nytlive.nytimes.com – British singer Vera Lynn has come up with an awesome way to celebrate her centennial birthday. Last week, Lynn’s record label announced that a new album of her work is set to be released on her 100th birthday, March 17, in a feat that will make her the first person in history to release an album at the age of 100 years old. Fittingly, the album will be titled “Vera Lynn 100” and will feature her original vocals set to re-orchestrated versions of “The White Cliffs of Dover” and “Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart,” among some of her other most famous songs.
Lynn has had a remarkable career. She began performing at the age of 7 and during World War II famously traveled to far-flung locales like Egypt, Myanmar and India to entertain the soldiers. Her morale-boosting performances earned her the nickname the “forces’ sweetheart.” After the war, she became the first British pop star to top the U.S. charts. In 1975, she was made a dame and has been honored by Queen Elizabeth on several occasions.
The singer demurred about the possibility that her forthcoming album might shoot to the top of the charts, saying, “It might seem quite tame to these young people, the music. But for us it was very exciting and very meaningful and it meant a lot to people.” She added, “It’s truly humbling that people still enjoy these songs from so many years ago, reliving the emotions of that time.” Below, list to Lynn’s 1942 version of “The White Cliffs of Dover.”
