When Johnny Comes Marching Home

Civil War Music

This is generally credited to the Union Army bandmaster, Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore, who wrote it in 1863. It is very similar to the Irish song Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye (a tale of a maimed soldier returning from war). Which version came first is debated.

This song has endured throughout the years. Both Confederate and Union Soldiers used it for parody. At New Orleans the Confederates sang it to the title "For Bales" and at Gettysburg, the Union soldiers sang about the "Boys of the Potomac," about Generals McClellan, Pope, Burnside and Meade, The home folks sang with joy and hope about the day "When Johnny Comes Marching Home.' 

The Music
When Johnny Comes Marching Home
[ 1:22 ] [ 19k ]

The Songs
The songs in this book which are sung to the tune of
"When Johnny Comes Marching Home"

1. I Put My Hand (Harrier Version)
2. I Put My Hand (Harriette Version)
3. I Put My Lips
4. Little Bit Off the Top
5. Little Red Train
6. Rajah of Aatrakhan

When Johnny Comes Marching Home

When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give him a hearty welcome then
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The men will cheer and the boys will shout
The ladies they will all turn out
And we'll all feel gay,
When Johnny comes marching home.

The old church bell will peal with joy
Hurrah! Hurrah!
To welcome home our darling boy
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The village lads and lassies say
With roses they will strew the way,
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.

Get ready for the Jubilee,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give the hero three times three,
Hurrah! Hurrah!
The laurel wreath is ready now
To place upon his loyal brow
And we'll all feel gay
When Johnny comes marching home.