No doubt this song will get quite a few airplays over the weekend during the 60th anniversary of the D day landings.

There was interesting programme on Radio 4 last Saturday explaining how the song had been deliberately put together to boost the campaign to get the USA to join in the war. Taking elements of "over the rainbow" (bluebirds, similar chord structure and feel)which had been a hit shortly before, the writers added imagery to evoke poor little Britain battling away on their own etc in order to touch the American conscience.

It was a hit in the States but when Vera Lynn got hold of it and recorded it for the UK market the British Government tried to have it banned because it would make the troops homesick and undermine morale!

Rog

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I moved this message here from another thread on the same topic.
-Joe Offer-