what does "We hardly knew ye" mean?

[texasleo]

Is it at all sarcastic, or does it literally mean that you were not here long enough?

Is it positive or negative?

thanks

[Courtesy Flush]

1. It's like a tribute

It's a traditional tribute to the recently departed. It means we didn't have nearly enough time together.

It comes from cultures where people knew each other intimately. But there's never enough time to know a person fully.

[texasleo]

2. gracias

[sarge43]

3. Didn't Bill Moyers use it in a tribute to Jack Kennedy?

"Johnny, we hardly knew ye." Thousands days and all that.

[Bossy Monkey]

4. Yes. Before that an Irish dirge

for a young man lost in war, "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye":
http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/23/messages/525.html
http://www.bartleby.com/250/28.html

[Deja Q]

5. Something more interesting than "We hardly screw ye"

:rofl:

[deadparrot]

9. You mean, "We hardly screwn ye."

:D

[Crabby Appleton]

6. Farewell to the departed

From an old traditional Irish song, that morphed into When Johnnie comes marching Home.

There as a book and movie about JFK that used it as the title.

[Oeditpus Rex]

7. It's probably from the Irish song

"Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye," a woman's mournful message to her husband, who lost both legs in battle. The melody is the same as the Civil War song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," which was written later.

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

Where are your eyes that were so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your eyes that were so mild, hurroo, hurroo
Where are your eyes that were so mild,
When my heart you so beguiled
Why did ye run 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 for 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 flesh, so high in 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 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 never will take our sons again
No, they never will take our sons again
Johnny, I'm swearing to ye

[JVS]

8. We don't have anything positive to say, so we'll give you the benefit of...

the doubt and claim that it was because we hardly knew you