Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye' ~ Janis Ian

[hotsmudgesundae]

This is far from an "anti-recruiting" song due to the patriotism and love of country that spewed/spew from the Irish people. This song was written at the end of the 18th century during the fighting between the British and the Irish. "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" comes from THIS song, not vice versa. During that time those who wrote songs would never try to persuade fellow Irish to be ANTI army. Research your sources a bit more. But its a great version of the song nonetheless :)

[dutchbonnet]

@hotsmudgesundae The chronology of the two songs, which came first, has already been discussed here, but I don't undertstand your wider point. How could this be anything other than an 'anti-recruiting song' in the sense of pointing out the wretched fate that awaits so many who join armies and go to war? Surely the anti-recruiting message is powerfully expressed in what the song says?

[Cheshirecat55]

@hotsmudgesundae It refers to Irish soldiers being drafted and conscripted to serve the East India company. The song is an anti-war song. Any few seconds of research will show you that.

[hotsmudgesundae]

@Cheshirecat55  Thats your opinion and how you look at it. Music and other forms of art allow for wide scopes of opinion. Its awesome.

[Cheshirecat55]

@hotsmudgesundae It's not really my opinion, that was the reason it was made. It's an anti-recruiting song in the same way Yankee-doodle dandy was criticising American Colonists. It's why they made it and it's a period piece..

[linkekatze]

@hotsmudgesundae johnny still coming marching home here-if only I knew she also sang this song, I would have asjed her too last night, but all I thought about was: jesse-the most important song 4me growing up.well, anyhow such a thrilling, grossartige version.

[OhTerr]

Showing George Bush is just a shame to this otherwise poignant version of a significant song.

[dutchbonnet]

@OhTerr We talked about taking him off, as it anchors the piece a bit too narrowly in time and he has now become an irrelevancy, but if I edit the piece and upload it again all the comments will be lost, which seems a pity. On balance therefore I decided to leave it as it is, at least until YouTube comes up with a way of editing the clips without starting from scratch.

[AnifinderInc]

@dutchbonnet dude johnny i hardly knew ye came BEFORE when johnny comes marching home....

[OhTerr]

@MyFairMidNight Well, it is great all the lives he saved.

[Zeppolino100]

@OhTerr Bush deserves to be here, because he was responsible to manufacturing a war that should never been fought. Forget Dubbya, and focus on the thousands of young Americans who will go the rest of their lives without arms and legs because of that awful President. Your sympathies, methinks, are with the wrong parties.

[OhTerr]

What did you do this Memorial Day?

[gomby60]

''said to have been written in the mid 19th century as a bitterly ironic parody of When Johnny Comes Marching Home'' , I think it's ''Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye'' that came first: '"Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye" apparently dates from the early 19th century, while "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was first published in 1863.'' - Wikipedia

[facebreaker82]

I dont know a thing: When the U.S. goes to war, the only ones thst are wounded, killed and mutilated are the americans?

[dutchbonnet]

@facebreaker82 I don't think there'sany implication that the song is about or is limited to American deaths. It was written about Irish soldiers originally. If you've got that impression I think it's from reading the comments -- the song itself seems to me universal.

[baronofcheese]

@dutchbonnet It really is. 

[Chon12490]

@facebreaker82 You are right about that, especially when we mutilated ourselves in the civil war....It's weird how in the battle of Gettysburg there was 46,000 casualties in just that battle not including the other battles in the civil war.

[33rdninja]

I love Janis Ian, and I love this song as well. You did and awesome job with this video, keep up the good work. Great, powerful video.

[dutchbonnet]

@33rdninja Many thanks for your kind comments. I did a photo collage for She Must be Beautiful as well that you might like to check out. Like you, I'm an enormous Janis Ian fan.

[kennykillsyou1]

This is so sad look Go to my channel you;ll see the fun side of being in the Military No this isn't spam but Check it out 23k Views

[Cypherfall]

dropkick murphys did it better

[WolfLord5]

@dutchbonnet I'm sorry but your wrong about when the song was written. Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye was an anti-recruiting song written when Irishmen were being recruited to fight for the British East India company during the Kandyan Wars (1803-1818). When Johnny Comes Marching Home was written in 1863 by a Union Artillery Captain, using the same melody (sped up a little).

[dutchbonnet]

@WolfLord5 Thanks for the information. I was only repeating what I had read somewhere. I'm sure your dates are correct. Interesting that the anti-recruiting song came first.

[BaisseTonSlip]

this song doesn't deserve a shit version like that

[dan1940210768]

Definitivamente this version is HUGE...!!!

[lordsaryel007]

Too much liberal banter in the video and too top it off the end shows a picture of W. Idiotic. The origin of the song was against the British Empire "recruiting"/draft Irish boys/men for war half way around the world; something that was repeated, when the Irish started to migrate to US during the Civil War, young men/boys "recruited"/drafted as they stepped off the boats in return for citizenship.

[Worldspining]

fukk off Lordsaryel007..

Its about men.. not about talking about it..

End of it . You dont like ? grab a gun and walk

[Worldspining]

so ? lordsaryeL007

what is your point ? A soldier with a limb lost doesnt count ?

[lordsaryel007]

Huh? WTH are you talking about?

Want to make a video with a point? Have "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" playing & have pictures of the 100's of soldiers coming back injured & disabled from Iraq & Afghanistan , pictures of cargo planes loaded w/ caskets of young men & women, then lines at VA trying to get medical benefits only to be declined because their spouse has private insurance. And finally, show stills from the "Army of One" campaign and the marine fighting the "Lava Monster."

[RobinTheSWED]

my armhair stands right up when i see the picture on 0:46

[jimmyratz]

Wonderful job Janis. My wish is that your singing and this powerful video may make some young person think before they join the military. Peace Now!

[rjbonacolta]

Why in fuck's name was this flagged?

[dutchbonnet]

Well, it just says: 'This video may not be suitable for minors', and I can see what they mean, it is fairly strong material. Imagine some kid whose dad's in the forces, maybe fighting in Afghanistan or the Middle East.

[aztaclalz]

@dutchbonnet Well serves them right, war sucks. Especially if you're a no-good-fag American. Oh yeah, I went there. Throw back the lovin'. C'mon. [Not necessarily from the OP, but anyone]

[beast84741]

maybe bc of the fucking content of the slides u idiot

[marthaclark00]

@rjbonacolta I can relate. Anything glorifying war should also be flagged, in my opinion. There are images or dead and dismembered people, so that would be unsuitable for kids.

[kurtangle83]

This version of this song is so haunting.

You really want to sing it loud, fast and hard like the Dropkick Murphy version.

But this version makes it so beautiful because by the tone of her voice, it makes it so utterly pointless. War that is. Such a great song.

Much better than the song's American cousin that is upbeat and almost cheerful.

[vichy766]

Anyone who served or is serving in the military would know the feelings of the mission, and all gov'ts seem to find more and more reason to fight, little to go towards peace. What if there was a war and nobody came?? A bit of humanity there. Great vid, thanx!

[nolliagmacliam]

if ye want to know this song was about an up rising in ireland 1798.

[talbothime]

There's no evidence of that. It 'seems' to date from the 1860's just like its counterpart 'When johnny comes marching home'. Which is earlier is debatable. Evidence suggests this 'might' just predate the other (And I mean by a few years, not half a century). Anyone with concrete evidence I would love to know, it's something that bugs me. (And no, I'm no expert, just a very interested amateur.)

[poopnipples]

it would seem that you would change johnny comes marching to johnny i hardly knew ya rather than the other way around

[MattToye]

"When johnny comes marching home" derived from "johnny i hardly knew ya"! "When johnny comes marching home" comes much later and then a long time after "When johnny comes marching home" came "When the ants go marching one by one" which is more of a childrens song!

[MattToye]

"Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye" apparently dates from the early 1800s, while "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was first published in 1863.

[21envy]

Thank Dutch! Great song, great song and great video compilation. Really appreciate the thought that went into it. No mistaking either the criminals responsible for all the needless death and destruction, for those that have eyes to see.

[terigower]

excellent......showing the reality.....

[kieznoz]

Great video

[SmperFitillidie]

this is song is great in any shape or form

[Nelliesw]

beuty. BUT NOW i'm going down for desperet hause wife.... ehum,... GOOD! 4/5

[zanychimp]

A damn meaningful song.

To the people who talk about "surplus population," what if YOU were in the group classified as "surplus?" What determines who is worthy of life and who is an empty vessel?

And to the people with brains, don't make the non-empathetic, deranged comments go to -6 ratings... I think people should see their stupidity.

[CrescentFenix]

exactly. there are no people who don't deserve life, just those who choose not to make the best of that gift.

and in regards to those people...we should give them hammers, a bucket of chicken, and send them to the mountains to look for amethyst or something

[ZanyFenix]

hmm....you should really give them hard hats first though

[poopnipples]

but people die and yes there are no surplus people but some things are worth dieing for, but i will say that recent events in history aren't exactly what i am talking about

[zanychimp]

Yes, you have a point. Like, WWII was worth fighting. That was against pure evil. But with some if not most other wars, there is no truly evil side, just two groups in conflict over money or something. And those wars are not worth it.

[the31337one]

is me or deos this song really make you think about war and our soldiers in Iraq....?

[GalfordHeat]

it should its a song about WW1 and how war sucks

[TehCheese]

Its not about WWI, but more likely a song about the wars in the British Colonies scatterered around the world. So as such its not about any particular war, but a comment on war itself

[DissentNet3000]

With your guns and drums and drums and guns, hurroo, hurroo

With your guns and drums and drums and guns, hurroo, hurroo

With your guns and drums and drums and guns

The enemy nearly slew ye

Oh my darling dear, Ye look so queer

Johnny I hardly knew ye.

[helldropper]

Were are you're legs that use to run, huroo,huroo

Were are you're legs that use to run, huroo,huroo

Were are you're legs that use to run when fist you Went to carry a gun now i fear your dancing days Are done. Johnny I hardly knew ye

[alexrammed]

Where are your arm that hold me tight, huroo,huroo

Where are your arm that hold me tight, huroo,huroo

Where are your arm that hold me tight,

When first went to join the fight

And we'll never no more share the night

Johnny I hardly knew ye

[bongabinga]

theyre rollin out the drums again, huroo huroo

theyre rollin out the drums again, huroo huroo

theyre rollin out the drums again theyre stirrin up the boys and men , and our fear we'll never see the end Johnyy I Hardly Knew Ye

[dutchbonnet]

Keep thinking maybe you'll be able to work out why. Incidentally, it isn't at the end.

[HereComeTheHawkeyes]

dropkick murphys' version is hella better, just saying

[blackcrow36]

très bonne version ;des paroles et une video qui font frémir;a lot of versions:maybe the best one. (please listen to Anita Carter's version!!! I love it too.

[DigitalGrotto]

You've got it wrong.

This song was the basis for 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again'. This song was written first.

[whoeatscock]

Correction: this song was probably first, but was not written. The guy who wrote the American version was an Irish guy who knew of the song.

[psykodog]

are u askin me BornTubin?? about my comment ??

[psykodog]

no thats not the stament at all.... its not my vid but everyone should see this vid as it is, listen to the song and see the vid, its a widow song...real sad

[jennybh08]

Many of our children play video games that are in themselves more horrific than the children's concept of war!They are being desensitized to what is happening to our men and women that are fighting for our country.

[SparkyFore]

yes! listen to Tom Paxton's "buy a gun for your son" and Pete Seeger's "what did you leanr in school?" they are very good songs in protest to childerens conditioning for war.

[jennybh08]

yeah, there will always be war...but what happened to the horror of it?We talk about war now like we talk about buying a loaf of bread.We are more concerned with who is winning American Idol!Our people are dying in a "war" that is achieving absolutely nothing! Now, that is horrific!As Americans, we were appalled by 9/11.But that has been forgotten by the majority of people already. Most of us don't even remember we are at war until someone we know dies.

[btverran]

it's actually the other way around. the american 'when johnny comes marching home' was written by patrick gilmore in 1883 and he always said it was based on the irish 'johnny i hardly knew ye', sung in the early 19th century by irish soldiers. they probably didn't like the fact that they had to fight for england, which is fair enough really.

[R0b1nmcsorley]

Have just come accross your video. Great video and a great version of the song. When I see videos like this I wonder how our leaders can continue getting away with the likes of Iraq. Then I read some of the more recent mindless comments and I understand how they get away with it.

Keep up the good work.

[poppag57]

You mean.....Accept it

[klternenyi]

there will always be a war. except it.

[GrenMarlik]

I've loved this song since the first time I heard it, Heck I think I've heard eight or so different versions and have three of them on CD. But this is the first time that I've been brought to tears by it. Hearing it with a Female vocalist changes it definitely, and put on top of that that she is great.

[mawabo]

hi, is this song by Janis Ian avaible on cd ?

[bigjohn697791]

to all irelands wild geese in iraq and afghan in the british army hail to ye and or fallen and are sad lonely graves

[DesertFox101]

I read "gut-wrenching" in the description, and I chuckled a little. Now here I am crying. That's what I get, I guess.

[eremge]

war is terror! and this video is great!!

[bloodwillspill565]

It is a sad song, yet it is so true, why can't we just stop fighting and all the killin.

[sxziesj]

without fighting and killing, there world will be overpopulated that we would have human farms and start eating humans..

[sxziesj]

Without fighting and killing, the world would be overpopulated to the point that we would have to build human farms(be fun for the guys) and start selling human body parts as foods..

[samo300]

I somehow doubt that mate..You know people are dieing every day right?

[sxziesj]

did you know that more people are being born than dying? If there were to be no war, the world would be overpopulated. FACT

[samo300]

Use some common sense

[sxziesj]

Use your brain... That's if, you have a decent working one. If not, don't bother.

[samo300]

I find your comment rather amusing. If i didn't have a functional brain i doubt i would be able to operate a computer. 6390 people die per minute on average based of statistics from 2007. Compare this to 635 births per hour. So you use your brain next time, hypocrite.

[sxziesj]

That's going off worldwide statistics. No one said anything about worldwide. Now, if there's to be no war, we would have an overpopulated world. FACT as stated above. Also, there's more people being born than dying, FACT.

Now, go back to the statistics shit, or use your brain.

No one said you didn't have a functional brain. Now go use it.

[sabriel18]

I'm going to ask you a question. Don't bite my head off ok, are you stating that war is good, and that the countless children with shrapnel invading their bodies, watching their parents die or having to bury loved ones is a good thing? They're 'decreasing the surplus population.' Just thought I'd ask.

[JaredThePiper]

I find the term "overpopulation" quite inhuman as it is. You talk about "superflous" people...

Sir, you are disgusting.

[SparkyFore]

what makes you entitled to live and what is it about the rest of humanity that makes them a "surplus"

[eclecticcowboy]

If you really think that is a valid argument, do your bit for the planet and shoot youself.

[samo300]

Oh thats all right then. Just cause you said it was a fact means it is now. If your so convinced of this, show me some statistics, which proves it's true. I have shown you stats and well, you're wrong. Plus i am using world wide statistics as it is a world war. Plus that is what you were implying from your comment about ones brain.

[BornTubin]

so you think that what you see in this video is OK? you think that it's good that people in wars take hours, sometimes days or even years of pain until they finally die? just imagine you were in a war, got hit in the thigh, couldn't stop the bleeding, get the wound badly infected and die 3 days later. just think about that next time you post a shitty comment like that.

[poleske]

maybe you should kill yourself. You seem to pose no benefit to humanity or the world in general. Save some O2 for the educated and good looking people.

[znorky1991]

NORWAY take away the Y and stock it it says NO WAR :P

[TwoGrand4utube]

great song great video too. weell done .

war is a crime.. as lennon said "give peace a chance"

[HungryHerbproduction]

im not quite sure who janis ian is but she has a nice voice. i have a version that the chad mitchell trio made and i made a video aswell... you should check it out... i loved the vid btw.. keep up the work... and fuckin wierd pic of bush near the end lol..

[AiasTelamon]

Excellent song, but the political message was uncalled for and VERY unfair.

Especially since the photos weren't from the recent wars.

[dutchbonnet]

At the point at which the Bushes' image is introduced Janis is singing the line: 'I fear we'll never see the end'. I don't think that is unfair comment on the man who illegally invaded a soverign nation and caused the deaths of at least 1.2 million people.

[AiasTelamon]

It's quite hard taking apart the sole Bush-image from the preceeding images of the amputees. To the viewer it would seem the video's creator had no such intention.

Do forgive me for saying, but your criticism of Bush seems out of proportion, and mars the video and background song.

My opinion. Take care.

[dutchbonnet]

Of course I had no intention of removing the Bush image. What are you talking about?

[dutchbonnet]

I've just looked at your version. It's a very similar idea, except that you have started with When Johnny Comes Marching Home. This song was (probably) written as a parody of that one originally. Nice job. Well done.

Re Janis Ian she has been around a long time: check out Society's Child, At Seventeen, In Winter, Some People's Lives, etc. She is my absolute favourite female singer/songwriter.

[ProlefeedTV]

Excellent. Thanks for posting this.

[AiasTelamon]

I ment it is difficult for the viewer to "take apart" - in meaning - the Bush image. It seems as if Bush was resposible for the horrors displayed (or others of the sort).

Your previous comment suggested that you merely ment to say 'I fear we'll never see the end' - in concern of Bush.

The image portrayed is of a sadist or a madman. Which I believe to be unsound and unfair.

[scrappyscrap]

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!! love this version better. Sorry I had commented originally, that made you change the whole thing.  I know what a pain that is. But the outcome was worth it. Into my favs it goes. Thanks. Great song, great performer, and great video.