Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya

Johnny I Hardly Knew Ya (aussi connue comme Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye ou Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye), est une chanson traditionnelle irlandaise anti-guerre.

Histoire

Initialement appelé Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye, la chanson date du début du XIX^e siècle, quand les troupes irlandaises furent envoyées aider les soldats anglais en Inde. La chanson originale parle d'un soldat du comté de Kildare qui se battait au Sri Lanka.

La chanson reçut quelques modifications de paroles par le groupe Dropkick Murphys.

Paroles originales

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 me hand and a drop in me eye
A doleful damsel I heard cry,
Johnny I hardly knew ye.

With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo
With your drums and guns and guns and drums, hurroo, hurroo
With your drums and guns and guns and drums
The enemy nearly slew ye
Oh my darling dear, Ye look so queer
Johnny I hardly knew ye.

Where are the eyes that looked so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the eyes that looked so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the eyes that looked so mild
When my heart you so beguiled
Why did ye scadaddle 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 to carry a gun
Indeed your dancing days are done
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 Sulloon
So low in the flesh, so high in the bone
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 out to beg
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'll never will take my sons again
No they'll never will take my sons again
Johnny I'm swearing to ye.

Divers

Cette chanson fut reprise deux fois par les Bérurier Noir sur leur premier album Macadam Massacre. D'abord sous forme instrumentale sous le titre Johnny revient d'la guerre, puis sous le titre Frères d'armes. Ils modifièrent le texte original en lui substituant un texte de Gérard Lauzier.

La chanson fut réinterprétée par le groupe Dropkick Murphys sur l'album The Meanest Of Times paru en 2007.