Origins: Ghost of Tom / Ghost of John

Subject: ADD LYRC(?) Ghost Tom
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 22 Oct 97 - 08:32 AM

There is one verse to Ghost of Tom in the DB, but I have a partial memory of a second verse:

Have you seen the ghost of Tom
???????
With big ugly teeth and a shiny white grin
Only one cheek to keep his tongue in

Does anyone else remember this second verse, and can you fill in the missing line?

Subject: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: GUEST,r.b.
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 06:52 PM

Quite a while ago, when I was in about sixth grade, our music teacher has us sing a song for Halloween called, "Have You Seen the Ghost of Tom".

The chorus went something like this: "Have you seen the ghost of Tom, eyes bugged out and nose too long, with big ugly teeth and a shiny white chin, and only one cheek to keep his tongue in".

Does anyone out there remember this old song? Could I get the lyrics and/or the music for it? It's a fun memory, and a good song for kids at Halloween. Can anyone assist?

Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: Pinetop Slim
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 07:00 PM

It's in the digitrad. Type Ghost of Tom into that box in the upper right corner. Thanks for bringing it up. It's a great one for the coming Halloween season.

Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 01 Oct 00 - 08:54 PM

I know this as:

Have you seen the ghost of John
Long white bones and his skin all gone
OOh, ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: Barbara
Date: 02 Oct 00 - 01:54 AM

And the last line, MAG, is "Wouldn't it be chilly with no skin on?" Bet that's the version in DT, too.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: MAG (inactive)
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 05:34 PM

I know I typed that line in, Barbara -- something between my screen and the thread ate it. the ghost in the machine??

How 'bout

There was an old woman all skin and bones ...

or: A lady in a grave yard sat ...

Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: mousethief
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 05:46 PM

THE GHOST OF TOM

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: Lyr Add: GHOST OF TOM
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 28 May 04 - 07:44 PM

GHOST OF TOM

Have you seen the ghost of Tom?
Eyes bugged out and nose too long
With big ugly teeth and a shiny white chin
Only one cheek to keep his tongue in.

Have you seen the ghost of Tom?
Long white bones with the skin all gone
OOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Wouldn't it be chilly with no skin on?

The first verse is from "This Is Music," Teachers Book 7, Wm. R. Sur, Dubois and Nye, Allyn and Bacon, p. 171, with music, "source unknown."
One verse in the DT.
Also known as "Ghost of John."

Any more?

Subject: RE: ADD LYRC(?) Ghost Tom
From: Pogo
Date: 28 May 04 - 10:10 PM

*laffs* Oh my gosh it has been years since I have heard this song! I remember it as John also

" Have-you-seen-the-ghost-of-Johhhnnnn
Loooong-white-bones-with-the skin-all-go-hoo-ooone
Ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo
Wouldn't-it-be-chilly-with...no-skin-onnnn? "

Thanks for bringing back a well-loved childhood Halloween song

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ghost of Tom / Ghost of John
From: GUEST,Mimi
Date: 30 Oct 20 - 03:29 PM

I am glad someone else remembers the verse: Have you seen the ghost of Tom?, Eyes bulged out and nose too long, with big ugly teeth and a shiny white chin, only one cheek to keep his tongue in.
The long white bones part was the second verse. We sang both verses and still sang it as around. Our fabulous music teacher, Al Moore had us sing it every year in elementary school.

Subject: Lyr Add: HAVE YOU SEEN THE GHOST OF JOHN?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 28 Dec 22 - 09:16 AM

The oldest source I can find for this is

The Fireside Book of Children's Songs
by Marie Winn & Allan Miller
New York, Simon and Schuster, 1966.

The text is given in a book review in Literary Sketches, Oct. 1967:

"Have you seen the ghost of John?
Long white bones and the rest all gone,
Oh ---,
Wouldn't it be chilly with no skin on?"

Subject: RE: Origins: Ghost of Tom / Ghost of John
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Dec 22 - 04:48 PM

Very limited information in the Traditional Ballad Index:

Have You Seen the Ghost of Tom?

DESCRIPTION: "Have you seen the ghost of Tom (John, etc.) Long white bones with the (skin/rest) all gone? Oo-oo-oo... Wouldn’t it be chilly with no skin on?"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1992 (recording, The Armstrong Family)
KEYWORDS: ghost nonballad campsong
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Averill-CampSongsFolkSongs, p. 437, "Poor Tom" (notes only)
ALTERNATE TITLES:
Have You Seen the Ghost of John?
Ghost of John
File: ACSF437P

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2022 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

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The Digital Tradition does not cite a source for the lyrics, but says the music comes from Fish, whoever Fish is.

THE GHOST OF TOM (DT Lyrics)

Have you seen the ghost of Tom:
Long white bones with the rest all gone.
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Wouldn't it be chilly with no skin on?

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Sung as a four part round
Music in Fish, p40
@round @ghost
filename[ TOMGHOST
TUNE FILE: TOMGHOST
CLICK TO PLAY
DC

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