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.
I'll Be Seeing You
Vera Lynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That this heart of mine embraces all day through
In that small cafe, the park across the way
The children's carousel, the chestnut trees, the wishing well
I'll be seeing you in every lovely summer's day
In everything that's light and gay
I'll always think of you that way
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you
I'll find you in the morning sun
And when the night is new
I'll be looking at the moon
But I'll be seeing you
Vera Lynn's "I'll Be Seeing You" is widely regarded as a classic, having resonated with audiences across the decades since it was first released in 1938. The song is a story of loss, separation, and longing, and it paints a vivid picture of someone who is deeply missing someone they love. The opening line of the song sets the tone as Vera Lynn's voice fills with emotion "I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places." She talks about her heart's desire to see her loved one every day, in the small cafe or the park across the way. Everything around her reminds her of the person she loves, from the children's carousel to the chestnut trees and wishing well.
As the song progresses, the mood shifts to one of nostalgia and fond remembrance. Vera Lynn sings about seeing her loved one in everything that's light and gay, every lovely summer's day, and thinking of them always in such a way. Even when the night is new and the moon is in the sky, she continues to look for her loved one, imagining they're there just out of sight. The last line of the song leaves an emotional impact as she repeats the phrase, "But I'll be seeing you," giving the song a cyclical and haunting quality.
Overall, "I'll Be Seeing You" is a song about the pain of separation and the intensity of love that remains even in the most trying of circumstances. The lyrics are simple yet incredibly moving, and the song has a timeless quality that has given it staying power for generations to come.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places
I will be reminded of you when I am in the places that are familiar to us.
That this heart of mine embraces all day through
My heart holds these places and memories of you close all day long.
In that small cafe, the park across the way
I will recall you when I visit the small cafe and the park nearby.
The children's carousel, the chestnut trees, the wishing well
Memories of you will be triggered when I see the children's carousel, chestnut trees, and the wishing well.
I'll be seeing you in every lovely summer's day
You will come to my mind on every beautiful summer day.
In everything that's light and gay
Every joyous and happy thing will remind me of you.
I'll always think of you that way
I will never be able to forget you and will always have fond memories of you.
I'll find you in the morning' sun
I will feel your presence in the warmth of the morning sun.
And when the night is new, I'll be looking at the moon
When the night is new, I will look up at the moon and remember you.
But I'll be seeing you
No matter where I am or what I am doing, you will always be on my mind.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Irving Kahal, Sammy Fain
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rockon416
No one can sing so beautifully like her. The way she phrased and says each word so meaningfully and emotionally that no one can duplicate. What a powerful and beautiful voice. Dame Vera Margaret Lynn was a truly England’s Treasure. Her inspirational singing during the war was worth more than British army division or two.
@fiftiesftreak
I'm nearly 80 and this takes me back to being a child with my long departed parents and I just can't stop the tears
@capnjan9835
When my Dad was 95 and my Mumma 90, I took them to a small concert by a small group playing music from the 30's and 40's... This tune was playing when I looked over and saw my DAD, my WWII vet 'Seen it all' Dad had mist in his eyes. I asked if he was tired and would he like to leave? He said "No, my dear, I was just remembering that your Mother and I danced miles to this song..." I always think of them when I hear it - particularly Jo Stafford's version .
Gone now these past 12 years for Dad and 5 for Mumma, they are still daily in my thoughts and ever will be.
Fair Winds and Following Seas,
@LiztheLark
Thanks Cap'n Jan for those touching sentiments. The greatest generation is almost gone. My grandparents both served in World War II. What they and their generation gave to the world and especially this country is immeasurable. How far we have fallen from that contrasting then with today's world saddens me so. I wish we could reconnect with the music, the bravery and spirit of those times. We could garner so much from our forebears. Can we? I wish I could be hopeful about that.
@loriblue7768
xxx
@platoon108
John--reluctant to address you as "Just John" until I provoke you with some of my own nonsense. That you have commented on this Vera Lynn song post already makes you pretty cool. What are you doing these days? I am already convinced that you have a somewhat okay music sense--Vera Lynn is expletive of some good music sense...Mr. Just John, pardon me if I am being in any way politically incorrect by communicating with you...What did your Father do for work? Was he in the military? Do you have siblings? Did your Mother work? What did you do for work? Where are you from? So many questions to prod the uniqueness of people. Only hoping I have provoked you I am a 70 year old Carpenter from Delaware that also served in the Marine Corps '68-70....
@Pisceaneye20
Oh boy, tearing up myself reading your story and listening to Vera. What a beautiful memory to cherish and hold. Thank - you for sharing.
@peterholland9366
Lost my wife 7 months ago. All of these songs still make me cry. No words to describe a broken heart.
@donnalayton6876
I am so sorry for your loss. I do understand the feeling. Lost my husband in 2009. I do not think we ever get over it, we just carry on.
@kelvinsurname7051
As most of you know; today it is 2 years ago, our angel left to return to heaven. I still miss her everyday. What an inspiring and magnificent woman she was. Visiting the forgotten army in Burma, what a courageous woman. May she rest in peace godspeed. We will meet again, Vera Lynn. Fly high angel.