When Johnny Comes Marching Home again

This song is credited to the Union Army bandmaster, Patrick S. 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.

Circa 1860-1900, Civil War and Reconstruction Era. Popular music just before and during the Civil War concerned itself with political and military events.

For Parents

Talk, Listen, and Connect is a Sesame Street program that helps military families help their children through the difficult periods of transition and separation that can come with military service. It includes videos, toolkits, and many other resources.

For Kids

Do you have a friend whose mom or dad is in the military? Or maybe you are that kid. Some kids like to share their experiences with MilitaryKidsConnect.

For Teachers

In this song, Johnny came marching home more than 150 years ago. You may have students whose parents are returning from a military deployment, some suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition to resources in your community, you can access materials about PTSD from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.