In perusing that book by David McCullought, “In the Dark Streets Shineth”, I learned some things about music and Christmas. In the middle of World War II, with the war raging and more than 1,000,000 Americans stationed world wide and serving as soldiers, two musicians decided to write some new music.

Kim Gannon, lyricist, and Walter Kent, composer, decided to write a new Christmas song. Walter Kent was already well known and liked for his earlier song “The White Cliffs of Dover,” which became a most popular song in Great Britain—nearly a national anthem.

Together these two wrote “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” The song expressed in simple words the feelings of longing on behalf of the service men and women, to be home for the holidays. It conveyed the light and darkness felt by so many at this season.

“I’ll be home for Christmas,
where the love light gleams.
I’ll be home for Christmas,
If only in my dreams.”

I even used to sing (well, only to myself) this song longingly when I served in Germany during two Christmas seasons. So I can imagine soldiers’ feelings.

When this song was recorded by Bing Crosby it became a most popular Christmas song. It was a more popular carol than even “White Christmas!”