Great Stories Online / Audio Stories / Vera Lynn
Vera Lynn: Britain's Greatest National Treasure
Listen to this fascinating story of how and why Vera Lynn became the most popular singer in Britain during the Second World War. The reasons for her popularity and her singing style are explained together with how the BBC misunderstood public demand for her type of music leading to them banning such music during certain periods of the war.
But Vera Lynn was far more than just a popular singer. This story tells of her work during the war in supporting servicemen, factory workers and the home population making her, arguably, Britain’s greatest national treasure.
© 2022 Idiomatic Media
The music contained, for which we claim no copyright ownership, includes: Cinderella Stay In My Arms – Bert Ambrose Orchestra (featuring Vera Lynn); Adolf – Billy Cotton & His Band; Red Sails in the Sunset – Joe Loss Orchestra (featuring Vera Lynn); I’m in the Market for You – Bert Ambrose & His Orchestra; Top Hat – Anon (Crown Records); We’ll Meet Again (original Novachord version) – Vera Lynn; That Lovely Weekend – Vera Lynn; We’ll Meet Again – Benny Goodman & his Orchestra (featuring Peggy Lee); Candle in the Wind – Elton John; Calling all Workers – BBC Orchestra; Lili Marlene – Lale Anderson; Lili Marlene – Marlene Dietrich; Lili Marlene – Vera Lynn; Extracts from Sincerely Yours – BBC; We’re Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line – Sydney Lipton & The Grosvenor House Dance Orchestra; Image Me in the Maginot Line – George Formby; Doing the Lambeth Walk – Gracie Fields; Worker’s Playtime – BBC Radio Orchestra; Extracts from ITMA (It’s That Man Again) – BBC; White Cliffs of Dover – Vera Lynn; Bob Hope Radio Show – Bob Hope; Moonlight Serenade – Glenn Miller; A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square – Vera Lynn; We’ll Meet Again – Vera Lynn leading community singing.
