I hope that you all know that when the Queen gave her speech this past Sunday, she referenced the great song by Vera Lynn when she said, "We will meet again."! (Remember I told you I mailed a birthday card to Dame Vera Lynn in March? She turned 103!)
Dame Vera Lynn and Katherine Jenkins will release a recording of "We'll Meet Again" with the monies going to the National Health Service in Britain. Isn't that wonderful? And not only that but in Britain, they are asking for people to SING the song, out on their doorsteps or balconies on May 8th at 9PM. (British time, of course.) And for the folks in Britain, the song will be on BBC1, and so, you will just have to sing along with the telly! (Yes, Brits really do say "telly" and not "TV"!)
May 8, 2020 is the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. (VE Day.)
Now, I know you are dying to ask me if I will be singing along with Britain at the same time. (This would be at 4PM on May 8th, Eastern time.) Of course, I will! I might be the only American on my street, but I will do it anyway!
The song, "We'll Meet Again" was written by Ross Parker and Hughie Charles. They also wrote, "There'll Always Be An England". I just learned that Hughie Charles retired to EASTBOURNE in England in the early 1980's! Why, I might have walked right beside him along the seafront there on my visits and never knew it! You all know how much I admire songwriters, I hope...
Just look at this list of some of the songs that he wrote:
"Blue Skies Are Round The Corner"
"I Shall Be Waiting"
"I Shall Always Remember You Smiling"
"There's A Land of Begin Again"
"When They Sound The Last All Clear"
"Sing A Song of Tomorrow-Today"
"Till All Our Prayers Are Answered"
So, you see, not only does the song "We'll Meet Again" apply to our lives today but these song titles also seem to strike a chord.
You and songwriters, Kay - a very special relationship, and I have never learnt so much about them as from your blog. Thank you for that!
ReplyDeleteIn O.K.'s village, they play Ode to Joy and a handful of other well known German songs every Sunday at 6:00 pm. Everyone who plays an instrument is encouraged to play from their windows, balconies, gardens etc.; those wo don't play instruments can sing along.
I wonder whether we'll be timing our activities on Sunday in a way that we can participate; I predict I would start singing and then have to stop because the tears would come.
I need to have my own blog just about songs and songwriters!
DeleteODE TO JOY, that is wonderful!I LOVE that they do that, have the instruments being played and people singing along.
I would cry all through it, I know I would.
I've not heard about the sing on your doorstep thing - maybe it will be more advertised nearer the time! The Thursday clapping at 8pm is gathering momentum and is a really emotional thing for a few minutes!
ReplyDeleteWe copy a lot of things from Britain, so I think we should get either JOhnny Cash or the INkspots on our phones and sing ,"We'll Meet Again" on the same day!
DeleteOh, how beautiful is this version of We'll Meet Again - it brought tears to my eyes. A fabulous idea to release a recording for the National Health Service. The British people do things so beautifully - I thought the Queen's speech was magnificent: it was majestic, warm, absolutely appropriate, and spoken with Perfection. Long may she reign! Your fringetree is lovely too - one I have never seen before. Easter blessings to you, Kay.
ReplyDeleteHello Pat in Australia! I knew you would love the Queen's speech also!! And you would love the fringe tree, it grows wild but many are now having them in their gardens also. You know I want one! The photo that I have here was right on top of Arabia Mountain! HOw it can survive in the open like that, in the wind, the rain, the hot and the cold...it must be one tough plant!
DeleteI didn't know about the singalong in May. That will be a wonderful thing to witness. I shall promote it on my blog. Thanks for letting us all know about it.
ReplyDeleteOh! And you are in Yorkshire too, and here I am telling you about it! That's funny! But I do read a lot on the BBC, and I have been writing a lot about Dame Vera Lynn, so that is how I know. (You know how you are alerted to certain news items because of the things that you have researched? That must be how I knew about it so early. Anyway...I hope you will sing!!
DeleteThe fringe tree is lovely! I had never heard of those before.
ReplyDeleteBlessings~
I adore the fringe tree! It goes by many common names...I also like Grancy Greybeard tree! Although, I think fringe tree suits it better! Blessings to you. Happy Easter.
DeleteI am pretty sure that I still have Vera Lynn singing it on an old 78rpm record. I certainly have a few CDs of her singing. Splendid lady.
ReplyDeleteA marvelous lady she is! Did you see on the news that she sent a letter to a family who had lost a loved one, they read her letter out at the woman's funeral. I think that's right, I do get things mixed up now...regardless, I remember that the family was so thrilled that Dame Vera Lynn took the time to write to them. Splendid, indeed.
DeleteI was able to hear the Queens speach, which I think was well received by all. She is such a wonderful person and has gone through a lot in her life time. We will all love to meet each other when this is over.
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed. We are all in the same boat in this world, we are all ONE.
DeleteAbout time we realized it.
A grand old song that's getting a new life today!
ReplyDeleteI agree! Songs are like that, the good ones.
DeleteI love to think of you singing along in Georgia when they are singing in England! What a wonderful list of songs Hughie Charles wrote. Hope sounds like a theme in all of them which is certainly what we need now...
ReplyDeleteHope is the theme...yes, indeed that is certainly what we need now!
DeleteI am going to give Emily a native tree as a gift for her getting her tenure and we were talking about a shadbush/amelanchier but this Fringe tree is very beautiful...https://www.southernliving.com/garden/grumpy-gardener/fringe-tree-the-best-native-nobody-grows. And it has fruit (if female) for wildlife, I see, and is hardy well north of us.
ReplyDeleteOh KRISTI! That pleases me so much, I cannot tell you!
DeleteAnd I know very well the link you gave me...the Grumpy Gardener is Steve Bender, he writes for Southern LIving magazine and I even remember the article about the fringe tree! It is indeed a beautiful tree. The photo of the tree that I have on this post is from the top of Arabia Mountain. There is only a sparkleberry tree beside, nothing else. It has survived in the heat and the cold, in the strong winds and pouring rain and hail! It is magnificent!