When Johnny Comes Marching Home

There are two known versions of the song, When Johnny Comes Marching Home.    Credit for the lyrics of the first are given to Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore, and it was this version that was sung throughout the American Civil War by both sides (see Notes below).


Version One

When Johnny comes marching home again,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give him a hearty welcome then,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The men will cheer, the boys will shout,
The ladies they will all turn out,
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.

The old church bells will peal with joy,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
To welcome home our darling boy,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The village lads and lassies say
With roses they will strew the way,
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.

Get ready for the Jubilee,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give the hero three times three,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The laurel wreath is ready now
To place upon his loyal brow,
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.

Let love and friendship on that day,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
Their choicest treasures then display,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
And let each one perform some part
To fill with joy the warrior's heart,
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.


Notes: "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was written by Patrick S. Gilmore under the pseudonym Louis Lambert. Gilmore was bandmaster of the Ben Butler's Union Army of occupation in New Orleans at the time. There is some controversy as to whether he actually compsed the melody, as he was heard on several occasions to claim that it was a Negro spiritual he had simply adapted, whereas others contend that it was an traditional Irish air. No Irish air with that melody has ever come to light, however, so that theory may be just wishful thinking on the part of the Irish.

Gilmore himself was born in Ballygar in Galway County, Ireland, on December 25, 1829, and early on displayed an obvious musical aptitude. His family emigrated to America in the 1840's just one step ahead of the famine. He was bandmaster for the U.S. Army when the War broke out and remained loyal to the Union. In the postwar era, he was responsible for organizing "Monster Peace Jubilees" involving orchestras of a thousand musicians and over 10,000 voices.

"When Johnny Comes Marching Home" is Gilmore's sole claim to lasting musical fame.

Reprinted from Poetry and Music of the War Between the States



The second lyric set for this tune was recorded by The Clancy Brothers, an Irish folk group, in the 1960s. The nature of this verse is much darker with certain references that suggest it might pre-date the Gillmore lyrics.


Version Two


While goin' the road to sweet Athy,
hurroo, hurroo
While goin' the road to sweet Athy,
hurroo, hurroo
While goin' the road to sweet Athy,
A stick in me hand and a drop in me eye,
A doleful damsel I heard cry,
Johnny I hardly knew ye.

With your drums and guns and drums and guns,
hurroo, hurroo
With your drums and guns and drums and guns,
hurroo, hurroo
With your drums and guns and drums and guns,
The enemy nearly slew ye
Oh my darling dear, Ye look so queer
Johnny I hardly knew ye.

Where are your eyes that were so mild,
hurroo, hurroo
Where are your eyes that were so mild,
hurroo, hurroo
Where are your eyes that were so mild,
When my heart you so beguiled
Why did ye run from me and the child
Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye

Where are your legs that used to run,
hurroo, hurroo
Where are your legs that used to run,
hurroo, hurroo
Where are your legs that used to run,
When you went for to carry a gun
Indeed your dancing days are done
Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye

I'm happy for to see ye home,
hurroo, hurroo
I'm happy for to see ye home,
hurroo, hurroo
I'm happy for to see ye home,
All from the island of Sulloon;
So low in flesh, so high in bone
Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye

Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg,
hurroo, hurroo
Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg,
hurroo, hurroo
Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg,
Ye're an armless, boneless, chickenless egg
Ye'll have to put with a bowl out to beg
Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye

They're rolling out the guns again,
hurroo, hurroo
They're rolling out the guns again,
hurroo, hurroo
They're rolling out the guns again,
But they never will take our sons again
No they never will take our sons again
Johnny I'm swearing to ye


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