5th November, 1954 (2 weeks)
Vera Lynn, aka, The Troops' sweetheart - As British as Doctor Who and a bowler hat - scored her only UK number 1 towards the end of her height as a recording artist.
Fondly remembered by many as a symbol of plucky British morale during The War, Vera Lynn is greatly remembered for songs such as 'We'll Meet Again', 'The White Cliffs Of Dover' and 'Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart' often used as morale boosters on her tours for British troops during WWII. Of course, it's this that gives Dame Vera Lynn that special place in the British psyche.
Placing aside my usual flippant and slightly condescending attitude, Vera Lynn is truly a special force in the history of UK music. The direct impact of her legacy may not be as obvious as The Beatles or The Smiths. But as an icon, as a concept - to this day - she manages to sum up an attitude that the British hold about themselves (rightly or wrongly). She is the embodiment of the British blitz spirit: the musical version of a cup of tea and the personification of our 'keep calm and carry on' attitude.
And that makes it a shame that this was her only UK Number 1. It's not a bad song, but it's not one of her greats. Had there been a British music charts in the 1940s, it's pretty much a given she would have achieved a lot more than this sole entry at Number 1: Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart made her the first British act to top the charts in America, for no less than 9 weeks.
But her impact on Britain as a country was remembered once again when she returned to the top in 2009 with her number 1 album 'We'll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn', making her career in music one of the longest in British history. And bloody good for her, I say.
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