Origins: Ghost of Tom / Ghost of John

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Origins: Ghost of Tom / Ghost of John

22 Oct 97 - 08:32 AM (#15071)
Subject: ADD LYRC(?) Ghost Tom
From: Susan-Marie

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?

01 Oct 00 - 06:52 PM (#309834)
Subject: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: GUEST,r.b.

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?

01 Oct 00 - 07:00 PM (#309841)
Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: Pinetop Slim

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.

01 Oct 00 - 08:54 PM (#309912)
Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: MAG (inactive)

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

02 Oct 00 - 01:54 AM (#310089)
Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: Barbara

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

03 Oct 00 - 05:34 PM (#311336)
Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: MAG (inactive)

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 ...

03 Oct 00 - 05:46 PM (#311357)
Subject: RE: Have u Seen the Ghost of Tom?
From: mousethief

THE GHOST OF TOM

Alex
O..O
=o=

28 May 04 - 07:44 PM (#1196317)
Subject: Lyr Add: GHOST OF TOM
From: Q (Frank Staplin)

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?

28 May 04 - 10:10 PM (#1196396)
Subject: RE: ADD LYRC(?) Ghost Tom
From: Pogo

*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

30 Oct 20 - 03:29 PM (#4077490)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Ghost of Tom / Ghost of John
From: GUEST,Mimi

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.

28 Dec 22 - 09:16 AM (#4160486)
Subject: Lyr Add: HAVE YOU SEEN THE GHOST OF JOHN?
From: Jim Dixon

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?"

29 Dec 22 - 04:48 PM (#4160646)
Subject: RE: Origins: Ghost of Tom / Ghost of John
From: Joe Offer

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

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography

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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