Interesting Facts about The Ghost of John James Christopher Benjamin Binns
This is the beautiful Victorian ditty “The Ghost of John James Benjamin Christopher Binns” by Harry Randall (1888), no doubt, the original predecessor of the “Rise Me Up From Down Below”, stamp-‘n’-go shanty. Fortunately, I found a musical score for this surely forgotten poem, which had a great time on broadsides of the 19th century.
I did not find any publication of this song mentioned, fortunately, Stan Hugill mention it, so this is probably my only opportunity to reconstruct this song and bring it back to life, and show this beautiful ballad to all who want to listen to sound of the past.
The source of this victorian ditty
The music: “The Ghost of John James Benjamin Christopher Binns” by Harry Randall (1888).
The lyrics: “The Ghost of John James Benjamin Christopher Binns” by Harry Randall (1888).
Mentioned in: “Shanties from the Seven Seas” by Stan Hugill (1st ed p 281).
The Record of this victorian ditty
You also can find this record on my YouTube channel here or directly listen below. Additionally, if you want to share your opinion about the record or share your opinion you can do it in my Facebook forum here, or leave a comment at the bottom of this blog article.
The musical notation
The full lyrics
The Ghost of John James Christopher Benjamin Binns – Victorian Ditty
Hear my song, gentle folks, and dont be afraid,
I’m only a ghost, a poor harmless shade,
I would not hurt any one here if I could;
And you couldn’t do me much harm if you would;
Knives will not stab me nor shots thro’ me fly,
But oh! the experiment please do not try;
It’s not for my self that I care, not at all,
I’m only afraid you might damage the wall.
|| For: || – I’m the ghost of John James Christopher Ben-jamin Binns,
– I was cut down right in the midst of my sins;
– For my home is down below, I’m let out for an hour or so;
– When the cock begins to crow, Fare well Benjamins Binns.
* 2 *
My wife she would say when I liv’d on this earth,
If I should die first, she’d never get wed;
To night I call’d on her, through key holes I crept,
If ghost could have tears, I am sure I’d have wept;
A man held my wife in his tender embrace,
She call’d him her hubby, hed taken my place;
To make matters worse, and to crown all my woes,
The fellow was wearing my best Sunday clothes.
|| The gass full on _ she could not see me _ ||
|| but I was determined she should hear me, ||
|| So I said -"Hold mortal piece of flesh" _ ||
|| She shrieked and "held" the "mantel piece" _ ||
|| Then I in Sephulcral tones said, ||
- (chorus)
* 3 *
On the day that I died I left up on earth,
A fam’ly large and a boy of good birth,
Whom I taught to be honest and ever upright,
And hold on to money securely and tight;
But a short time thereafter imagine my woe,
When I heard that to canada off he did go;
“And just like his father” the people now say,
“Good riddins, bad rubbish, he’s out of the way!”
|| But I manage to get even with the rascally lad, ||
|| for each night when he lies in restless sleep, ||
|| I crawl up from below and say: ||
- (chorus)
