We hardly knew ye

Posted by Smokey Stover on November 13, 2006

In Reply to: [goodbye/farewell] ___, [we/i] barely knew [thee/ye/you]. posted by fred on November 11, 2006

: I was wondering the origin of the phrase: [goodbye/farewell] ___, [we/i] barely knew [thee/ye/you].
: as in, "Farewell Pluto, we barely knew thee." I think the goodbye/farewell is optional as well.

I think that those who are using similar phrases to the one about Pluto are harking back to the phrase, "Johnny, we hardly knew ye," Ken O'Donnell's memoir of JFK written shortly after his death. At the time of O'Donnell's book it seemed that the phrase may have been borrowed by him, but I've seen no earlier use of a similar phrase.
SS

• We hardly knew ye Bob 13/November/06
  • We hardly knew ye Smokey Stover 14/November/06
    • We hardly knew ye Bob 14/November/06