784. Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye (Traditional Irish) - Live at The Canny Man

A traditional Irish anti-recruiting song, obviously related to the popular American song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again." (Patrick Gilmore)

It is possible that the Irish version actually came first, though no published version is known before 1863, when the latter was written. It seems likely though that the Irish version is a parody of the American one. Certainly the tune does not seem to have been known in Ireland prior to this song.

It has been recorded by Joan Baez, The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, Dropkick Murphys and many others.

I can't understand why, but, since I put up a video of this song over a year ago it has become my most popular song, with 71,060 views, 357 comments and 332 ratings. YouTube works in mysterious ways.

I still get comments on it almost every day, some of them complaining that I don't sound like the Dropkick Murphys. And of course there are lots of heated arguments about whether the Irish or the American version came first.

This performance was recorded at a session of the Hong Kong Folk Society at The Canny Man in Wanchai.

You can see a playlist of my Irish songs here: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=373C27204B0BB31F

For lyrics and chords of my songs please see my website: http://www.raymondcrooke.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• song
• war
• protest
• antiwar
• recruit
• marching
• home
• again
• baez
• clancy
• brothers
• makem
• dropkick
• murphys

[PILLOWPRODUCTIONS100]

it's excellent but i just kringe when he says a tear in me eye IT'S A DROP IN ME EYE

[raymondcrooke]

@PILLOWPRODUCTIONS100 Yes, most people do sing "drop" but some sing "tear" and that's the way I learned it. There's no one "correct" version in folk music.

[mrthompeson]

Looks like the music "The Ants Go Marching"

[raymondcrooke]

@mrthompeson Yes, it's the same tune.

[52topper]

I'd have been singing along.

A slogan (and song) from the 1st world war: I didn't raise my son to be a soldier, to kill some other mother's darlin' son!

[raymondcrooke]

@52topper Unfortunately the powers that be don't see it that way!

[PILLOWPRODUCTIONS100]

@raymondcrooke i know but i love drop but anyways you still did great

[HittokiriBattousai17]

@raymondcrooke Look like a lovely meeting

[UnusHonorabilis]

This is music. Thank you, sir.

[titangnosis]

I hear c. s. Louis gives evidence to show the melody of the song could be older then both Irish and American versions, so I here by claim that every man has his own personal lyrics he can give the song. Is anyone in agreement?

[baronofcheese]

@mrthompeson This came first.

[irkofan]

Ahh, lovely. <3

[52topper]

@3choBlast3r

Sorry, I don't quite understand what your post means. Do you mean that those who choose the soldier's life are motivated by the desire to wreak havoc on those w/ whom they disagree, rather than by motives of patriotism. That may be true. I'll have to think about it.

Maybe my post was vague. It just popped in my head when I heard this song.

[3choBlast3r]

HURroOo