Old Halloween Song: Have you seen the Ghost of John?
Halloween is quickly approaching, so let’s talk about an old American classic folk tune, ‘Have you seen the ghost of John’, or ‘Have you seen the ghost of Tom’. The name changes depending on region and who taught it to you. Still, both versions are very similar, with the name of the ghost being the only real difference between the two pieces.
This song is taught to many element school students to help celebrate Halloween, it’s a relatively short song that starts off with an inquiry the listener asking if they have ever seen a ghost by the name of John (or Tom, depending on the version)’. A physical description of the ghost is then provided, typically depicting the ghost as being just a skeleton with long bleached bones. Finally, the song ends with a rhetorical question regarding the lack of skin – if it would be chilly without it. When sung properly this song can be quite beautiful to listen to, despite the grisly lyrics.
There are many variations of the song with the lyrics only changing slightly between each version. However, ‘Ghost of John – The Bare Bone’ by Kirsten Lawrence is very intriguing. Her version of the song contains extra verses which add a unique twist to the already chilling song. Her version continues where most leave off, and goes on to describe John in more detail, such as his wobbly jaw, lack of eyes, and missing skull.
It’s a little odd to think of children singing songs about such haunting things as a dead person however it’s not the only song that’s taught to children and hints to darker undertones. Another such song is the popular nursery rhyme ‘Ring around the Rosie’, which is said by many to be a nod to the bubonic plague (also known as the black death) which was said to have caused the death of anywhere from 75 to 200 million people.