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Ghost Song
- 151 statements
- 28 feature instances
- 24 referencing feature instances
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Ghost Song | |
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GhostSong | |
Ghost Song | comment |
Sometimes, things in musical theatre can get a little weird. Or perhaps they were unusual from the start, and this is the logical conclusion. For whatever reason, every once in a while, a ghost is bound to pop up and sing a musical number, often as a warning or encouragement to The Hero. Sometimes the ghost is of someone who died in the course of the show, or of someone dead long before the overture. In any case, it can be a powerful device if used properly. These songs (and/or sequences) tend to be played for surrealism. Subtrope of Dead Person Conversation, which is not necessarily musical, but which is based in the same principle. Compare The Dead Can Dance. Not to be confused with the video game of the same name nor with the song of the same name by The Doors. |
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2023-08-29T16:59:54Z | |
Ghost Song | parsed |
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Ghost Song | processingComment |
Dropped link to EmilieAutumn: Not an Item - IGNORE | |
Ghost Song | processingComment |
Dropped link to GreekChorus: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
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Dropped link to GustavMahler: Not an Item - IGNORE | |
Ghost Song | processingComment |
Dropped link to WarningSong: Not an Item - FEATURE | |
Ghost Song | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
Ghost Song / int_14e0f4f9 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_14e0f4f9 | comment |
Fiddler on the Roof has a weird meta example, as the song "Tevye's Dream" is about the lead pretending to have had a dream in which a ghost song occurred, which he is now describing to his wife. | |
Ghost Song / int_14e0f4f9 | featureApplicability |
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Ghost Song / int_14e0f4f9 | featureConfidence |
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Fiddler on the Roof (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_14e0f4f9 | |
Ghost Song / int_1913b4de | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_1913b4de | comment |
Anything Gabe sings in Next to Normal. Especially the ironically-named "I'm Alive". "Aftershocks" also applies, but for an additional reason - Gabe sings it after he has been erased from Diana's head, so he has effectively died twice. | |
Ghost Song / int_1913b4de | featureApplicability |
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Ghost Song / int_1913b4de | featureConfidence |
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Next to Normal (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_1913b4de | |
Ghost Song / int_1af3cde6 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_1af3cde6 | comment |
Cats has "Firefrorefiddle", a strange, specter-like entity, prancing about occasionally in the Gus the theatre cat song. It's not a literal ghost, but rather the memory of Gus's greatest role taking on a life of its own. | |
Ghost Song / int_1af3cde6 | featureApplicability |
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Ghost Song / int_1af3cde6 | featureConfidence |
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Cats (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_1af3cde6 | |
Ghost Song / int_1f574c31 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_1f574c31 | comment |
In Woody Allen's film Everyone Says I Love You, the ghost of the grandfather interrupts his own funeral to sing "Enjoy Yourself", accompanied by other ghosts who dance out of the funeral home. | |
Ghost Song / int_1f574c31 | featureApplicability |
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Ghost Song / int_1f574c31 | featureConfidence |
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Everyone Says I Love You | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_1f574c31 | |
Ghost Song / int_28fba44c | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_28fba44c | comment |
Urinetown (Arguably a flashback, but nevertheless, "Tell Her I Love Her" is a duet between Little Sally and the dead hero Bobby, who has been "sent to Urinetown", as she tells them his last words. Whether his joining in is part of a flashback or a ghost echoing Sally's words differs by production.) | |
Ghost Song / int_28fba44c | featureApplicability |
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Ghost Song / int_28fba44c | featureConfidence |
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Urinetown (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_28fba44c | |
Ghost Song / int_2bca217e | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_2bca217e | comment |
Into the Woods ("No More", when the Baker is visited by his father, The Mysterious Man, who died at the end of Act One.) Also, right before the Witch sings "Children Will Listen", the Baker's Wife consoles her husband, who is unsure of how to raise their child on his own. Cinderella's Mother's sung parts in "Cinderella at the Grave" and the shoe fitting scene. All of the characters who reappear at the beginning of the final sequence, reprising the "One Midnight Gone" material and delivering their final morals, are ghosts. This presumably includes the Steward, Cinderella's Father, Stepmother and family, who seemingly starved to death before they could find their "hidden kingdom" but excludes the Princes and their new Princesses. |
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Ghost Song / int_2bca217e | featureApplicability |
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Ghost Song / int_2bca217e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Into the Woods (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_2bca217e | |
Ghost Song / int_468d7b54 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_468d7b54 | comment |
Passing Strange (After The Narrator interrupts the idealistic Youth's "Passing Phase" with an abrupt slide to the other end of the scale, his dead Mother returns to stop his depressingly cynical thought process with simple encouragement. "It's all right.") | |
Ghost Song / int_468d7b54 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_468d7b54 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Passing Strange (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_468d7b54 | |
Ghost Song / int_4a95862d | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_4a95862d | comment |
Since The Fix begins with his death, any song Senator Reed Chandler is in might qualify. Of course, one of those occasions is while his delinquent son Cal is on drugs, hence the might. | |
Ghost Song / int_4a95862d | featureApplicability |
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Ghost Song / int_4a95862d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
TheFix | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_4a95862d | |
Ghost Song / int_4c69bb57 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_4c69bb57 | comment |
The only characters in Ride the Cyclone are six teenagers who die in a tragic roller coaster accident at the beginning of the show (and one mechanical Fortune Teller who narrates the show). By virtue of their death so early in the show, all the songs they sing are Ghost Songs (possibly with the exception of "Sailing Through Space," which takes place about 10 seconds before they die, and "Uranium," which is a flashback to their senior recital). Every character's signature song ("What the World Needs is People Like Me," "Noel's Lament," "This Song is Awesome"/"Talia," "Space Aged Bachelor Man," "The Ballad of Jane Doe," and "Sugarcloud") is sung with the express knowledge that they're dead and in limbo. | |
Ghost Song / int_4c69bb57 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_4c69bb57 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Ride the Cyclone (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_4c69bb57 | |
Ghost Song / int_563f7096 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_563f7096 | comment |
Anastasia: Many scenes include the ghostly figures of Anya's dead and half-forgotten family who contribute background vocals, serve as symbols of Anya's memories and past, and add dramatic contrast to certain scenes. Not an outright example since they don't sing anything beyond background vocals and a dream sequence, but definitely still applicable. | |
Ghost Song / int_563f7096 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_563f7096 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Anastasia (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_563f7096 | |
Ghost Song / int_581faca3 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_581faca3 | comment |
During a funeral in Antonia's Line, the dead woman sits up and starts singing. However, this is implied to be simply her granddaughter's vivid imagination. | |
Ghost Song / int_581faca3 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_581faca3 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Antonia's Line | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_581faca3 | |
Ghost Song / int_6046ad8e | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_6046ad8e | comment |
In Beauty and the Beast (Golden 1999), the three ghost narrators sing "Live Like a King" to Beauty's father. | |
Ghost Song / int_6046ad8e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_6046ad8e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Beauty and the Beast (Golden 1999) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_6046ad8e | |
Ghost Song / int_7466d203 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_7466d203 | comment |
Spring Awakening ("Those You've Known," in which post-suicide Moritz and recently-deceased Wendla convince Melchior to move on after Melchior discovers Wendla has died from an abortion of their child.) | |
Ghost Song / int_7466d203 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_7466d203 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Spring Awakening (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_7466d203 | |
Ghost Song / int_79c00bf7 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_79c00bf7 | comment |
In Heathers, we have "Yo Girl," being sung by the ghosts of Heather Chandler, Ram Sweeney, and Kurt Kelly. The song starts off slowly but ominously, as the three mock Veronica for her horrible actions, proclaiming that "Now [Veronica is] truly a Heather." It then turns into a a warning when JD breaks into Veronica's room, as the tempo increases greatly. | |
Ghost Song / int_79c00bf7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_79c00bf7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Heathers (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_79c00bf7 | |
Ghost Song / int_7db52f7e | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_7db52f7e | comment |
In the reprise of "Wie Du" ("Like You") in Elisabeth, the title character asks her father's ghost for guidance. He's unable to help her, just like in the version of the song in which he was alive. | |
Ghost Song / int_7db52f7e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_7db52f7e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Elisabeth (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_7db52f7e | |
Ghost Song / int_8df7a981 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_8df7a981 | comment |
"The Letter" from the musical version of Billy Elliot fits, being sung (in part) by Billy's dead mother. | |
Ghost Song / int_8df7a981 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_8df7a981 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Billy Elliot | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_8df7a981 | |
Ghost Song / int_90f7114 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_90f7114 | comment |
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (The final reprise of "The Ballad" at the end of the show starts with all of the principles—most of whom are dead at this point—singing the first verse in turns, and it all ends with the dead Todd and Lovett leading the company.) | |
Ghost Song / int_90f7114 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_90f7114 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_90f7114 | |
Ghost Song / int_9ab064e6 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_9ab064e6 | comment |
Les Misérables (During the "Epilogue", the ghosts of Fantine, and then Eponine, visit Valjean in his dying moments to usher him to the afterlife. The final number usually includes all the characters, living and dead.) Inverted with "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables". |
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Ghost Song / int_9ab064e6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_9ab064e6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Les Misérables (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_9ab064e6 | |
Ghost Song / int_9fa025d | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_9fa025d | comment |
In Mother3, Lord Passion is a dead composer and conductor, who let's objects fly by his music. His theme, Family matters: Second movement is composed by himself. In reality, it's made up from five popular classical songs. |
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Ghost Song / int_9fa025d | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_9fa025d | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Mother 3 (Video Game) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_9fa025d | |
Ghost Song / int_ac03a2dd | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_ac03a2dd | comment |
The finale song in Little Shop of Horrors, "Don't Feed The Plants", is fittingly sung by the characters who were eaten by the plant. | |
Ghost Song / int_ac03a2dd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_ac03a2dd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Little Shop of Horrors (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_ac03a2dd | |
Ghost Song / int_ae1f8a83 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_ae1f8a83 | comment |
The title song in Jesus Christ Superstar is sung by Judas, who has already hung himself. | |
Ghost Song / int_ae1f8a83 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_ae1f8a83 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
JesusChristSuperstar | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_ae1f8a83 | |
Ghost Song / int_aeb84363 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_aeb84363 | comment |
Any musical version of A Christmas Carol is going to have at least one of these. Even if you don't count the spirits as ghosts for purposes of this trope (and its supertrope Dead Person Conversation), Marley nearly always has a song of his own. | |
Ghost Song / int_aeb84363 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_aeb84363 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
A Christmas Carol | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_aeb84363 | |
Ghost Song / int_aeedbded | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_aeedbded | comment |
Almost all of Lily's material in The Secret Garden, especially "Come To My Garden", and a half-ghost duet "How Could I Ever Know". In addition, the Greek Chorus ensemble is comprised of the ghosts of people Mary knew in India, including her parents. |
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Ghost Song / int_aeedbded | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_aeedbded | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Secret Garden (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_aeedbded | |
Ghost Song / int_bb834769 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_bb834769 | comment |
Carousel (Technically, anything Billy sings after his death.) | |
Ghost Song / int_bb834769 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_bb834769 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Carousel (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_bb834769 | |
Ghost Song / int_da90986c | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_da90986c | comment |
Half of the characters in Beetlejuice are ghosts, so this pretty much comes with the territory. "The Whole Being Dead Thing" and "Fright of Their Lives" in particular are about introducing the audience/characters to death and ghost-hood. | |
Ghost Song / int_da90986c | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_da90986c | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Beetlejuice (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_da90986c | |
Ghost Song / int_f54f2fbd | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_f54f2fbd | comment |
In Young Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein dreams about his long-dead ancestors visiting and pushing him to fulfill his Mad Scientist destiny in "Join the Family Business". | |
Ghost Song / int_f54f2fbd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_f54f2fbd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Young Frankenstein (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_f54f2fbd | |
Ghost Song / int_f6c25e1b | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_f6c25e1b | comment |
In Benjamin Britten's operatic adaptation of The Turn of the Screw, the ghosts of Peter Quinn and Miss Jessel definitely exist, though it's implied that only the children can hear their voices. Quinn's ghost seduces little Miles in a sensuous serenade, and at the beginning of Act 2, the two ghosts use a duet as an expository device. | |
Ghost Song / int_f6c25e1b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_f6c25e1b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
The Turn of the Screw | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_f6c25e1b | |
Ghost Song / int_ff1a7522 | type |
Ghost Song | |
Ghost Song / int_ff1a7522 | comment |
Sunday in the Park with George ("Move On", in which the spirit of his great-grandmother—the female lead of Act One—visits George and tells him to stop angsting over his work.) | |
Ghost Song / int_ff1a7522 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
Ghost Song / int_ff1a7522 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
Sunday in the Park with George (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Ghost Song / int_ff1a7522 |
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