A JOLLY CHRISTMAS FROM FRANK SINATRA — Track #4: “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”

“If only in my dreams…”

Frank’s birthday was December 12th. There are 12 tracks on A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra — his first Christmas album, released by Capitol Records in 1957. We’ll bring them your way in order, between now and December 24.

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” was written by James Kimball “Kim” Gannon, from the point of view of a soldier stationed overseas during World War II, promising to be home for the holidays. Of course the song becomes a bit of a gut-punch with the line, “if only in my dreams.”

When Gannon wrote the song in 1943 the record companies turned it down, on the grounds that it was too melancholy. Then Bing Crosby got a hold of it, and turned it into one of the most moving songs of the Second World War. It was the most requested song on Bing’s USO tours, and Yank magazine went as far as to say Crosby, “accomplished more for military morale than anyone else of that era.”

Of course the song still resonates today…

Here’s Frank Sinatra singing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”:

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