A long time ago, the Girl Singer at the Jazz Club sang a haunting song, insanely popular during WW2, called "We'll Meet Again." The artist who introduced it was one Vera Lynn. The lyrics run (loosely) "We'll meet again; don't know where, don't know when but I know we'll meet again some sunny day! Keep smiling through as you always do 'cause I know we'll meet again some sunny day."
You can see why that would resonate with those alive in WW2. I like it so much that I left instructions for it to be played at the "afters" when we're dead. It's also blessed with a very danceable beat.
It was also the background music for the atom bomb explosions in "Dr. Strangelove."
Today the Notable Birthdays column in the Daily Breeze led off with Vera Lynn, 102! I really had associated her so strong with WW2 that I just assumed that she had died long ago. How wrong I was.
Her life was filled (justifiably so) with awards and citations (the good kind; not traffic violations) and she was made first an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1969 which was followed by a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1975. This latter won her the Dame in front of her name.
She married Harry Lewis (saxophonist) in 1941; they had a daughter - now 71 - and they were married 57 years before he died in 1998.
Vera, I'm sorry I thought you were dead when you were actually just fine. When I see you, I'll apologize. Keep smiling through!
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