Meaning Behind the Song “Ants Go Marching” pulls some of its lyrics from “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” a Civil War-era song that celebrated soldiers’ return from the war.

In N.Y.C. Apartments, the Ants Go Marching Up. Like many ambitious New Yorkers, the ManhattAnt is a social climber. ... So when she returned home to find swarms of ants in her kitchen, she was livid.