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.
That Lovely Weekend
Vera Lynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Those two days of heaven you helped me to spend
The thrill of your kiss as you stepped off the train
The smile in your eyes like the sun after rain
To mark the occasion we went out to dine
Remember the laughter, the music, the wine
That drive in the taxi when midnight had flown
You had to go, the time was too short
We both had so much to say
Your kit to be packed, the train to be caught
Sorry I cried but I just felt that way
And now you have gone, dear, this letter I pen
My heart travels with you till we meet again
Keep smiling, my darling, and someday we'll spend
A lifetime as sweet as that lovely weekend
You had to go, the time was too short
We both had so much to say
Your kit to be packed, the train to be caught
Sorry I cried but I just felt that way
And now you have gone, dear, this letter I pen
My heart travels with you till we meet again
Keep smiling, my darling, and someday we'll spend
A lifetime as sweet as that lovely weekend
The opening lines of Vera Lynn's song "That Lovely Weekend" are simple yet perfectly encapsulate the feeling of a beautiful, brief moment. The singer is reminiscing about a weekend spent with someone they care about deeply, acknowledging that they haven't properly thanked them for the special memories. The vivid descriptions of the kisses and the smile in the other person's eyes convey a sense of warmth and joy, and the singer seems to be reliving the experience with a sense of nostalgia.
The next verse goes into more detail about the specific moments that made up that weekend. There was dinner, music, wine, and a midnight taxi ride. The following morning, there was breakfast with just the two of them. All of these moments are painted as if they were perfect snapshots of happiness, framed by the memory of the person the singer spent them with.
The final verse brings a sense of longing and longing for the future. The person has left and the singer is left with a letter to pen. They promise that their heart is with the other person until they meet again, hoping for a lifetime of happiness to come. The repetition of the line "we both had so much to say" underscores the feeling that this weekend was just a brief interruption in a deeper connection, and that there is more to explore in the future.
Overall, Lynn's "That Lovely Weekend" perfectly captures the bittersweet feeling of something wonderful that has come to an end. The singer is left with gratitude for the experience and a hope for the future, but also a sense of sadness at the separation.
Line by Line Meaning
I haven't said thanks for that lovely weekend
I express gratitude for the happy weekend we shared, which I failed to thank you for.
Those two days of heaven you helped me to spend
The two days we spent together were ecstatic like heaven, and I appreciate you for it.
The thrill of your kiss as you stepped off the train
I remember the excitement of your kiss when you arrived, making me feel elated.
The smile in your eyes like the sun after rain
When you looked at me, your smile shone and made me feel like the sun has come out after a storm.
To mark the occasion we went out to dine
We took the chance to go and eat out to commemorate and enjoy the moment together.
Remember the laughter, the music, the wine
I recall with fondness the joyous sounds of our laughter, the rhythms of the music, and the sweetness of the wine.
That drive in the taxi when midnight had flown
As we took the taxi ride back, it felt like time flew by in a blur, and it's hard to believe it was already midnight.
Then breakfast next morning, just we two alone
The next morning, we shared a lovely breakfast together, savoring each other's company with no one else around.
You had to go, the time was too short
Regrettably, it was time for you to go, for there were so many things we wanted to talk about and do, but there wasn't enough time.
We both had so much to say
We both wished to share our thoughts and feelings with each other, but we didn't have enough time to do it all.
Your kit to be packed, the train to be caught
You had to pack your luggage and catch the train.
Sorry I cried but I just felt that way
Please pardon my tears that flowed when you left; it's just how I felt at the time.
And now you have gone, dear, this letter I pen
Now that you're gone, my dearest, I write this letter to you.
My heart travels with you till we meet again
I want you to know that my heart goes with you, and I carry you within me until we see each other again.
Keep smiling, my darling, and someday we'll spend
My love, please keep on smiling, and I look forward to spending more time together someday.
A lifetime as sweet as that lovely weekend
I hope that our lifetime together will be as blissful and delightful as that lovely weekend we shared.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MOIRA HEATH, TED HEATH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jennysquib1
Thank you so much for posting this lovely, romantic song! It encapsulates all those bitter-sweet, snatched war-time moments, when the lovers never knew if they would ever see each other again. Always makes me think of my wonderful Mum. And who could sing it better than Vera?
Marie Maribo
I really love her voice! Thanks Lilly!
Lord Roy 88
Simply superb!
Janeblueheaven7
Just a gorgeous song
Gordon Taylor
RIP Dame Vera.
Colin Hazell
Really romantic!
TheEngineer4077
Hard to find some good Vera Lynn songs. Thanks for uploading the song Lilly.
leathandrubb
MY DADS MATE SUNG THE FIRST LINE OF THIS MANY YEARS AGO WHILE HE,HIS WIFE MYSELF AND MY MAM AND DAD WERE OUT AT THE PUB (THE NEW UN' IN ASKERN DONCASTER)I OFTEN WONDERED WHAT IT WAS AND SO GLAD I HAVE GOT ROUND TO LISTENING TO IT ON HERE.MY MAM AND DAD (ALBERT AND ETHEL FOX ) PLUS HARRY AND KATE MOSES HAVE LONG SINCE DEPARTED.GOD BLESS THEM
Nick Latheron
please don't shout 🙂
leathandrubb
Hi nick I have had comments like this before and will have to say again that I type in upper case so like my friend who can hardly see has a better chance of reading what have typed. any way I have got worn out with this during the years so have give it up as a bad job and hope the ones who can't see very well can read what I have typed.