During the war she toured Egypt, India, and Burma (Myanmar) as part of ENSA, giving outdoor concerts for the troops. The songs most associated with her are "We'll Meet Again", "The White Cliffs of Dover", "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" and "There'll Always Be an England".
She remained popular after the war, appearing on radio and television in the UK and the US and recording such hits as "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" and her UK Number one single "My Son, My Son". Her last single, "I Love This Land", was released to mark the end of the Falklands War. In 2009, at age 92, she became the oldest living artist to top the UK Albums Chart.
She has devoted much time and energy to charity work connected with ex-servicemen, disabled children, and breast cancer. She is held in great affection by veterans of the Second World War to this day and in 2000 was named the Briton who best exemplified the spirit of the 20th century.
On 20th March, 2017 Dame Vera celebrated her 100th birthday.
Vera Margaret Welch was born in East Ham, London. She began performing publicly at the age of seven and adopted her maternal grandmother's maiden name, Margaret Lynn, as her stage name when she was eleven. Her first radio broadcast, with the Joe Loss Orchestra, was in 1935. At this point she was being featured on records released by dance bands including those of Loss and of Charlie Kunz.
Vera Lynn made her solo recording debut with the song "The General's Fast Asleep" on the 3rd October 1935, accompanied by the Rhythm Rascals (A pseudonym for Jay Wilbur's orchestra). The 9" 78 rpm single was issued on the Crown Records label, which went on to release a total of 8 singles recorded by Vera Lynn and Charles Smart on organ. Early recordings include "I'm in the Mood for Love" and "Red Sails in the Sunset".
In 1938 the Decca label took over control of the British Crown label and the UK based Rex label, they had also issued early singles from Lynn in 1937, including "Harbour Lights". In late September 1939 Vera Lynn first recorded a song that continues to be associated with her: "We'll Meet Again" was originally recorded with Arthur Young on the Novachord.
In 1940 she began her own radio series, "Sincerely Yours", sending messages to British troops stationed abroad. In this radio show she and a quartet performed the songs most requested to her by soldiers stationed abroad. She also went into hospitals to interview new mothers and send messages to their husbands overseas. She toured Burma and gave outdoor concerts for soldiers.
In 1941 Vera Lynn married Harry Lewis, clarinettist, saxophonist and fellow member of Bert Ambrose's orchestra.
In 1942 she recorded the Ross Parker/Hughie Charles song "We'll Meet Again" while making the film of the same name. The nostalgic lyrics ("We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know we'll meet again some sunny day") had a great appeal to the many people separated from loved ones during the war, and it became one of the emblematic songs of the wartime period.
After the war, her "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" became the first record by a British artist to top the US charts, doing so for nine weeks, and she appeared regularly on Tallulah Bankhead's US radio programme "The Big Show". "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart", along with "The Homing Waltz" and "Forget-Me-Not" gave Lynn a remarkable three entries on the first UK Singles Chart, a top 12 (which contained 15 songs owing to tied positions).
Lynn's career flourished in the 1950s, peaking with "My Son, My Son", a number-one hit in 1954. It was co-written by Eddie Calvert.
Throughout the 1940s and 1950s the Decca label issued all of Lynn's records, including several recorded with Mantovani and His Orchestra in 1942 and with Robert Farnon, from the late 1940s. Firstly they were only available as 78 rpm singles, which only feature two songs an A and a B-side. In the mid-1950s Decca issued several EP singles, which featured between two and four recordings per side, such as Vera Lynn's Party Sing Song from 1954 and singles were issued on two formats the known 78 rpm 10" and the recently introduced 45 rpm 7" single. In the late 1950s Lynn recorded four albums at Decca, the first; Vera Lynn Concert remains her only live recording ever to be issued on vinyl.
In 1960, after more than 20 years at Decca Records, Lynn signed to the US based MGM Records. In the UK her recordings were distributed by the His Masters Voice label, later EMI Records. Several albums and stand-alone singles were recorded with Geoff Love & His Orchestra. Norman Newell also took over as Lynn's producer in this period and remained with her until her 1976 album Christmas with Vera Lynn. Recording at EMI Records up until 1977, Lynn released thirteen albums with material as diverse as traditional Hymns, pop and country songs, as well as re-recording many of her known songs from the 1940s for the albums Hits of the Blitz (1962), More Hits of the Blitz and Vera Lynn Remembers – The World at War (1974). In the 1980s two albums of contemporary pop songs were recorded at the Pye Records label, both including covers of songs previously recorded by artists such as ABBA and Barry Manilow.
In 1982 Lynn released the stand-alone single "I Love This Land", written by André Previn, to mark the end of the Falklands War. Lynn's last recordings before her retirement were issued on the 1984 album Vera Lynn Remembers, produced by her husband, Harry. The album featured 17 re-recordings of songs known and associated with Lynn over her career.
Lynn was awarded the British War Medal 1939–1945 and the Burma Star.
She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1969 New Year Honours "for services to the Royal Air Forces Association and other charities", and was advanced to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 1975 Birthday Honours for charitable services.
In 1976 she received an honorary doctorate from the Memorial University of Newfoundland. In 1977 She was made an honorary citizen of Nashville, Tennessee. She received the Freedom of the City of London in 1978.
She was made a Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 1985. She was made an Officer of the Order of Saint John (OStJ) in 1998 and, in 2000, Lynn received a special "Spirit of the 20th Century" Award.
A street named in her honour, Vera Lynn Close, is situated in Forest Gate, London.
She was appointed Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment and charity.
A preserved example of the WD Austerity 2-10-0 class of steam locomotives at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is named Dame Vera Lynn.
Because
Vera Lynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Because you're mine I love you so
I just wanna this world to know
But I was rockin' to night just to have my baby with me near
And because you're mine I keep on wanting you dear
I walk you home always from school
He said you are too young
Just to know the meaning of love
But because you're mine my heart took that final choke
Because you're mine I love you so
I just wanna this world to know
Well I love you baby I love you baby, baby mine
And because I love you that's just because you are all mine
Because you're mine I love you so
I just wanna this world to know
Well rock o mine just to have my baby with me near
And because you're mine I keep on loving you dear
Woooo, woooo ah, ah
Woooo, woooo ah, ah
The lyrics to Vera Lynn's song "Because" express a deep and unwavering love that the singer has for someone. The repetition of the line "Because you're mine I love you so" emphasizes the intensity and strength of this love. The singer wants the world to know about their love, indicating a desire for recognition and validation.
In the second paragraph, the lyrics mention walking the person home from school, suggesting a close and caring relationship. The acronym "O-T-T" could stand for "over the top," implying that the person is always a bit foolish or extravagant in their actions. The lyrics also mention someone telling the person that they are too young to understand love, but the singer's heart disregards this opinion. This may indicate a defiance of societal norms and expectations surrounding love.
The repetition of the chorus in the third paragraph continues to emphasize the powerful nature of the singer's love. The line "rock o mine just to have my baby with me near" suggests that the singer finds comfort in the presence of their loved one, further illustrating the deep connection they share.
The concluding section consists of vocalizations, expressing the emotions beyond words. The "woooo" and "ahhh" sounds could represent a mixture of passion, longing, and joy, adding an emotional touch to the song.
Overall, these lyrics convey a message of unwavering love and a desire to declare it to the world, even in the face of societal judgments and expectations. The singer's devotion and attachment to their loved one is powerfully expressed throughout the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Because you're mine I love you so
I love you so deeply and passionately because you belong to me
I just wanna this world to know
I want everyone in the world to be aware of our love
But I was rockin' to night just to have my baby with me near
Last night, I was eagerly waiting and longing for my baby to be close to me
And because you're mine I keep on wanting you dear
Because you are mine, I constantly desire and crave your presence, my dear
I walk you home always from school
I always accompany you on your way home from school
O-T-T say back always fool
Other people may consider me foolish for doing so, but I don't care
He said you are too young
Someone mentioned that you're too young
Just to know the meaning of love
Implying that you can't fully understand love at your age
But because you're mine my heart took that final choke
But because you belong to me, it made my heart tighten with overwhelming emotions
Well I love you baby I love you baby, baby mine
I express my deep love for you, my baby, you are mine and only mine
And because I love you that's just because you are all mine
The reason I love you so much is that you are completely mine
Well rock o mine just to have my baby with me near
To have my baby close to me, I feel an intense sense of happiness
And because you're mine I keep on loving you dear
Because you belong to me, I continue to love you dearly
Woooo, woooo ah, ah
Vocalization in the song, adding emotional emphasis
Woooo, woooo ah, ah
Vocalization in the song, adding emotional emphasis
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NIKOLAUS BRODSZKY, SAMMY CAHN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rosemary Clooneytunes
..how could anyone 'not' like this clip .. This is truly one of the nicest and best performances of Vera Lynn, magnificent! Her voice, her personality, and the way she sings and perfoms these beautiful songs is so touching .. Thank you for posting !!
PubliusHA
It is amazing the effect of such magnifcent talent that Vera Lynn possess has on a listener. A powerful yet soft voice that is enchanting, making one wish she was singing about you. Dame Lynn enunciates every syallable of every word in the high or low range so you can feel the meaning of the lyrics. She is just pure talent and we are lucky to have her.
Anthony Cilano
Absolutely fantastic. The best version of this wonderful, heart wrenching song. THANK YOU MISS LYNN!
kester1940
Thank you Bert. What a wonderful and rare performance.
Kinura8
This is fantastic...what a heartfelt delivery! Thanks for posting!
2003geraldo
brilliant singing ,a real star, not the rubbish we have today.
beaubarri
Magnificent. Sung as only vera can.
ursmue1937
beaubarri , sorry, that’s Lanza’s Song.
barrie mcisaac
what a wonderful voice .i could listen to her voice forever.thank you for posting
John Robertson
From another time, still relevant today..RIP Dame Vera, the Queens Queen