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12/17/10 - NNHS Newsletter - I'll Be Home for Christmas “Christmas is the keeping-place for memories of our innocence.”- Joan Mills |
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“I am not alone at all,
I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course,
-
Taylor Caldwell |
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Dear Friends and Schoolmates,
Today's Newsletter theme is being revisited from six years ago today:
http://nnhs65.com/12-17-04-NNHS-Be-Home.html
BONUS #1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFGfCn5rKIM - I'll Be Home for Christmas - Bing Crosby, 1943
BONUS #2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pk-SLQPYJ0 - I'll Be Home for Christmas - Frank Sinatra, 1957
BONUS #3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxOpV8fmEik - I'll Be Home for Christmas - Josh Groban - "...dedicated to all the families that have someone serving in the military ..."
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27ll_Be_Home_for_Christmas:
"I'll Be Home for Christmas" is a
Christmas
song, written by
Buck
Ram,
Kim
Gannon and
Walter Kent. In 1943, this song joined "White Christmas" to become one of America's most popular Christmas songs. The recording by Bing Crosby shot to the top ten of the record charts that year and became a holiday musical tradition in the United States. The idea of being home for Christmas originated in World War I when soldiers at first thought that the war would be quick and they would return by Christmastime. This inevitably did not happen, hence the line "if only in my dreams". A song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was first copyrighted on August 24, 1943, by Kent (music) and James "Kim" Gannon (lyrics). The two revised and re-copyrighted their song on September 27, 1943, and it was this version that was made famous by Crosby. The label on Crosby's recording credits "I'll Be Home for Christmas" to Kent, Gannon, and Ram. Later recordings usually credit only Kent and Gannon. The discrepancy arose from the fact that on December 21, 1942 Buck Ram copyrighted a song titled "I'll Be Home for Christmas (Tho' Just in Memory)"—that song bore little or no resemblance, other than its title, to the Crosby recording. According to Ram, who was primarily a lyricist, he had written the lyrics as a 16-year-old, homesick college student. Prior to his publishers planned release, he had discussed the song with two acquaintances in a bar. He left a copy with them, but never spoke to them about it again. Both he and his publisher were shocked when the song was released by a competing publishing house. Per news articles of the day, Ram's publisher, who had been holding the song back a year because they were coming out with "White Christmas," sued Gannon and Kent's publisher and prevailed in court. On October 4, 1943, Crosby recorded "I'll Be Home for Christmas" with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra for Decca Records. Within about a month of Kent and Gannon's copyright the song hit the music charts and remained there for eleven weeks, peaking at number three. The following year, the song reached number nineteen on the charts. It touched a tender place in the hearts of Americans, both soldiers and civilians, who were then in the depths of World War II, and it earned Crosby his fifth gold record. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" became the most requested song at Christmas U.S.O. shows in both Europe and the Pacific and Yank, the GI magazine, said Crosby accomplished more for military morale than anyone else of that era. "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was recorded by Perry Como (1946), Frank Sinatra (1957) and countless other artists. WEBMISTESS' NOTE: Of the very many versions of this Christmas song, I have collected almost all of them over the years, and Frank Sinatra's version is by far, in my humble opinion, a spectacular standout among them all - the very best of the best. |
THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS:
Happy Birthday today to
Tom Oxner
('65) of AR!
Happy Birthday tomorrow to James Strickland ('57)!
Happy Birthday this week to:
19 - Durwood Adams ('57);
21 -
My Friend, Judy Bundy Bowermaster (Litchfield HS, IL - '59) of IL;
22 -
Kitty Norman Haskins ('57)
AND
Harry Barritt ('64) of VA AND
Dale Mueller ('64) of VA
AND Bill Rash ('67) of VA;
23 -
Tom Flax ('64) of VA AND
Joyce Lawrence Cahoon ('65) of VA
AND Holly Hill Campbell (Hampton Roads Academy - '72)
of VA;
24 -
James Gay ('57)
AND
Ann W. Hutcheson ('57)
AND
Sandye Jordan Murray ('67) of VA!
Many Happy Returns to You All!
http://www.nnhs65.com/Happy-Birthday.html
From
Bill Lee (Warwick HS - '54) of NC -
12/16/10 - "December 17, 1944":
On the night of
December 17, 1944, Pier 8, one of the largest covered piers on the
Newport News waterfront caught fire and burned uncontrollably throughout
the night; lighting up the sky for miles. A stiff breeze fanned the
flames, and wind-borne sparks endangered nearby structures and piers, as
well as private property outside the port area's security boundaries.
Telephone calls from frightened citizens flooded the local newspaper
office, but, incredibly, for twelve hours the military denied that there
even was a fire!
The local fire
department was allowed to enter the security perimeter to assist, but
reporters and photographers were turned away at the gate. A resourceful
Daily Press photographer went to the
Warwick Hotel, the tallest and nearest public vantage point that
overlooked the port area. Photos were taken and included in the next
morning’s edition of the Daily Press, along with information gleaned
from civilian dockworkers and firefighters.
YOWZERONI-WOWZERONI!
I do not believe I ever
heard this exciting story before, Bill! Thank you so very much for
sharing it with us!
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THIS DAY IN WWII:
December 17, 1941 - Japanese forces landed in Northern Borneo. December 17, 1944 - Battle of the Bulge – Malmedy massacre – American 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs were shot by Waffen-SS Kampfgruppe Peiper. |
THIS DAY IN 1965:
Friday, December 17, 1965 - Ice hockey player Craig Berube was born in Calahoo, Alberta, Canada.
Friday, December 17, 1965 - Tom Oxner celebrated his 18th birthday.
From Norris Perry (Warwick HS - '59) of
VA -
08/05/10 - "Vote for Grace (REPEATED)":