Vera Lynn beats the Beatles to number one

Sep 14, 2009, 14:26 GMT

London - She gave soldiers courage in a time of war. For many of them, hers was the last female voice they heard before being hit by a bullet in the fight against Nazi Germany. Vera Lynn was 'The Forces' Sweetheart.'

70 years after the beginning of World War Two, the 92-year-old British singer has made an unexpected comeback: despite competition from the Beatles, Lynn has reached the number one spot in the British charts with her album 'We'll meet again: The very best of Vera Lynn.' That makes her the oldest singer ever to have a number one album.

Former British prime minister Winston Churchill, who led Britain though the war, was certainly one of Lynn's most famous fans. But it was the nameless soldiers who drew comfort, hope and perhaps courage from her songs. Listening to her voice, they could imagine it was that of a wife or sweetheart, waiting for them at home.

The lyrics of her songs may seem kitsch nowadays. But for soldiers who constantly had to face death on the battlefield, they held a warm promise: 'We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when, but I know we'll meet again, some sunny day.'

Although the album's release was timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the war, Lynn had not reckoned with such success: 'I am extremely surprised and delighted, and a big thank you to all my fans for putting me there,' she said. But she says she has no plans to record any new songs.

Lynn's songs remained popular until the 1950s. Her hit 'Aufwiederseh'n sweetheart' also brought her fame in the US.

Her last big performance was in 1995, when she sang in front of Buckingham Palace to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Allies' victory over Nazi Germany.

Before her latest album, she had never managed a number one. But her 'Best of' record managed the feat without any great publicity.

Her hit 'We'll meet again' has received over half a million clicks on internet video-sharing site Youtube. But the song has no elaborate video to accompany it.

The music, which so effortlessly transports the listener, is set to a series of photographs. The contrast between music and pictures could not be bigger. The photographs show soldiers in trenches, in landing boats or behind barbed wire.

Music experts have expressed surprise at Lynn's success, particularly because of the competition: The Beatles' digitally remastered albums were also released last week. And the Fab Four are holding down spots 5,6, 9 and 10 in the hit parade.

But the music store chain HMV pointed out that the Beatles' albums were only released on Wednesday and thus had not been for sale for the whole week.

'The purchasing by fans is being diffused over a wide range of Beatles titles,' said HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo. This had left the door open for Lynn.

'Its a really lovely surprise, that nobody could have imagined a few weeks ago,' he said. 'And its ironic that its taken one revered British icon to block the historic return of another to the top of the chart.'