When Johnny Comes Marching Home

"When Johnny Comes Marching Home" is the first part of the second song of Jake Heggie's song cycle A Great Hope Fell: Songs From Civil War.

The original version of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" was published in 1863 and paired with an old Irish tune entitled "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye," which was an anti-war tune itself.

Date: 2001Composer: Jake HeggieText: Patrick Sarsfield GilmoreSong Collection: A Great Hope Fell: Songs From Civil War

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When Johnny Comes Marching Home
by Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore

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.

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