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.
Yours
Vera Lynn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yours 'til the birds fail to sing
Yours to the end of our life's story
This pledge to you dear, I bring
Yours in the grey of December
Here or on far distant shores
I've never loved anyone the way I love you
Just yours
This night has music, the sweetest music
It echoes somewhere within my heart
I hold you near me, oh darling hear me
I have a message I must impart
Yours 'til the stars lose their glory
Yours 'til the birds fail to sing
Yours to the end of life's story
This pledge to you dear, I bring
Yours in the grey of December
Here or on far distant shores
I've never loved anyone the way I love you
How could I, when I was born to be
Just yours
Just yours
When I was born to be just yours
The song "Yours" by Vera Lynn is a timeless romantic ballad that expresses deep love and devotion for someone. In the opening lines, the singer pledges their unwavering love and commitment to their beloved, promising to remain faithful until the end of their life's story. The imagery of stars losing their glory and birds failing to sing speaks to the timeless nature of their love, which will endure through any circumstance.
The song's refrain repeats this promise of love, emphasizing the deep emotional connection between the singer and their beloved. The bridge of the song reflects on the power of music to express emotions, and the singer uses this music as a medium to communicate their love to their partner. The final lines of the song declare that the singer was born to be only for their beloved, emphasizing the depth of emotion and commitment they feel.
Overall, "Yours" is a powerful and poignant love song that speaks to the enduring nature of love and commitment. It is a song that can be appreciated by anyone who has ever felt deeply in love.
Line by Line Meaning
Yours 'til the stars lose their glory
I promise to be yours forever, even if the stars lose their brilliance and shine.
Yours 'til the birds fail to sing
I promise to be yours always, even if the birds stop singing their sweet melodies.
Yours to the end of our life's story
I promise to love and cherish you until the end of our lives, until our story comes to a close.
This pledge to you dear, I bring
I give you my solemn pledge and vow, my beloved.
Yours in the grey of December
I will always be yours, even when life is bleak and dreary as it is in December.
Here or on far distant shores
Whether we are together or separated by great distances, I will always be yours.
I've never loved anyone the way I love you
There has never been anyone else in my life that I have loved as deeply and completely as I love you.
How could I, when I was born to be Just yours
It is my fate and destiny to be yours, and there is nothing in this world that can change that.
This night has music, the sweetest music
The night is filled with beautiful music that is a reflection of the love that I feel for you.
It echoes somewhere within my heart
The music echoes in my heart because my love for you is so pure and true.
I hold you near me, oh darling hear me
As I hold you close, my beloved, please listen to me and hear the words of my heart.
I have a message I must impart
There is something important that I need to share with you, my love, and it is this pledge of eternal devotion.
Just yours, Just yours, When I was born to be just yours
I was born to be yours alone, forever and always. My heart and soul belong to you, and you alone.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music
Written by: A. GAMSE, G. ROIG, J. SHERR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@faith4094
LOVE this song....and her voice! Love all the WWII pictures:)
@TheSorrowfulFlower
***** I'm so glad you enjoyed it! She's got a beautiful voice--I love this song, too! :))
@pogamasing
In September of 1942, my 20 year old uncle, Donald Plaunt, who would become the pilot of a Lancaster bomber, wrote his younger sister Jean about one of his crew: "Right now my tail gunner is batting away at the piano and every now and again is playing “Yours”, which just about makes me weep. Yes in spite of its antiquity it is still my favourite piece. One just doesn't hear any better over here." He was killed on March 12, 1943 on his 11th mission.
@annie3524
Such a beautiful woman may you rest in peace we will never forget you. Till we meet again xxx
@annrogers8129
My dearest mum used to sing this. She passed last year at the age of 98. Thank you for posting this, I miss her so much🙂😢😢
@ervinlekkas8937
I have a coppy of the disc speed 78 DECCA with the songs of Vera Lynn , Padam... Padam.... and Yours 💪👏👏
@tkyaheya
Great song with lovable and memorable pictures!!
@TheSorrowfulFlower
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching and commenting :))
@garydaniels714
This wonderful lady helped win a world war. ...never forget that. ..
@Jymster46
Wonderful song and video, Heather! Great stuff from days gone by. Thank you for posting it! Wishing you a wonderful upcoming week.
Jim