Story Behind The Song
This and Girl Alone are my musical response to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. For anyone interested in the history of this tune, the "patriotic" Patrick Gilmore big-band version a watered-down version of a much more melancholy Irish anti-war tune originally called "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye", you can find the lyrics on the internet. I tried to compensat by changing Gilmore's "when" to "if" (... johnny comes marching home). Back then they got to see the coffins.
Song Description
See short desc, and Story.
| Song Length |
5:40 |
Genre |
Rock - Psychedelic, New Age - General |
| Tempo |
Slow (71 - 90) |
Lead Vocal |
Male Vocal |
| Mood |
Moving, Heartbreaking |
Subject |
War, Protest |
| Similar Artists |
Pink Floyd |
Language |
English |
| Era |
1980 - 1989 |
| |
Lyrics
When Johnny comes marching home again, hurrah, hurrah
we?ll give him a hearty welcome then, hurrah?.
The men will cheer and the boys will shout
the ladies they will all turn out and we?ll all feel gay if
Johnny comes marching home?
The old church bells will peal with joy, hurrah, hurrah
to welcome home our darling boy, hurrah?.
The village lads and lassies say
with roses they will strew the way and we'll all feel gay if
Johnny comes marching home?
Get ready for the Jubilee, hurrah, hurrah
we'll give the hero three times three, hurrah?
The laurel wreath is ready now
to place upon his loyal brow and we'll all feel gay if
Johnny comes marching home?