After Makem amicably left The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem in 1969, Bobby Clancy joined as the fourth lead vocalist. Two of the Furey Brothers, Finbar Furey and Eddie Furey, also joined at this time as instrumentalists and back-up singers. Paddy asked Finbar Furey if he would play the whistle and five-string banjo with the group. Finbar also added Uillean pipes to his performances, creating a new sound for the group on stage, recordings, and TV. The six-piece band recorded two new albums in the summer of 1969: "Clancy Brothers Christmas", released later that year, and "Flowers in the Valley", released in 1970. The latter was their final album for Columbia Records.
Finbar and Eddie Furey left in 1970, and, for a short time, just the four brothers, Paddy, Tom, Bobby and Liam, performed together. This line-up recorded only one album together, Welcome to Our House, in 1970 for their new label, Audio Fidelity Records. Later that same year, Liam and Bobby got into an argument that resulted in Bobby quitting the group. Bobby later said about his younger brother: "With Liam it was very hard to be equal. I try to make it as equal as possible and everybody's happy that way. It makes it a better sound."
In 1971, the remaining Clancys recruited English folk singer, Louis Killen, to play the banjo, concertina, and spoons with the group. Together they made two studio albums for Audio Fidelity, Save the Land and Show Me the Way, on which they experimented with modernising their sound, musical style, and material, even including pop songs like Elton John's "Country Comfort". They recorded their final album for Audio Fidelity, the more traditional Live on St. Patrick's Day, at the Bushnell Auditorium in Hartford, Connecticut in 1972. It was released the following year.
By the early 1970s, the Clancys reduced their touring schedule to five months a year. The brothers were moving in different directions In spite of the brothers' growing distance, but, in spite of this, the group made one more album with Killen for Vanguard Records, The Clancy Brothers' Greatest Hits, as well as several television appearances on the Irish Rovers Show in Canada and a TV special for Brockton television in 1974 (in which Bobby Clancy made a surprise guest appearance).
In early 1976, a scheduling conflict between a tour of Australia and a television role for Tom Clancy provoked Liam to leave the group. Beginning in 1977, the Clancy Brothers and Robbie O'Connell (who took on the role Liam had vacated) toured three months a year in March, August, and November.
In the summer of 1983, the group travelled to their hometown in Ireland to film a 20-minute special on sea songs, sung on location on the fishing ships in the area. It was called Songs of the Sea. Directed by Irish filmmaker David Donaghy, it was broadcast on the BBC Northern Ireland.
In 1984, Makem and Clancy's manager Maurice Cassidy brought the original foursome The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem together again for a documentary, followed by a concert and the album The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem Reunion.
In 1988, the Clancy Brothers (Paddy, Tom, and Bobby) with Robbie O'Connell recorded a poorly mixed live album at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, titled "Tunes 'n' Tales of Ireland".
With the death of Tom Clancy in 1990, Liam again stepped in full-time with his brothers. This line-up experienced a more active schedule than the group had during the previous decade, with appearances on Regis and Kathie Lee in 1991, 1993 and 1995, a performance at the 30th Anniversary Bob Dylan concert at Madison Square Garden in 1992, seen by 20,000 live and 200 million people worldwide on television, and the formation of Irish Festival Cruises in 1991, an annual cruise of the Caribbean with live folk music. They also brought their own tour groups to Ireland, which Robbie O'Connell continues.
The Bob Dylan concert in 1992 inspired the recording of the first studio album by The Clancy Brothers in over twenty years (since 1973's Greatest Hits). Released in late 1995, "Older But No Wiser" introduced all newly recorded songs with the exception of "When the Ship Comes In", which the group performed at the Dylan concert. It was the only recording to feature the line-up of Paddy, Bobby, Liam Clancy, and Robbie O'Connell. Older But No Wiser was The Clancy Brothers' final album.
Before splitting up, The Clancy brothers and Robbie O'Connell gave a Farewell Tour of Ireland and America in February and March 1996. One performance in Clonmel, as part of their Irish tour, was televised and later released on video and DVD as The Clancy Brothers and Robbie O'Connell: Farewell to Ireland.
After the break-up, Paddy and Bobby continued touring as The Clancy Brothers, with Bobby's son Finbarr Clancy becoming an official member of the group. The trio added longtime friend of Bobby's daughter Aoife, Eddie Dillon, to the group for a thirteen city engagement in early 1997. The quartet was known as the Clancy Brothers and Eddie Dillon. Eddie Dillon, a Boston-based musician, is the only American ever to perform with the Clancy Brothers.
Liam Clancy and Robbie O'Connell toured for a while as a duo, but very soon added Liam's son Dónal Clancy to the mix, forming the group, Clancy, O'Connell & Clancy. They released two albums together, an eponymous debut album in 1997 and an album of sea songs in 1998, The Wild and Wasteful Ocean.
With three brothers having died (Tom in 1990, Pat in 1998, Bobby in 2002), the last surviving Clancy brother, Liam Clancy, continued to tour solo into the twenty-first century. He died in 2009.
Johnny I Hardly Knew You
The Clancy Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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.
[Chorus]
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 the eyes that were so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the eyes that were so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the eyes that were so mild,
When my heart you so beguiled
Why did ye sci-daddle from me and the child
Oh Johnny, I hardly knew ye
Where are the legs with which you run, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the legs with which you run, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the legs with which you run,
When first you went to carry a gun
Indeed 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 put with a bowl out 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 the flesh, so high in the bone
Oh Johnny I hardly knew ye
[Chorus]
The enemy never slew ye
Oh, my darling dear you look so queer
The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem's song "Johnny I Hardly Knew You" is a powerful anti-war tune that tells the story of a soldier returning from war, but not in the same state in which he left. The song begins with the singer on his way to Athy, and passing a doleful damsel who is crying. The singer begins to address Johnny, whom he sees walking down the road. Johnny is a shadow of his former self, the man who the singer hardly recognizes anymore. He has lost limbs, and his face and body are beaten and battered. The song is a poignant reminder of the horror and devastation wrought by war and how it changes those we send to fight.
The chorus of the song speaks to the soldier's weapons and his fate. He went off to fight with guns and drums, and he came home limbless and scarred. Despite all of this, the soldier's love remains. The line "Oh, my darling dear you look so queer" is heartbreaking in its simplicity, as Johnny's lover cannot hide her shock and sadness at seeing him in such a state. The song chronicles the physical and emotional trauma that soldiers can face and the toll that war can take.
"Johnny I Hardly Knew You" was written in the mid-19th century, during a time of great upheaval in Ireland. The song was originally a protest against the British Army and the young Irishmen who were forced to fight for their oppressors. Over time, the song has come to be associated more with anti-war sentiment in general, and has been embraced by those seeking an end to armed conflicts around the world. The song's themes have made it a popular choice for political rallies and protests, and its haunting melody has ensured its place as a classic folk tune.
Line by Line Meaning
While goin' the road to sweet Athy, hurroo, hurroo
I was walking on the road towards Athy with a stick in my hand and feeling drunk, when I heard a sad woman crying out
With your guns and drums and drums and guns, hurroo, hurroo
You went to war with your weapons and music, and it almost killed you. Oh my love, you look unrecognizable!
Where are the eyes that were so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are those kind eyes that once captivated me?
Where are the legs with which you run, hurroo, hurroo
Where are the legs that once used to dance? Your days of joy and freedom are over.
Ye haven't an arm, ye haven't a leg, hurroo, hurroo
You've lost all your limbs! Now you're helpless and you'll have to beg on the streets.
I'm happy for to see ye home, hurroo, hurroo
I'm glad to see you again, back from the island of Ceylon, but you seem so weak and thin now.
The enemy never slew ye
In the end, you weren't killed by the enemy, but you lost so much in the war that it's hard to recognize you.
Oh, my darling dear you look so queer
My love, you don't look like yourself at all. The war has changed you beyond recognition.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J BAIRD, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tonybarde2572
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 ring out!
And we'll all have wine when Johnny comes marching home! (2x)
Get ready for the jubilee hurrah! Hurrah!
We'll give the hero 3 and 3 hurrah! Hurrah!
The more we'll be so ready now to place upon his loyal crown!
And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching home! (2x)
In eighteen hundred and sixty one hurrah! Hurrah!
That was when the war begun! Hurrah! Hurrah!
By eighteen hundred and sixty two both sides were falling to
And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching home! (2x)
In eighteen hundred and sixty three hurrah! Hurrah!
Old Abe he ended slavery! Hurrah! Hurrah!
In eighteen hundred and sixty three Old Abe he ended slavery
And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching home! (2x)
In eighteen hundred and sixty four hurrah! Hurrah!
He called for 500,000 more! Hurrah! Hurrah!
In eighteen hundred and sixty five, they fought rebellion strife
And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching home (2x)
@orkhanahmadov9963
BEST VERSION !!!! GREETINGS AND RESPECT FROM AZERBAIJAN!
@speakeasy1971
An absolute irish clasic
@sabertoothwallaby2937
Yeah?
@DERKONIG12345
definitely the best version...
@lordmado3918
The best version of the Song i found so far.
@edfarage570
@@lordmado3918 look up Santiano's version
@lordmado3918
@@edfarage570 I did, an still this one is better. Santiano tries way too hard to sound epic.
@rararasputin8608
There are a few good versions. Dropkick is the urge to go home, others have the tired aesthetic after the war and all.
@sabertoothwallaby2937
Yeah?
@SSTTEEAALLTTHH
Beautiful, and i love the accent. Best version of this song i've hear so far