Top Ten Wartime Tunes

Since I first posted my Top Ten Wartime Tunes on my website a couple of years ago, I've had almost ten thousand visitors. So I couldn't resist reposting my list for those of you who missed it the first time around.

You can hear all ten pieces by clicking on each song title.

And of course, it begins and ends with the great Vera Lynn, who is still with us at the age of 99.

Here's the link: www.elinorflorence.com/blog/wartime-music-encore

 

Elinor, thank you for putting all these together , nice to click and listen. I was only 5 when the war ended and have few memories of it but in the years following heard most of these songs and I still enjoy them. I always found it interesting that Lily Marlene , it has numerous spellings, was popular with Allied and Axis troops. It has a most curious history starting as a poem in WW1 by a German soldier that I read some where was Jewish, first recorded as a song in the late 30's in English, very popular with German troops in German and became the theme song of the British 8th Army. Even more ironic Marlene Dietrich, born and raised in Germany where she became a popular singer and actress moved to Hollywood to even greater success and recorded the version most popular with American troops and entertained Allied soldiers . Defies general belief.

I always enjoy your insights into the war.

Gaines

 

By Roger Waters, The Wall

Vera (A beautiful song in my opinion and a fitting tribute to Ms. Lynn and her music.)

Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn
Remember how she said that
We would meet again
Some sunny day
Vera! Vera!
What has become of you
Does anybody else in here
Feel the way I do ?

I always wondered who she might be. Thank you for the special information.

The title is a reference to Vera Lynn, a British singer who came to prominence during World War II with her popular song "We'll Meet Again". The reference is ironic, as Roger Waters (and his fictional character "Pink") would not meet his father, lost in the war. The lyric "Vera, what has become of you?" suggests that Vera Lynn herself, like her promise, vanished.
Another interpretation is that the song is about "Pink" losing all faith. This is supported by the fact that "Vera", in Russian, means "Faith". It is unknown if Waters did this on purpose or not.
The opening dialogue ("Where the hell are you, Simon?") and the sound effects are from the 1969 film The Battle of Britain.

Someday Roger will tell us. He may even drop by this Forum from time to time, seeing as he is very affected by WW II.

 

Thank you, Gaines. I always appreciate your comments.

 

Vera Lynn has a pretty high profile yet in Great Britain, so she certainly didn't vanish. But that is a very interesting song by Roger Waters. Here is a link to the song on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pot0HeAMKk4 Perhaps he will set us straight! Thanks for your comment.