When Johnnie comes marching home

Subject: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Jeep man
Date: 15 Jan 00 - 11:19 PM

This Civil War song has long been a favorite. Years ago a friend of mine sand additiional verses. "You have no arms you have no legs, haroo,haroo".

This could have been added later perhaps during the 2 world wars or Vie Nam. Pleas help if you can. Jeepman

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: _gargoyle
Date: 16 Jan 00 - 12:26 AM

Have a hunch that you are lookin' for JOHNNY I HARDLY KNEW YE which you will find in the DigitalTradition question box in the upper right corner of this page under "Johnny I Hardly Knew" or just JOHNNY I HARDLY KNEW YE

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: _gargoyle
Date: 16 Jan 00 - 12:34 AM

Mr. JeepMan

This has also been a favoite of mine along with Ghost Riders in the Sky. One of my biggest MudCat/Digital Tradition epiphanies was when it was revealed in thread that they are both the same tune with a different accent.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: _gargoyle
Date: 16 Jan 00 - 12:47 AM

Wow!!!! Max's new search engine is AWSOME!

Subject: RE: Ghost Riders in the Sky
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 13-Jan-97 - 09:32 PM

Hi- The absolutely original melody is When Johnny Comes Marching Home again, moved from 6/8 time to 4/4.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Sorcha
Date: 16 Jan 00 - 11:12 AM

Jeep man, try these:

You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg, aroo, aroo, You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg, aroo, aroo, You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg, you'll have to put with a bowl to beg. and we'll all feel gay when........

Johnny won't march and Johnny won't cheer, hurrah, hurrah, Oh Johnny for you we shed a tear, hurrah, hurrah, Our cheers are empty, our tears are dry, We sent too many young men to die, And will you feel gay when Johnny comes marching home?

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Abby Sale
Date: 16 Jan 00 - 11:52 AM

One of the strongest results-of-war-plus-bureaucracy books ever written, I think, was based on the Irish song. "Johnny Got His Gun" by Dalton Trumbo. In 1971 he directed & screen-wrote the movie of the same name.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Bruce O.
Date: 16 Jan 00 - 01:36 PM

There are several copies of 1863 in the Levy sheet music collection.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Stewie
Date: 16 Jan 00 - 07:14 PM

It is interesting that the Traditional Ballad Index researcher speculates that 'Johnny, Fill Up the Bowl', which shares the tune, probably came first. Patrick S. Gilmore (the 'll' in the quote below is probably a typo) was the real name for Louis Lambert, given as author of 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home':

Scholars continue to argue whether "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" or the doleful "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye" is the original. "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" can be firmly dated to the beginning of the Civil War, while "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye" does not appear until slightly later (1869) -- but as a traditional song. The earliest known printing is, in fact, that of "Johnny Fill Up the Bowl" (early 1863). If I were to make a guess, I think I would put "Johnny Fill Up the Bowl" first; it's a logical tune for Gillmore to steal (and some anonymous Irishman to turn into an anti-war song). But what do I know? - RBW

Cheers, Stewie.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From:
Date: 16 Jan 00 - 11:34 PM

I'm not sure that I go as far as RBW's (Bob Waltz's) guess.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Stewie
Date: 17 Jan 00 - 12:56 AM

Well, your own credibility might be of more interest if you paid us the courtesy of identifying yourself.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Lighter
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 09:39 AM

Hey, I'm a musical illiterate. One source says this famous tune is "minor," another that it's "modal."

Which is it? If "modal," which mode?

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Jack Campin
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 09:57 AM

It's minor/dorian hexatonic - has a gap at the sixth.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Lighter
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 10:13 AM

Thanks, Jack! My hat is off to you.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Jul 11 - 10:36 AM

Two tablespoons of Dorian Hexatonic will cleanse your colon and send Johnnie running for the outhouse.........

Spaw

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Lighter
Date: 25 Sep 19 - 10:05 AM

Mark Twain, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County and Other Sketches" (1867) p. 156:

"Oh, we'll all get blind drunk,
When Johnny comes marching home."

The same words show up in John Ford's movie "The Horse Soldiers" (1959), after the song's "hearty welcome" line.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Jim McLean
Date: 26 Sep 19 - 08:56 AM

Johnny I hardly knew Ye and Ghost riders both owe a lot to the Scottish traditional melody to John Anderson my Jo John.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Lighter
Date: 26 Sep 19 - 09:40 AM

So true, Jim

As the study called "The Best Anti-war Song Ever Written" points out, there's nothing identifiably Irish in the "Johnny" tune.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Jack Campin
Date: 26 Sep 19 - 06:08 PM

Incidentally "Johnny Got His Gun", mentioned up there, is an unrelated tune. It's played over the opening credits in Trumbo's film, if I remember right.

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: Lighter
Date: 28 Mar 20 - 03:43 PM

This appears to be the earliest newspaper notice:

Boston Evening Transcript (Sept. 21) p. 2:

“GILMORE’S POPULAR CONCERTS. After an interval of rest and preparation for a new campaign, the indefatigable Gilmore enters the field of amusement with a new and attractive programme. He promises to give three concerts at Tremont Temple – on the afternoon and evening of next Saturday, and the evening of next Sunday – which will introduce musical talent of a very high order of merit. Mademoiselle Camilla Urso, the lady violinist, who is one of the artistic wonders of the world; a full orchestra; a complete military band; the services of Mr. Fr. Rudolphsen, the distinguished baritone singer; [etc.]…. The music to be performed is equally divided in character….Selections from oratories, operas, Stigelli’s ‘Lear,’ the Laura Polka, Nightingale Waltzes, and the ‘Soldier’s Return March,’ introducing a new and popular army song, ‘When Johnny came [sic] marching home,’ (published just now by Tolman) will be given. The price of tickets has been fixed at the low sum of twenty-five cents.”

Subject: RE: When Johnnie comes marching home
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 28 Mar 20 - 04:44 PM

There is an excellent Wikipedia article about the song at

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Johnny_Comes_Marching_Home