Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye

Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye (tunnetaan myös nimillä "Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye" ja "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya") on suosittu irlantilainen sodan ja sotilaiden värväämisen vastainen kansanlaulu. Se on ajoitettu 1800-luvulle, jolloin irlantilaiset joukot palvelivat Itä-Intian komppaniassa.

Kappaleen ovat levyttäneet monet tunnetut artistit kuten Dropkick Murphys. Kappaleen on sanottu olevan pohjana yhdysvaltalaiselle laululle "When Johnny Comes Marching Home".

Sanat

Seuraava versio lienee käytetyin:

While goin' the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurroo

While goin' the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurroo

While goin' the road to sweet Athy

A stick in the hand and a drop in the eye

A doleful damsel I heard cry,

Johnny I hardly knew ye.

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.

Where are your eyes that were so mild, hurroo, hurroo

Where are your eyes that were so mild, hurroo, hurroo

Where are your eyes that were so mild

When my heart you so beguiled?

Why did ye skedaddle from me and the child?

Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye.

Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo

Where are your legs that used to run, hurroo, hurroo

Where are your legs that used to run

When you went for to carry a gun

To be sure but your dancing days are done

Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye.

Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo

Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo

Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg,

Ye're an armless, boneless, chickenless egg,

Ye'll have to be put with a bowl to beg,

Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye.

I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo

I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo

I'm happy for to see ye home

All from the island of Ceylon

So low in flesh, so high in bone

Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye.

They're rolling out the guns again, hurroo, hurroo

They're rolling out the guns again, hurroo, hurroo

They're rolling out the guns again,

But they never will take our sons again,

No they never will take our sons again,

Johnny I'm swearing to ye.