"We'll Meet Again" is a 1939 song by English singerVera Lynn with music and lyrics composed and written by English songwritersRoss Parker andHughie Charles. It was first recorded on September 28, 1939 by Vera Lynn with Arthur Young.[1] The song is one of the most famous of theSecond World War era, resonating with servicemen going off to fight as well as their families and loved ones.[2]
The song was published by Michael Ross Limited, whose directors included Louis Carris, Ross Parker and Norman Keen. Keen, an English pianist, collaborated with Parker and Hughie Charles on "We'll Meet Again", as well as many other songs published by the company, including "There'll Always Be an England" and "I'm In Love For The Last Time".
The song's original recording featured Lynn accompanied by Arthur Young onHammond Novachord (an early electronic keyboard), while a rerecording in 1953 featured a more lavish instrumentation and a chorus ofBritish Armed Forces personnel.[3][4][5]
In April 2020, a charity duet withKatherine Jenkins, released in 2014, reached number 72 on the UK Singles Chart, with proceeds going toNational Health Service charities.[citation needed] In May 2020 following the 75th Anniversary celebrations of VE Day, the solo version by Lynn also reached number 55 in the UK chart.[11]
Traditionally, this song is played on 5 May as a closure to theLiberation Day Concert in Amsterdam, to mark the end ofWorld War II in the Netherlands.[19]
In 2024, the piece was performed by the South Netherlands Philharmonic at theNetherlands American Cemetery. "We'll Meet Again" closed out the program, which commemorated the 80th anniversary of The Netherlands' liberation.[20]
On 5 April 2020,Queen Elizabeth II referenced the song in a rare televised address that aired to Britain and the Commonwealth, where she expressed her gratitude for the efforts people are taking to mitigate theCOVID-19 pandemic virus and acknowledged the severe challenges being faced by families across the world.[21] The reference spurred covers byWest End theatre stars with Lynn[22] andKatherine Jenkins just some months before Lynn died. Jenkins' version was released on iTunes as a benefit for theNHS Charities Together.[23]
^“We'll Meet Again”. Music VF – US & UK Hit Charts. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
^Asprou, Helena (18 June 2020). “What are the lyrics to Dame Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll Meet Again’ – and what’s the story behind the WWII song?”. Classic FM. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
^"Vera Lynn".Officialcharts.com. Retrieved29 October 2024.
