Bluebirds over
31/08/25 01:45
Early in World War II, from 1940 to 1941, has been referred to as England’s darkest hour. The phrase is frequently attributed to Winston Churchill, although he may not have used it in the exact form in which it is often quoted. He did make a famous speech in June of 1940 in which he described the fall of France following the German invasion as “the darkest hour in French history,” and after the war described the period just before Dunkirk as “the darkest moment.” The period following the fall of France and before the United States' entry into the war was a dark time. People may have used he proverb, “the darkest hour is just before dawn,” to boost their courage. Following the Fall of France and the evacuation of the British Army from Dunkirk, the British Empire was the only major power fighting against the Axis Powers in Europe. Britain was engaged in an air war over the skies of England, and it seemed that the United Kingdom was under direct threat of invasion. Greece continued to fight the Axis powers until the summer of 1941, when Crete surrendered to the Germans.
Across Europe, many people were subjugated, and the power of the Axis seemed unbeatable.
It was in this context, in 1941, that Nat Burton wrote lyrics set to a tune composed by Walter Kent. The song was recorded by Vera Lynn in 1942 and quickly became a hit, subsequently covered by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Kay Kyser Orchestra, Jimmy Dorsey, Sammy Kay, Kate Smith, and others. The song provided hope in the difficult days of a growing world war:
There’ll be bluebirds over
The white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow
Just you wait and see
There’ll be love and laughter
And peace ever after
Tomorrow
When the world is free
Nat Burton must not have known that the bluebird is not indigenous to the UK. British listeners to the song might have thought it a reference to blue-colored swallows, often cited as harbingers of spring, which do frequent the cliffs.
Like many popular songs of the 1940s, it has fallen into partial obscurity. It is seldom sung these days, and when it is, it is considered to be “old-time.”
The relative obscurity of the song, combined with its belonging to the mid-20th Century, may have been a factor in how shocked the judges of Britain’s Got Talent were in 2010 when 10-year-old Chloe Hickinbottom stood on the stage of that show and belted out the song like a big band crooner. Her performance has been preserved and has been viewed by millions on YouTube. There is something about the very young girl singing such an old song with such intensity and passion that grips audiences.
I was thinking of Hickinbottom’s performance when I looked up the lyrics of the song last night. The rapid rise of fascism in the United States, combined with the expansionist talk of the current President of the US, has shocked the world. Like many others, I have seen a lot of parallels with the rise of fascism in Germany, Italy, and other parts of Europe in the 1940s. As music is an integral part of my life and plays a crucial role in my emotional regulation, I often turn to popular songs for signs of courage and hope. I could, however, only remember the words to the chorus. Looking up the lyrics revealed a direct reference to the air war over England:
I’ll never forget the people I met
Braving those angry skies
I remember well
as the shadows fell
The light of hope in their eyes
And tho’ I’m far away
I can still hear them say
“Thumbs Up!”
For when the dawn comes up
Other verses use the chorus as a promise to the frightened people of the United Kingdom as war raged overhead, bombs rained down, and invasion seemed imminent:
When night shadows fall
I’ll always recall
Out there
Across the sea
Twilight falling down
On some little town
It’s fresh
in my memory
I hear mother pray
and to her baby
Say
“Don’t cry,”
Follow those verses with the chorus, “There’ll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover, tomorrow, just you wait and see.” The result is powerful hope in hard times.
As we continue to stand up for the Constitution and for our neighbors and friends, we are entering dark times. As such, it is essential to remember that we are called beyond resistance. We are called to hope. I’ll keep looking for new songs to lift our spirits in these days, and as I do, I’ll never forget the power of a ten-year-old singing a song that was six decades old when she was born. Music transcends time.
May we all have the courage to teach our children and grandchildren the old songs.
Across Europe, many people were subjugated, and the power of the Axis seemed unbeatable.
It was in this context, in 1941, that Nat Burton wrote lyrics set to a tune composed by Walter Kent. The song was recorded by Vera Lynn in 1942 and quickly became a hit, subsequently covered by the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Kay Kyser Orchestra, Jimmy Dorsey, Sammy Kay, Kate Smith, and others. The song provided hope in the difficult days of a growing world war:
There’ll be bluebirds over
The white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow
Just you wait and see
There’ll be love and laughter
And peace ever after
Tomorrow
When the world is free
Nat Burton must not have known that the bluebird is not indigenous to the UK. British listeners to the song might have thought it a reference to blue-colored swallows, often cited as harbingers of spring, which do frequent the cliffs.
Like many popular songs of the 1940s, it has fallen into partial obscurity. It is seldom sung these days, and when it is, it is considered to be “old-time.”
The relative obscurity of the song, combined with its belonging to the mid-20th Century, may have been a factor in how shocked the judges of Britain’s Got Talent were in 2010 when 10-year-old Chloe Hickinbottom stood on the stage of that show and belted out the song like a big band crooner. Her performance has been preserved and has been viewed by millions on YouTube. There is something about the very young girl singing such an old song with such intensity and passion that grips audiences.
I was thinking of Hickinbottom’s performance when I looked up the lyrics of the song last night. The rapid rise of fascism in the United States, combined with the expansionist talk of the current President of the US, has shocked the world. Like many others, I have seen a lot of parallels with the rise of fascism in Germany, Italy, and other parts of Europe in the 1940s. As music is an integral part of my life and plays a crucial role in my emotional regulation, I often turn to popular songs for signs of courage and hope. I could, however, only remember the words to the chorus. Looking up the lyrics revealed a direct reference to the air war over England:
I’ll never forget the people I met
Braving those angry skies
I remember well
as the shadows fell
The light of hope in their eyes
And tho’ I’m far away
I can still hear them say
“Thumbs Up!”
For when the dawn comes up
Other verses use the chorus as a promise to the frightened people of the United Kingdom as war raged overhead, bombs rained down, and invasion seemed imminent:
When night shadows fall
I’ll always recall
Out there
Across the sea
Twilight falling down
On some little town
It’s fresh
in my memory
I hear mother pray
and to her baby
Say
“Don’t cry,”
Follow those verses with the chorus, “There’ll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover, tomorrow, just you wait and see.” The result is powerful hope in hard times.
As we continue to stand up for the Constitution and for our neighbors and friends, we are entering dark times. As such, it is essential to remember that we are called beyond resistance. We are called to hope. I’ll keep looking for new songs to lift our spirits in these days, and as I do, I’ll never forget the power of a ten-year-old singing a song that was six decades old when she was born. Music transcends time.
May we all have the courage to teach our children and grandchildren the old songs.
