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The Ghost In My Machine

Stories of the Strange and Unusual

The Most Dangerous Games: Musical Chairs Alone

April 6, 2015 by Lucia

Previously: The Gambler’s Game.

Unfortunately I have absolutely no idea from whence Musical Chairs Alone originates. I found it copied and pasted on a few random Wattpad pages, but alas, there’s no discussion of where it came from, who came up with it, or any other information about the game. I came up empty on Google, too, finding only the same basic set of directions over and over and over again (a true piece of creepypasta if ever I’ve seen one, albeit a somewhat poorly written one). I still find the ritual itself kind of interesting, though, so I’ve attempted to clean up the instructions a bit — here are the results.

An abandoned chair in an abandoned room

I should probably note here that I’m also not totally clear on why you’d want to play this game. It’s high risk — if you invite something into your home and it doesn’t want to play, you’re probably going to have a difficult time getting rid of it — but with absolutely no reward. Maybe it’s for the thrill of it — that whole “tempting fate” thing we’ve talked about before.

[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]

In any event, here — have at. Like The Gambler’s Game, it’s short and sweet. But as always… play at your own risk.

Players:

  • One principal.

Requirements:

  • A chair.
  • A match.
  • Something with which to play music.
  • A recording of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.”
  • A quiet, dark room — empty if possible.

Instructions:

  1. Begin at midnight.
  2. Prepare the room: Draw the curtains. Make sure no light leaks into the room. Set up your music-playing device — whether it’s a CD player, a computer, a smartphone, an MP3 player with a speaker, or something else is up to you. Cue up “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.” Place the chair in the middle of the room. Turn the lights off.
  3. Hold the match in your hand, but do not light it.
  4. Play the music and begin the game. Walk around the chair six times.
    • If the music stops: Sit down and light the match. Congratulations — you win.
    • If the music keeps playing: You’ve invited something into your home… but it doesn’t want to play.
    • If the chair falls over on its own: Leave the room. Do not look at the chair. Do not enter that room alone again — ever.  

Additional Notes:

The instructions do not specify what to do in the event that the music continues playing. This is what makes the game so dangerous: It has too many unknown quantities. In the event that this outcome occurs, it is recommended that you terminate the game and performing a purification ritual; however, there is no guarantee that whatever you’ve invited in will leave, even if you perform such a ritual.

In Case You Need It:

The appropriate soundtrack may be found here.

Use with caution.

Musical Chairs Alone: FAQ.

***

Follow The Ghost In My Machine on Twitter @GhostMachine13 and on Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine. And don’t forget to check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available now from Chronicle Books!

[Photo via Bertsz/Pixabay]

Filed Under: Games Tagged With: games you shouldn't play, musical chairs, Musical Chairs Alone, The Most Dangerous Games, Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Arwen says

    April 16, 2021 at 4:58 am

    Man this has got to be one of the most dangerous games! maybe play this at an old abandoned house. I have played this two times, first at a spooky abandoned old house in Ireland which was a few blocks away from my holiday house. but the chair fell over. I picked it up and I heard someone say Thanks in a creepy voice. then the music turned off and I sat down. I went into that house a lot more times with my irish friends! I was fine! but when I played in an abandoned mansion in wales (I used to travel a lot) the music kept going so I went and stopped it. I left the room and the house and never entered it again. for the next 3 days, I had bad nightmares about a ghost, musical chairs and the song tiptoe through the tulips. now I hate that song.i remember I was watching a movie and then the song was played and I screamed so loud!

    Reply
  2. UltraSeaDragon says

    October 14, 2020 at 2:59 am

    oh jeez. this sounds so creepy. I am inbetween beliving in paranormal stuff and its just fake. However there is no way im trying this just to be safe.

    Reply
  3. Michal says

    September 29, 2020 at 8:04 pm

    She isn’t kidding. I did this and the chair fell over. I listened, but I thought it was a coincidence. So I went back into the room a few days later. I said these exact words:“Hey spirit guy, get your tiptoes over here!” Right after I said that, EVERY single one of the windows in my house shattered. I was so terrified that I left the house and didn’t come back for a few weeks. When I did, I went back in there, and nothing happened. This was definitely a very churning experience. DO NOT TRY THIS!

    Reply
  4. Ezryn says

    July 17, 2020 at 6:13 am

    What happens if you play it in some abandoned building and not your home?

    Reply
  5. Master Langdon says

    April 19, 2019 at 12:35 pm

    Does this mean that nobody can be alone in that room again, or that you (player) are the only person who has to be careful?

    Reply
    • I do not know what to name myself says

      August 26, 2019 at 8:11 am

      I have the feeling that no one is safe in that room

      Reply
  6. Kristen foster says

    December 27, 2018 at 12:35 am

    I’ve played the game and
    The music didn’t stop!
    An I used a lit candle
    An I tip toe around the chair six times.
    After I went around six times the music had ended then I blew out my candle and for awhile nothing happened right away but like has the song goes there was three knocks at the window and I have it recorded. i don’t know And can’t say for sure but I’ve read up on some of it. the three knocks means a sign of death and then on my evp I asked what was that an my evp said “that”not yet have anything happen since but this happened on 12/26/18 and today is 12/27/18 I will try to let you know if anything else happens. I would to like to know if there is more information on the game as well.
    I am on Facebook as Kristen foster an also on snap as Blackskylit85
    Thank you,

    Reply
  7. Block says

    August 25, 2018 at 12:34 am

    if i do this on another building, is there any chance the spirit will follow me home when the music keeps playing?

    Reply
  8. Brittney says

    March 5, 2018 at 9:51 am

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJJgSRk0yK8
    I did it and you can watch my video from the link above to see if it worked. I did play Tiptoe through the Tulips when I did it, but I had to cut up the audio in that part to prevent copyright strikes. I instead added some other regular background music. So you won’t be hearing it, but tiptoe through the tulips is the song i actually played.

    Reply
  9. Hilarious says

    February 3, 2018 at 10:10 pm

    Personally, I’ve tried it before. The music stopped, so I sat on my chair and burned the match within 6 seconds. So I wonder, if the music stops, how much time do I have to burn the match before the game somewhat ends?

    Reply
  10. xmidnightxcrowx says

    October 2, 2017 at 2:08 pm

    Aw, gawd… It ruined my any liking of this song really. I was damn scared when I’ve read a few instructions to some of these eerie games and yesterday I was humming this in the shower. Now I don’t even know what crap to hum if I’m scared. Probably need to switch to Metallica.

    Reply
    • xmidnightxcrowx says

      October 2, 2017 at 2:09 pm

      I just noticed you have a different time zone (lol), It’s like 8pm where I am right now.

      Reply
  11. Rhiannon says

    September 16, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    Could I draw a circle of salt around the chair before starting?

    Reply
    • Wolf123 says

      October 1, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      Think: if you did that and entered the circle, the barrier would break, meaning the entity can get inside with you.

      Reply
  12. Rhiannon says

    September 16, 2017 at 12:21 pm

    Also, is there a time limit to lighting the match? Like, do I have to light it within ten seconds?

    Reply
  13. Rhiannon says

    September 16, 2017 at 12:20 pm

    Can I carry a matchbook or lighter with me to light the match when I sit down? Also, could I use a lighter instead of a match?

    Reply
  14. ACACIA WILLIAMS says

    August 30, 2017 at 4:55 am

    I played this game, the chair fell over amd seemed to be pushed harshly into he wall, I ran for it.
    That room gives me a horrible vibe whenever I walk past the closed door.

    Me and my sister went into the room, it was freezing and there was a very sinister presence. The chair had been broken.

    I wouldn’t recommend playing this, it’s very scary and now there’s something here in the house with us.

    Reply
    • mllwcrmpmpkn says

      September 15, 2017 at 2:42 pm

      I hope your alright…

      Reply
    • One_Blue_Glove says

      October 22, 2017 at 12:27 pm

      I highly recommend getting an exorcist to try removing it, getting a priest to bless the people that come to your house often, and having 1 or more person(s) come along with you, then make a large salt circle around the room.

      If that doesn’t work… move into a new house.

      Stay safe.

      Reply
  15. Asten Bitancur (PancakesForRent) says

    July 29, 2017 at 3:30 am

    One stupid question, what if you used your own voice for singing the song? Is voice considered a music playing device?

    Reply
    • Rhiannon says

      September 18, 2017 at 5:34 pm

      Possibly, though it sounds highly unsafe. If the entity wants to play, it will stop the music. What could it do to stop your voice? Cut your vocal chords? Knock you out? Kill you? And are you really willing to find out?

      Reply
  16. Alysa says

    July 22, 2017 at 1:56 am

    How come we must use the song “tiptoe through the tulips” instead of any other song though?

    Reply
  17. A Random Person says

    July 14, 2017 at 3:28 pm

    Uhm…. can you do one man tag? Please dont corresct me if I didn’t do the name right.

    Reply
    • Meteor Girl says

      October 20, 2017 at 8:45 pm

      One-man-tag is just the same as one-man-hide-and-seek.

      Reply
  18. Wolf123 says

    July 11, 2017 at 8:31 pm

    Idk. Guess the ritual won’t work.

    Reply
  19. ashley says

    June 14, 2017 at 6:14 pm

    what happens if I play the music and it’s not 12:00?

    Reply
  20. Miss.Periwinkle says

    June 13, 2017 at 5:03 pm

    How can the music stop playing? I mean… I’m not dissing this but it seems… I don’t know… Very hard to win?

    Reply
  21. dakinuvpepr says

    April 13, 2017 at 12:08 pm

    “Sit down and light the match. You win.”
    seems so easy lol

    Reply
    • One_Blue_Glove says

      October 22, 2017 at 12:22 pm

      Yes, but remember, the music must stop before you do that. If it doesn’t… good luck.

      Reply
  22. foodinbooks says

    March 14, 2017 at 1:57 pm

    I think the creepiness of the song just adds to the overall creepy experience of this game.

    Reply
  23. biggestfanofmj1 says

    March 13, 2017 at 2:00 am

    Guys I’m actually going to do this game tonight, no jokes or anything, and I’ll leave my experience here right after I finish the game.

    Reply
    • biggestfanofmj1 says

      March 13, 2017 at 3:25 am

      I just did it! Hahaha quite fast 😛 Really though, I’m not lying, nothing really happened, it was quite creepy because of the song and because you have to play in a dark room, the thing that worried me the most was tripping over because of the chair and hitting my face, but nothing really happened. I’m off to sleep now!

      Reply
  24. Random User that reads scary stuff online says

    October 14, 2016 at 12:59 am

    What happens if the principal uses a phone/tablet/computer and it just buffers?

    Reply
  25. Eileen Dover says

    October 11, 2016 at 2:19 pm

    What danger could come from walking around a chair 6 times while listening to a weird-ass song? I don’t believe anything would happen. All of these games sound scary, but I don’t think there’s anything to them. It’s basically a poor person’s roller coaster- done for thrills and to get a rush. I tried a couple of them out, exactly as instructed, and I’m still here; no curse, no broken leg, no shadows visiting me at night, nothing. Same old s*it, as they say.

    Reply
    • A Random Person says

      July 13, 2017 at 4:47 pm

      Its just posted for entertainment. And the only people that do them are people wanting to see if the ritual will actually work.

      Reply
      • Brittney says

        March 5, 2018 at 9:47 am

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJJgSRk0yK8
        Well, I did just that, and you can watch my video from the link above to see if it worked. I did play Tiptoe through the Tulips when I did it, but I had to cut up the audio in that part to prevent copyright strikes. I instead added some other regular background music.

        Reply
  26. Been a gud fren says

    August 23, 2016 at 1:02 am

    Probably to get the adrenaline coursing through your veins because it’ll be dark and you don’t know what could happen. It’s a fifth fifty chance…

    Reply
  27. Aurelia says

    May 31, 2016 at 5:14 am

    Can i use the different song? If no, why and why it should be tiptoe through the tulips?

    Reply
    • Gabby says

      July 19, 2016 at 7:45 pm

      Tiptoe through the tulips is a summoning song for evil entities and demonic spirits, which is why it is the recommended song choice for the ritual, as it would probably yield the best result as for the ritual actually working as it should. Hope this helps!

      Reply
    • Alex Bobulinski says

      October 6, 2016 at 12:02 am

      I was wondering this too. I’m doing this for my youtube tomorrow night, and I want to know! I want to use my creepy doll that has a music box for the music.

      Reply
    • Random User that reads scary stuff online says

      October 14, 2016 at 1:03 am

      Maybe because you need to walk around the chair- almost like tiptoe around the tulips
      I mostly recommend you to not use other songs
      Because
      1.) the ritual might not work
      2.) something might go wrong, maybe the summoning of a demon that is NOT the right one
      3.) maybe other danger… illness or/and death

      Reply
      • Colorfuldragon says

        December 10, 2016 at 11:14 pm

        Good point… also your username totally describes me right now xD

        Reply
  28. Sandra says

    April 24, 2016 at 9:32 pm

    Guys…. Why not just do this in an abandoned building or lot? The only real danger then would be you seeing a demon or a hobo! And if you even do, it won’t happen again if you never return!

    Reply
    • dakinuvpepr says

      April 21, 2017 at 5:23 pm

      I was thinking the same thing too.

      Reply
    • ash says

      September 4, 2017 at 7:59 pm

      hmm good idea. but the possibility that there’s a spirit or demon in the room with you and you have no way of defending against it. it could be implied you should light the match should the music continue playing. or i guess you could make a salt circle and remain in it until six am but that could be risky.

      Reply
  29. CharlieOldfield says

    September 16, 2015 at 2:10 pm

    Has anyone actually tried this game? At the moment it seems people are scared of the concept of playing, but there is no evidence anything happens. I don’t live alone so I can’t try it, as the only room I could use with nobody in it is the bathroom and I can hardly sacrifice that if something goes wrong.

    Reply
    • Lolice says

      January 15, 2016 at 4:35 am

      Shhhhhhh. You’ll ruin the fun of it all if you say that. Some things are better left up to the imagination.

      Reply
    • Miss.Periwinkle says

      June 13, 2017 at 5:00 pm

      I have not tried it yet. YET. I’ll try this game, NOT in my home, but in my friends home- with her consent. If any result happens, I’ll be sure to come back to this page!

      Reply
  30. Hannah Jean says

    September 4, 2015 at 1:10 pm

    I’ve found one experience on reddit, though I’m not sure how credible it may be.
    You can read for yourselves here: https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/3ixlq6/never_play_musical_chairs_alone/

    Reply
    • Chloe says

      October 24, 2017 at 9:27 am

      That reddit post was deleted, which leads me to believe it was “fantastical” as the rules do state that “really far out fantastical tales may or may not be removed by the moderators”

      Reply
  31. Dialirvi says

    August 28, 2015 at 7:13 pm

    This is terrifying.

    Reply
  32. Anett Angeli says

    August 23, 2015 at 2:12 pm

    omfg what the hell is that song ??? xD

    Reply
  33. Molly says

    June 27, 2015 at 10:21 pm

    This one seems really ominous… you’ve invited an entity in your home, and you don’t know if you can abolish it, and there’s no way to know if you’ll escape unscathed if you get either the second or third result.
    The third result seems new-levels-of terrifying. I’d just move out, and never say a word.

    Reply
  34. ana says

    May 22, 2015 at 4:53 am

    I use to played this game a lot when I was young but I never play it alone or with that song we just use some childish song we knew that time whoever still stand is done

    Reply
    • Zack says

      April 16, 2016 at 11:04 pm

      Wow, how interesting! Do tell me more…

      Reply
      • Colorfuldragon says

        December 10, 2016 at 11:12 pm

        It’s a fun game I played it too when is was young. We usually played songs like from Teletubbies or the Night Garden. But if you ask me when I last saw one of the episodes it was CREEPY.

        Reply
  35. Miss Cocoa Neko says

    April 19, 2015 at 5:10 pm

    Based on the lack of information available, it seems this “game” is relatively new. I tried researching it myself and got the same results. I can’t even find any experiences of people playing it. I’m pretty positive that if the chair falls or the music keeps playing, you’ve 1) put yourself in EXTREME DANGER and 2) allowed a demon or evil entity into your home. This one will probably result in something like death or a disappearances if you can never enter that room alone should something go wrong. If you ask me, if you can’t enter that room alone ever again then you should just move out since it’s inside your home. This one leaves me with so many questions…

    Reply
    • Lucia says

      April 19, 2015 at 5:15 pm

      Me too. I feel like the safest option would be to play it in a room that’s not in your home… but if you do that, there’s no telling what might happen to anyone else who enters that room without any knowledge of what transpired in it.

      Reply
      • Miss Cocoa Nek says

        April 20, 2015 at 6:18 pm

        Well, the best option would be to just not play the “game”. Unfortunately, there are people who would play it so they should have some type of plan. All I can come up with is performing purification rituals like you said. I’d also recommend leaving the home immediately and taking occupants and pets with you. Then, return in the morning and PURIFY YHE HOUSE! I think this is game one should play when no one is home. I agree with you completely about the risks of playing this in a room that isn’t in your home. With a lack of information, there’s WAY too much dangers involved which makes me worry about what could happen to the players or to those who enter the game room. It makes me wonder how people make this stuff and how it ends up working.

        Reply
      • A Random Person says

        July 13, 2017 at 4:43 pm

        Wait, I think it meant that only you specifically can’t enter the room alone…? No? Yes?

        Reply
    • Lazarus Zuniga says

      February 26, 2021 at 1:50 pm

      I agree

      Reply
  36. Aurora Smith says

    April 11, 2015 at 12:09 am

    omg that song scares me so much especially because of Insidious!

    Reply
    • Oliver says

      August 30, 2016 at 7:34 pm

      I think just playing this song in the darkness is inviting something evil into your home.

      Reply
    • Avandullah Bekhtiyar Mohammadi says

      July 11, 2018 at 4:11 am

      I love Insidious…… also I really like Tiny Tim because his voice is so funny.

      Reply
    • scary games says

      February 11, 2020 at 11:58 am

      do you think this would, really work?

      Reply
      • Tori says

        January 21, 2021 at 11:14 am

        It did, for me at least

        Reply
    • Lazarus Zuniga says

      February 26, 2021 at 1:49 pm

      Same except I can’t get it out of my head!

      Reply

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