Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya

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While going the road to sweet Athy, A-roo, Ha-roo,
While going the road to sweet Athy, A-roo, Ha-roo,
While going the road to sweet Athy,
A stick in me hand and a tear in me eye,
A doleful damsel I did spy.
Johnny, I hardly knew ya.

With yer drums and guns and guns and drums,
The enemy nearly slew ya;
Me darling dear, you look so queer.
Johnny, I hardly knew ya.

Where are the legs with which you ran, A-roo, Ha-roo,
Where are the legs with which you ran, A-roo, Ha-roo,
Where are the legs with which you ran,
When first you went to carry a gun?
Indeed your dancing days are done.
Johnny, I hardly knew ya.

With yer drums and guns and guns and drums,
The enemy nearly slew ya;
Me darling dear, you look so queer.
Johnny, I hardly knew ya.

You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg, A-roo, Ha-roo,
You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg, A-roo, Ha-roo,
You haven't an arm, you haven't a leg,
You're an eyeless, noseless, chickenless egg,
You'll have to be put in a bowl to beg.
Johnny, I hardly knew ya.

With yer drums and guns and guns and drums,
The enemy nearly slew ya;
Me darling dear, you look so queer.
Johnny, I hardly knew ya.

How sad it is to see you so, A-roo, Ha-roo,
How sad it is to see you so, A-roo, Ha-roo,
How sad it is to see you so,
And I think of you now as an object of woe,
But Peggy'll still keep you on as her beau.
Johnny, I hardly knew ya.

With yer drums and guns and guns and drums,
The enemy nearly slew ya;
Me darling dear, you look so queer.
Johnny, I hardly knew ya.

####.... Author unknown. Variant of a 19th century British broadside ballad, Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye, published by H. Such (London) sometime between 1863 and 1885, and archived at the Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads, shelfmark: 2806 b.10(218) ....####

See more songs by Ryan's Fancy.

A variant was also recorded as Johnny, I Hardly Knew You on the album: The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem (Tradition Records, 1961).

Notes: Athy is southwest of Dublin in County Kildare, Ireland. Some sources claim this is a traditional Irish song dating to ca.1802, and the origin of the American Civil War song, When Johnny Comes Marching Home. We have found no evidence of that.

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Notes On Guitar Tabs:
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All guitar tabs have been contributed by visitors to this site and represent their interpretation of the tune. We are unable to verify their accuracy.

While [Em] going the road to [C] sweet Athy, A- [G] roo, Ha-roo,
While [Em] going the road to [C] sweet Athy, A- [G] roo, Ha-roo,
While [G] going the road to [D] sweet Athy,
A [C] stick in me hand and a [B7] tear in me eye,
A [Em] doleful [D] damsel [C] I did [B7] spy.
[Em] Johnny, I hardly knew ya.

With yer [G] drums and guns and [D] guns and drums,
The [C] enemy nearly [B7] slew ya;
Me [Em] darling [D] dear, you [C] look so [B7] queer.
[Em] Johnny, I hardly knew ya.