dsc@daemon.UUCP (David S. Comay) (01/08/85)
Can anyone give me any information about the famous folk song that goes `When Johnny comes marching home again ...'? I am curious as to who (if known) wrote the song, when and where it was published (I think it is an Irish folk song ... my favorite!), and if the words and music are printed in any books? Thanks very much. David
tim@scc.UUCP (Tim Bessie) (01/10/85)
> Can anyone give me any information about the famous folk song that goes > `When Johnny comes marching home again ...'? I am curious as to who > (if known) wrote the song, when and where it was published (I think it > is an Irish folk song ... my favorite!), and if the words and music > are printed in any books? Thanks very much. > > David The original, Irish root of this song is called "Johnny, I hardly knew ye." It quite different from "When Johnny comes marching home" in that it concerns the horrors of war, as opposed to the "glory and triumph" of war. You can find it in any good anthology of Irish songs. -Tim Bessie
cjn@calmasd.UUCP (Cheryl Nemeth) (01/10/85)
In article <daemon.227> dsc@daemon.UUCP (David S. Comay) writes: >Can anyone give me any information about the famous folk song that goes >`When Johnny comes marching home again ...'? I am curious as to who >(if known) wrote the song, when and where it was published (I think it >is an Irish folk song ... my favorite!), and if the words and music >are printed in any books? Thanks very much. > >David It comes from an old Irish anti-Crimean War song called "Jonny I Hardly Knew Ye." Try looking for a book of Irish ballads. I know I've seen it written out but I can't remember where. Cheryl Nemeth
ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (01/10/85)
> Can anyone give me any information about the famous folk song that goes > `When Johnny comes marching home again ...'? I am curious as to who > (if known) wrote the song, when and where it was published (I think it > is an Irish folk song ... my favorite!), and if the words and music > are printed in any books? Thanks very much. > > David The Irish version is called "Johnny (I hardly knew ye)". I have one version on record, and have heard it song by several groups including Theodore Bikel. I'll try to recount it here: When Johnny comes marching home again, hurrah, hurrah, We'll give him a hearty welcome them, hurrah, hurrah, The men will cheer, the boys will shout, The ladies, they will all turn out. And we'll all feel gay [Alt: And we'll all be there] When Johnny Comes marching home. With drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo. With drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo. With drums and guns and guns and drums, The enemy nearly slew ya, Darling Johnny it's been so long. [Alt, one group uses...Johnny dear, you look so queer] Johnny, I hardly knew ya. Tis glad I am to see ya home, hurroo, hurroo. Tis glad I am to see ya home, hurroo, hurroo. Tis glad I am to see ya home, Darling Johnny, so brave and strong. So low in cheek and high in bone Johnny, I hardly knew ya. Where are your legs that use to run, hurroo, hurroo. Where are your legs that use to run, hurroo, hurroo. Where are your legs that use to run, When first you went to carry a gun. Indeed, your dancing days are done. Johnny, I hardly knew ya. 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 first beguiled. Why did you run from me and the child. Johnny, I hardly knew ya. You haven't an arm and you haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo. You haven't an arm and you haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo. You haven't an arm and you haven't a leg, [These lines I'm not too sure of] Your a eyeless, boneless, chickenless egg And you have to be put with a bowl to bed. Johnny, I hardly knew ya. Some groups use the first verse as a chorus and some use the second verse, and some use neither. Of course around the Civil War in the United states, the song popped up with the same first verse but the rest of the words changed to be one of victory, not one of sorrow. One of my American folksong books lists that the person who published it (I don't have the name handy) claimed he transcribed it as he heard people singing it. Actually, it asserts that since he was Irish, the whole thing was his work. It contains lines like "In eighteen hundred and sixty three, Abe Lincoln set the darkies free." -Ron
dbw@sdcsvax.UUCP (Dave Wollner) (01/11/85)
I was just working out the music for "When Johnny Comes Marching
Home Again" before reading this article. The chords I am using
are listed at the end of this message. The words listed along
with the chords are one person's remembrances and not supposed
to bear any resemblance to reality. From what I have seen it
is played in 6/8 time, but should not suffer from conversion
to 4/4.
I have chosen the key of c minor since it is easier for the
banjo in regular c tuning. I have the words to a bawdy song
which uses the same music, so if someone can post the words
to the original I would appreciate it. The bawdy version is
available in a book "The Dirty Song" by Jerry Silverman along
with his music.
If anyone is interested in a version for a frailed banjo, let
me know and I will try to come up with a notation which can be
sent over uucp.
- dbw
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Cm B flat
When Johnny comes marching home again, hurrah, hurrah,
Cm G
When Johnny comes marching home again, hurrah, hurrah,
Cm B flat
The boys will play and the girls will shout
A flat G
The ladies they will all come out
Cm B flat A flat G Cm
And we'll all be gay when Johnny comes marching home.kfl@hoxna.UUCP (Kenton Lee) (01/11/85)
xxx According to "A Folk Song History of America", by Samuel L. Forcucci, (Prentice-Hall, 1984, ISBN 0-13-323130-5), "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was written by Patrick Gilmore, an Irish immigrant writing under the name Louis Lambert. He was the leader of a Civil War military band. The music and 2 versions of the words are given in the book.