- Music written by
- [Traditional]
- Lyrics written by
- Patrick Gilmore
- Copyright date
- September 26, 1863
- Language
- English
- ISWC
-
T-920.300.976-1 ISWC
- Comments
-
This was a U.S. Civil War era song of the people in the North whose friends and family were away from home. The lyrics were copyrighted on September 26, 1863 under the name "Louis Lambert", which was a pseudonym used by Gilmore. Gilmore disclaimed writing the music, stating that he adapted it from an African-American spiritual.
The melody for the song was previously published in July, 1863 under the title "Johnny Fill Up the Bowl" -- an American drinking song. The sheet music for this work credits a "J. Durnal" as the arranger of the music, but not its composer.
The song "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye" -- an Irish anti-war song now sung to the same tune as "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" -- first published in 1867 is also claimed by some to predate "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", which is said to be a reworking of "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye". Although the latter song was published later, some contend that it actually relates to the return of Irish soldiers from Ceylon; however, Irish troops were stationed there from at least 1837 until 1866, so that versions of "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye" which refer to Ceylon (all do not) are not inconsistent with the notion that "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" is the earlier work. Moreover, it seems unlikely that "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" is a reworking of "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye" because as originally published, the latter song used a different tune.
Many lyrical variations were put to the tune originally used for "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" over time. - Licensing
- Request a synchronization license
Versions
When Johnny Comes Marching Home written by Patrick Gilmore, [Traditional] English
When Johnny Comes Marching Home written by [Traditional] instrumental
Až začneme vrásky mít written by Zdeněk Borovec Czech
Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Až začneme vrásky mít | Karel Gott - Karel Vlach se svým orchestrem | 1975 | First release |
Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye written by Joseph B. Geoghegan English
English Civil War written by Topper Headon, Mick Jones [GB1], Joe Strummer, Paul Simonon English
Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
English Civil War | The Clash | November 10, 1978 | First release | ||
English Civil War (Johnny Comes Marching Home) | The Price | December 9, 1991 | |||
English Civil War | Levellers | 1994 | Unverified | ||
English Civil War | The Pedestrians | April 17, 2001 | Released more than 10 years after its recording | ||
English Civil War | Per Persson | December 2005 | |||
English Civil War | The Crombies | 2013 | |||
English Civil War | 3 Minute Window | 2015 |
Yö preerialla written by Reino Helismaa Finnish
Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yö preerialla | Pärre Förars | 1959 | First release |
Kapteeni Koukku written by Keijo Voudinmäki Finnish
Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kapteeni Koukku | Hevisaurus | 2009 | First release |
Sångens makt written by Eddie Bruhner Swedish
Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sångens makt | Sveriges Jazzband | 1975 | First release |