Have some Halloween fun everyone!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 30 Oct 22 - 01:59 PM

Witches on broomsticks with black cats beside them
Witches dance 'sky-clad' with no clothes to hide them
Up in the woods on the dark Autumn nights,
These are a few of my favourite sights . . .


(Apologies to Sound of Music)
I may expand upon this ;)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Oct 22 - 06:43 PM

My mom always sang this song to me and my siblings and we too sang it to our kids and grandkids. My mom is 94, born in 1928. She is from Arkansas and claims she learned it in school when she was very young.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Nov 22 - 07:55 PM

In 1945, in 2nd grade,in New Orleans we were taught...

"Halloween,Halloween,
Oh what funny things are seen..
Witches hats, coal-black cats,
Broomstick riders, mice & rats."

I thought it was weak & silly even back then.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Nov 22 - 08:31 PM

Here's one my mother composed as a poem some years ago which I've recently adapted for singing:

Words by Dahlov Ipcar, ©2001
Adapted by Charles Ipcar, 2018
After “Leather Wing Bat”
Key: Em (Gm/9)
Halloween Night Song-2

F----------Dm------C-----------Dm
Late last night my black cat cried,
---F----------Dm-----F-----C----Dm
I wondered why, I won-dered why--
--------F------------C--------Am
For it was a cold October night,
-----------------F------C----F---Dm---C---Dm
And the wind blew high, the wind blew high.

A great orange moon rose high above,
The tossing trees, the tossing trees--
And through that sky dead leaves swirled by,
Borne on the breeze, borne on the breeze.

My black cat clawed and scratched the door,
Mewed and cried, mewed and cried--
I scarce believed she wished to leave,
The warm fireside, the warm fireside.

But when I opened wide the door,
She dashed outside, she dashed outside--
And on a broomstick she leapt astride,
As it sailed by, as it sailed by.

So now I know that my black cat,
Who loves to chase the mice and rats--
Wants to chase the little black bats,
And owls that fly, owls that fly.

If I was a witch on Halloween,
I'd like to fly, I’d like to fly--
And ride my broomstick way up high,
Across the sky, across the sky.

With my black cat I'd take to flight
And chase the bats and owls all night--
And ne’er return until daylight,
When the sun rose high, the sun rose high.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: Charley Noble
Date: 06 Nov 22 - 08:33 PM

Here's a link to how I sing it (click on MP3 button): https://www.charlieipcar.com/lyrics/halloween.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Witches on Broomsticks / Halloween Sights
From: GUEST,Frank T.
Date: 29 Oct 24 - 09:27 AM

What a blast from the past!. I remember reading this in the My Weekly Reader" pamphlet that were distributed in school (circa 1960) when I was 6 years old. I seem to also recall my mother singing it to me as well. I researched this myself about 15 years ago and found an online reference to someone that it was in a school pamphlet as far back as 1947.