May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You - wikipedia May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You `` May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You '' is a popular song by Meredith Willson, originally published in 1950. The song is now considered a standard, recorded by many artists. It was used as Tallulah Bankhead 's theme song for her NBC radio program, `` The Big Show. '' Bankhead would recite the words in her husky voice, with guest stars joining in reciting the words, one line per star, which made a memorable ending for the show. However, it was most popular when it was regularly sung by Kate Smith on her early 1950s TV show as the closing song. Notable recordings Many singers have recorded the song, including : Eddy Arnold, The Tennessee Plough Boys and his Guitar recorded in New York City on December 13, 1950. It was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20 - 0425 ( in USA ) and by EMI on the His Master 's Voice label as catalog number MH 148. Jose Mari Chan - included in his album Christmas in Our Hearts ( 1990 ). Perry Como - for his album When You Come to the End of the Day ( 1958 ) Bing Crosby - a single release recorded December 13, 1950 for Decca Records. Joni James - for her album Give Us This Day ( 1957 ). Katherine Jenkins - included in her album Sacred Arias ( 2008 ). Teddy Johnson - A 1951 single release for Columbia Records in the UK. Included in the compilation album These Were Our Songs - The Early 50s. Frankie Laine - A single release on Mercury - 5580 and included in his album Music, Maestro, Please ( 1952 ). Liberace - included in his album My Inspiration ( 1961 ). Johnny Mathis - for his album Good Night, Dear Lord ( 1959 ) Jim Reeves - for his album Songs to Warm the Heart ( 1959 ). Cliff Richard - included in his album Good News ( 1967 ). Ernest Tubb - a single release for Decca in 1951. Tammy Wynette - included in her album Inspiration ( 1969 ) Faron Young - for his album My Garden of Prayer ( 1959 ) References Jump up ^ `` 45worlds.com ''. 45worlds.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` A Bing Crosby Discography ''. BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved September 13, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Discogs.com ''. Discogs.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017. Jump up ^ `` 45cat.com ''. 45cat.com. Retrieved September 14, 2017. See also Priestly Blessing, an ancient Jewish prayer with similar themes Eddy Arnold Studio albums I Want to Go with You The Everlovin ' World of Eddy Arnold So Many Ways / If the Whole World Stopped Lovin ' Songs `` Anytime '' `` Bouquet of Roses '' `` The Cattle Call '' `` Do n't Rob Another Man 's Castle '' `` Easy on the Eyes '' `` Eddy 's Song '' `` Gonna Find Me a Bluebird '' `` A Heart Full of Love ( For a Handful of Kisses ) '' `` I Really Do n't Want to Know '' `` I Walk Alone '' `` I Wanna Play House With You '' `` I Want to Go with You '' `` I 'll Hold You in My Heart '' `` I 'll Hold You in My Heart ( Till I Can Hold You in My Arms ) '' `` I 'm Throwing Rice ( At the Girl That I Love ) '' `` If I Had You '' `` It 's a Sin '' `` Just a Little Lovin ' ( Will Go a Long Way ) '' `` Just Call Me Lonesome '' `` Kentucky Waltz '' `` Lonely Again '' `` Make the World Go Away '' `` May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You '' `` Misty Blue '' `` San Francisco is a Lonely Town '' `` Somebody Like Me '' `` Texarkana Baby '' `` Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye '' `` There 's Been a Change in Me '' `` The Tip of My Fingers '' `` Trouble in Mind '' `` Turn the World Around '' `` What Is Life Without Love '' `` What 's He Doing in My World '' `` The Wheel of Hurt '' `` When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again '' `` You Do n't Know Me '' Related articles Discography The Eddy Arnold Show Eddy Arnold Time Roy Wiggins Meredith Willson Musicals The Music Man ( 1957 ) The Unsinkable Molly Brown ( 1960 ) Here 's Love ( 1963 ) 1491 ( 1969 ) Film scores The Great Dictator ( 1940 ) The Little Foxes ( 1941 ) Compositions Music Man `` Iowa Stubborn '' `` ( Ya Got ) Trouble '' `` Seventy - six Trombones '' `` Goodnight, Ladies '' `` Shipoopi '' `` Till There Was You '' Other `` May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You '' `` It 's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas '' `` I See the Moon '' `` Iowa Fight Song '' Related The Big Show Tammy Wynette Studio albums Your Good Girl 's Gonna Go Bad ( 1967 ) Take Me to Your World / I Do n't Wanna Play House ( 1968 ) D-I-V-O-R-C-E ( 1968 ) Stand by Your Man ( 1969 ) Inspiration ( 1969 ) The Ways to Love a Man ( 1970 ) Tammy 's Touch ( 1970 ) The First Lady ( 1970 ) We Sure Can Love Each Other ( 1971 ) Bedtime Story ( 1972 ) My Man ( 1972 ) Another Lonely Song ( 1974 ) Woman to Woman ( 1974 ) I Still Believe in Fairy Tales ( 1975 ) ' Til I Can Make It on My Own ( 1976 ) You and Me ( 1976 ) Let 's Get Together ( 1977 ) One of a Kind ( 1977 ) Womanhood ( 1978 ) Just Tammy ( 1979 ) Only Lonely Sometimes ( 1980 ) You Brought Me Back ( 1981 ) Soft Touch ( 1982 ) Good Love & Heartbreak ( 1982 ) Even the Strong Get Lonely ( 1983 ) Sometimes When We Touch ( 1985 ) Higher Ground ( 1987 ) Next to You ( 1989 ) Heart Over Mind ( 1990 ) Without Walls ( 1994 ) Collaboration albums We Go Together Me and the First Lady We Love to Sing About Jesus Let 's Build a World Together We 're Gonna Hold On George & Tammy & Tina Golden Ring Together Again Honky Tonk Angels ( 1993 ) George and Tammy Super Hits ( 1995 ) One ( 1995 ) Singles `` I Do n't Wanna Play House '' `` Take Me to Your World '' `` D-I-V-O-R-C-E '' `` Stand by Your Man '' `` Singing My Song '' `` The Ways to Love a Man '' `` He Loves Me All the Way '' `` Run, Woman, Run '' `` We Sure Can Love Each Other '' `` Good Lovin ' ( Makes It Right ) '' `` Bedtime Story '' `` Reach Out Your Hand ( And Touch Somebody ) '' `` My Man ( Understands ) '' `` ' Til I Get It Right '' `` Kids Say the Darndest Things '' `` Another Lonely Song '' `` Woman to Woman '' `` ' Til I Can Make It on My Own '' `` You and Me '' `` Womanhood '' `` Crying in the Rain '' `` Sometimes When We Touch '' Collaboration singles `` My Elusive Dreams '' `` We 're Gonna Hold On '' `` Golden Ring '' `` Near You '' `` Two Story House '' `` Silver Threads and Golden Needles '' `` It Was n't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels '' Related articles Discography Discography with George Jones `` Justified & Ancient '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=May_the_Good_Lord_Bless_and_Keep_You&oldid=800562877 '' Categories : 1950 songs Songs written by Meredith Willson Eddy Arnold songs Jim Reeves songs Tammy Wynette songs Talk About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 14 September 2017, at 09 : 16. 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Question: who wrote the song may the good lord bless and keep you
Answer: Meredith Willson