Painting depicting Kandy War is by Prasanna Weerakkody
Internationally-popular anti-war anthem ‘Johnny I hardly Knew Ye’ showcasing the unbearable human suffering and tragic aftermath of wars, has a Sri Lankan connection.
The song which was written in Ireland is based on the Sri Lanka’s Kandy kingdom’s violent uprising against the English invaders between 1795 and 1818 before the island became a British colony.
The song tells of a love affair between an Irish woman called Athy and Johnny who joined the English as a mercenary to fight against the Sri Lankans leaving his love and her illegitimate child behind. The soldier returned home as a casualty of the ancient war in the last kingdom of the island, heavily wounded and badly disfigured. He had lost his legs, arms, eyes and his nose and Athy hardly recognised him when he was begging in the streets. The song is a monologue by Athy who was happy to see him despite the bad shape he was in and kept him as her beau.
After Joseph B. Geoghegan, a well known English songwriter first published the number in London in 1867 it became popular in Britain and Ireland and the United States in the early years of the 20th century with many internationally famous musicians like Joan Baez, Anita Carter and several popular bands either singing the cover versions or borrowing from of its powerful lyrics.
According to Wikipedia, The Clash’s album Give “Em Enough Rope’ incorporates the melody and lyrics from the original while the Colombian Army’s Anthem of the ‘Comandos’ uses the same melody, in Guns ‘n Roses ‘Civil War’ Axel Rose whistles a part of the melody at the beginning of the song while The Cranberries in ‘Zombie’ has borrowed a part of its chorus. Dropkick Murphys’ hard rock version has more than 29 million hits on Youtube.
Parts of the song’s lyrics go like this: “Where are the eyes that were so mild, Where are the legs with which you run, When first you went to carry a gun, Indeed your dancing days are done, 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, All from the island of Ceylon; So low in the flesh, so high in the bone, With your guns and drums and drums and guns, Oh my darling dear, Ye look so queer, Johnny I hardly knew ye”. The original version has Ceylon’s name as island of Sulloon.
Some believe that the song is based on the American civil war but what relates it to Sri Lanka is the line ‘All from the island of Sullon’. The country was known as Ceylon until 1972.
According to Irish Music Daily, ‘Johny I Hardly Knew Ya’ is one of the most powerful anti-war songs ever to come out of Ireland before going international. The imagery in the song is graphic and at times grotesque for this is a song that pulls no punches, according to it. “It sets out the horrors of war as a way of ensuring that young Irishmen would never be sent to fight in British wars again. Although it is an Irish song, it transcends national boundaries and has become popular all over the world”. – Somasiri Munasinghe
