I 'll Be Home for Christmas - wikipedia I 'll Be Home for Christmas For other uses, see I 'll Be Home for Christmas ( disambiguation ). The original 1943 release by Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra on Decca, 18570A `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' is a Christmas song written by the lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent and recorded in 1943 by Bing Crosby, who scored a top ten hit with the song. Originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longed to be home at Christmastime, `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' has since gone on to become a Christmas standard. Contents 1 Theme 2 Writing and copyright 3 Bing Crosby recording 4 Notable history 5 Other recordings 6 References 7 Sources 8 External links Theme The song is sung from the point of view of a soldier stationed overseas during World War II, writing a letter to his family. In the message, he tells the family he will be coming home and to prepare the holiday for him, and requests snow, mistletoe, and presents on the tree. The song ends on a melancholy note, with the soldier saying, `` I 'll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams ''. The flip side of the original recording ( Decca 18570B ) was `` Danny Boy '' Writing and copyright The song was written by the lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent. Songwriter and later producer and manager for The Platters, Buck Ram, who said he previously wrote a poem and song with the same title, was credited as a co-writer of the song following a lawsuit brought by Ram 's publisher, Mills Music. Bing Crosby 's original 1943 release of the song on Decca Records listed only Walter Kent and Kim Gannon as the songwriters on the record label. Later pressings added the name of Buck Ram to the songwriting credit. Bing Crosby recording On October 4, 1943, Crosby recorded the song under the title `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas ( If Only in My Dreams ) '', with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra for Decca Records ; it was released as a 78 rpm single, Decca 18570A, Matrix # L3203, and reissued in 1946 as Decca 23779. Within a month of release, the song charted for 11 weeks, with a peak at number three. The next year, the song reached number 16 on the charts. The U.S. War Department also released Bing Crosby 's performance of `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' from the December 7, 1944, Kraft Music Hall broadcast with the Henderson Choir, J.S.T., on V - Disc, as U.S. Army V - Disc No. 441 - B and U.S. Navy V - Disc No. 221B, Matrix # VP1253 - D5TC206. The song from the broadcast has appeared in many Bing Crosby compilations. The song touched the hearts of Americans, soldiers and civilians alike, in the midst 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. The GI magazine Yank said Crosby `` accomplished more for military morale than anyone else of that era ''. 1945 V - Disc release by the U.S. Army of `` White Christmas '' and `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' by Bing Crosby as No. 441B. Despite the song 's popularity with Americans at the front and at home, in the UK the BBC banned the song from broadcast, as the Corporation 's management felt the lyrics might lower morale among British troops. Notable history In December 1965, astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell while on Gemini 7, requested `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' be played for them by the NASA ground crew. Other recordings `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' was recorded by Perry Como ( 1946 ), Frank Sinatra ( 1957 ), Elvis Presley ( 1957 ), Johnny Mathis ( 1958 ), Connie Francis ( 1959 ), Jack Jones ( 1963 ), Anita Baker ( 2005 ) Sara Evans ( Hear Something Country - Christmas 2007, 2007 ), Kelly Clarkson ( iTunes Session ( 2011 ) and Wrapped in Red ( 2013 ) ), Seth MacFarlane ( Holiday for Swing ( 2014 ) ), Pentatonix ( A Pentatonix Christmas ( 2016 ) ), Demi Lovato ( Spotify Singles ( 2017 ) ) and many other artists. References Jump up ^ This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document `` I 'll be home for Christmas ( Song Collection ) ''. Jump up ^ Collins, Ace ( 2010 - 05 - 04 ). Stories Behind the Best - Loved Songs of Christmas. ISBN 9780310873877. Retrieved December 8, 2011. Jump up ^ http://www.discogs.com/Bing-Crosby-With-John-Scott-Trotter-And-His-Orchestra-Ill-Be-Home-For-Christmas-If-Only-In-My-Dreams/master/858710#images/9742434 Jump up ^ `` The Jews Who Wrote Christmas Songs ''. InterfaithFamily.com. Jump up ^ `` A Bing Crosby Discography ''. BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved August 6, 2017. Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1986 ). Joel Whitburn 's Pop Memories 1890 - 1954. Wisconsin, USA : Record Research Inc. p. 109. ISBN 0 - 89820 - 083 - 0. Jump up ^ Pairpoint, Lionel. `` And Here 's Bing ! ''. BING magazine. Retrieved August 6, 2017. Jump up ^ `` A Bing Crosby Discography ''. BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved August 6, 2017. Jump up ^ Rodriguez McRobbie, Linda ( 18 April 2013 ). `` 11 Reasons the BBC Has Banned Hit Songs ''. Mental Floss. Retrieved 11 July 2014. Jump up ^ congress, library of. `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas ''. The Library of Congress. Retrieved 2017 - 11 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Sara Evans, ' I 'll Be Home For Christmas ' -- Song Review ''. Retrieved December 8, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Kelly Clarkson, ' I 'll Be Home for Christmas ' -- Song Review ''. Retrieved December 8, 2011. Jump up ^ `` I 'll Be Home For Christmas ''. Second Hand Songs. Sources This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document `` I 'll be home for Christmas ( Song Collection ) ''. Ewen, David ( Editor ) ( 1966 ). American popular songs from the Revolutionary War to the present. New York : Random House. CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) Call number : ML128. N3 E9. Whitburn, Joel ( 1994 ). Joel Whitburn 's pop hits, 1940 - 1954 : compiled from Billboard 's pop singles charts 1940 - 1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin : Record Research. Call number : ML156. 4. P6 W495 1994. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Josh Groban Studio albums Josh Groban ( 2001 ) Closer ( 2003 ) Awake ( 2006 ) Noël ( 2007 ) Illuminations ( 2010 ) All That Echoes ( 2013 ) Stages ( 2015 ) Live albums Awake Live ( 2008 ) Compilation albums A Collection ( 2008 ) Singles `` To Where You Are '' `` You Raise Me Up '' `` Believe '' `` You Are Loved ( Do n't Give Up ) '' `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' `` Ave Maria '' `` The Prayer '' `` Hidden Away '' `` Você Existe Em Mim '' `` Higher Window '' `` Brave '' `` I Believe ( When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever ) '' Other songs `` All I Ask of You '' `` Sous le ciel de Paris '' Concert tours Closer Tour ( 2004 - 2005 ) Awake Tour ( 2007 ) Straight to You Tour ( 2011 ) All That Echoes World Tour ( 2013 ) Summer Symphony Tour ( 2014 ) Josh Groban on Stage ( 2015 - 2016 ) Related articles Discography Kelly Clarkson songs Discography Thankful `` The Trouble with Love Is '' `` Miss Independent '' `` Low '' `` Beautiful Disaster '' `` A Moment Like This '' `` Before Your Love '' Breakaway `` Breakaway '' `` Since U Been Gone '' `` Behind These Hazel Eyes '' `` Because of You '' `` Gone '' `` Walk Away '' My December `` Never Again '' `` One Minute '' `` Sober '' `` Do n't Waste Your Time '' `` Be Still '' All I Ever Wanted `` My Life Would Suck Without You '' `` I Do Not Hook Up '' `` Cry '' `` All I Ever Wanted '' `` Already Gone '' `` If I Ca n't Have You '' `` Save You '' `` Whyyawannabringmedown '' `` Long Shot '' `` Can We Go Back '' Stronger `` Mr. Know It All '' `` Stronger ( What Does n't Kill You ) '' `` Dark Side '' `` Einstein '' `` I Forgive You '' `` Hello '' `` The War Is Over '' `` Do n't You Wanna Stay '' `` Why Do n't You Try '' Greatest Hits -- Chapter One `` Catch My Breath '' `` People Like Us '' `` Do n't Rush '' Wrapped in Red `` Wrapped in Red '' `` Underneath the Tree '' `` Winter Dreams ( Brandon 's Song ) '' `` 4 Carats '' `` Just for Now '' `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' Piece by Piece `` Heartbeat Song '' `` Invincible '' `` Someone '' `` Take You High '' `` Piece by Piece '' `` Run Run Run '' `` Dance with Me '' `` Nostalgic '' `` Good Goes the Bye '' Meaning of Life `` Love So Soft '' `` Move You '' `` I Do n't Think About You '' Collaborations `` Foolish Games '' `` Little Green Apples '' `` PrizeFighter '' `` All I Ask of You '' `` Second Hand Heart '' Other songs `` ( You Make Me Feel Like ) A Natural Woman '' `` My Grown Up Christmas List '' `` Up to the Mountain '' `` Get Up ( A Cowboys Anthem ) '' `` Tie It Up '' `` It 's Quiet Uptown '' `` Christmas Eve '' Book Songs Portal Perry Como Albums So Smooth ( 1955 ) We Get Letters ( 1956 ) Saturday Night with Mr. C ( 1958 ) When You Come to the End of the Day ( 1958 ) Como Swings ( 1959 ) Season 's Greetings from Perry Como ( 1959 ) For the Young at Heart ( 1960 ) Sing to Me Mr. C ( 1961 ) By Request ( 1962 ) The Best of Irving Berlin 's Songs from Mr. President ( 1962 ) The Songs I Love ( 1963 ) The Scene Changes ( 1965 ) Lightly Latin ( 1966 ) Perry Como in Italy ( 1966 ) The Perry Como Christmas Album ( 1968 ) Look to Your Heart ( 1968 ) Seattle ( 1969 ) Perry Como in Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas ( 1970 ) It 's Impossible ( 1970 ) I Think of You ( 1971 ) And I Love You So ( 1973 ) Perry ( 1974 ) Just Out of Reach ( 1975 ) 40 Greatest Hits ( 1975 ) The Best of British ( UK and Canada ) ( 1977 ) Where You 're Concerned ( US ) ( 1978 ) Perry Como ( 1980 ) Perry Como Live on Tour ( 1981 ) So It Goes / Goodbye for Now ( 1983 ) Today ( 1987 ) Perry Como 's Christmas Concert ( 1994 ) On the Radio -- The Perry Como Shows 1943 ( 2009 ) At the Supper Club ( 2010 ) At the Supper Club Part II ( 2011 ) At the Supper Club Part III ( 2011 ) Songs `` ' A ' You 're Adorable '' `` Ac - Cent - Tchu - Ate the Positive '' `` And I Love You So '' `` As Time Goes By '' `` Bali Ha'i '' `` Because '' `` Beyond Tomorrow '' `` Bibbidi - Bobbidi - Boo '' `` Blue Room '' `` A Bushel and a Peck '' `` Ca n't Help Falling in Love '' `` Catch a Falling Star '' `` Chi - Baba, Chi - Baba ( My Bambino Go to Sleep ) '' `` Confessin ' '' `` Days of Wine and Roses '' `` Deep in the Heart of Texas '' `` Delaware '' `` Do n't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes '' `` Dream Along with Me ( I 'm on My Way to a Star ) '' `` A Dreamer 's Holiday '' `` El Cóndor Pasa '' `` Feelings '' `` Fly Me to the Moon '' `` For the Good Times '' `` Forever and Ever '' `` Forget Domani '' `` Give Me Your Hand '' `` Glendora '' `` The Gypsy in My Soul '' `` Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas '' `` He 's Got the Whole World in His Hands '' `` Hello, Young Lovers '' `` Here, There and Everywhere '' `` Home for the Holidays '' `` Hot Diggity ( Dog Ziggity Boom ) '' `` A House Is Not a Home '' `` I Do n't See Me in Your Eyes Anymore '' `` I Dream of You ( More Than You Dream I Do ) '' `` I Think I Love You '' `` I 'll Be Home for Christmas '' `` If ( They Made Me a King ) '' `` It 's Been a Long, Long Time '' `` It 's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas '' `` Kewpie Doll '' `` The Lord 's Prayer '' `` Magic Moments '' `` Mandolins in the Moonlight '' `` Maria '' `` Moon River '' `` More '' `` No Other Love '' `` Papa Loves Mambo '' `` Prisoner of Love '' `` Round and Round '' `` Santa Claus Is Coming to Town '' `` Seattle '' `` The Shadow of Your Smile '' `` Some Enchanted Evening '' `` Somos Novios ( It 's Impossible ) '' `` The Songs I Love '' `` Stop ! And Think It Over '' `` Surrender '' `` Till the End of Time '' `` Unchained Melody '' `` Wanted '' `` The Way You Look Tonight '' `` What 'll I Do '' `` When You and I Were Young, Maggie '' `` Young at Heart '' Related Perry Como discography Perry Como television and radio shows Beat the Band The Chesterfield Supper Club List of songs recorded by Perry Como Goodman Ace Mitchell Ayres Ray Charles Frank Gallop Nick Perito Bing Crosby Discography Filmography Albums Music of Hawaii ( 1939 ) Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. One ( 1939 ) Patriotic Songs for Children ( 1939 ) Cowboy Songs ( 1939 ) Victor Herbert Melodies, Vol. Two ( 1939 ) George Gershwin Songs, Vol. One ( 1939 ) Ballad for Americans ( 1940 ) Favorite Hawaiian Songs ( 1940 ) Christmas Music ( 1940 ) Star Dust ( 1940 ) Hawaii Calls ( 1941 ) Small Fry ( 1941 ) Crosbyana ( 1941 ) Under Western Skies ( 1941 ) Song Hits from Holiday Inn ( w / Fred Astaire ) ( 1942 ) Merry Christmas ( 1945 ) Selections from Going My Way ( 1945 ) Selections from The Bells of St. Mary 's ( 1946 ) Do n't Fence Me In ( 1946 ) The Happy Prince ( 1946 ) Selections from Road to Utopia ( 1946 ) Bing Crosby -- Stephen Foster ( 1946 ) What We So Proudly Hail ( 1946 ) Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Vol. One ( 1946 ) Favorite Hawaiian Songs, Vol. Two ( 1946 ) Blue Skies ( w / Fred Astaire ) ( 1946 ) Bing Crosby -- Jerome Kern ( 1946 ) St. Patrick 's Day ( 1947 ) Bing Crosby -- Victor Herbert ( 1947 ) Selections from Welcome Stranger ( 1947 ) Our Common Heritage ( 1947 ) El Bingo ( 1947 ) The Small One ( 1947 ) The Man Without a Country ( 1947 ) Drifting and Dreaming ( 1947 ) Blue of the Night ( 1948 ) Selections from Showboat ( 1948 ) The Emperor Waltz ( 1948 ) St. Valentine 's Day ( 1948 ) Bing Crosby Sings with Al Jolson, Bob Hope, Dick Haymes and the Andrews Sisters ( 1948 ) Selections from Road to Rio ( 1948 ) Bing Crosby Sings with Judy Garland, Mary Martin, Johnny Mercer ( 1948 ) Bing Crosby Sings with Lionel Hampton, Eddie Heywood, Louis Jordan ( 1948 ) Auld Lang Syne ( 1948 ) A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur 's Court ( 1949 ) Bing Crosby Sings Songs by George Gershwin ( 1949 ) South Pacific ( 1949 ) Christmas Greetings ( 1949 ) Ichabod -- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow ( 1949 ) Top o ' the Morning / Emperor Waltz ( 1949 ) Songs from Mr. Music ( 1950 ) Go West Young Man ( 1950 ) Le Bing : Song Hits of Paris ( 1953 ) Some Fine Old Chestnuts ( 1954 ) Selections from White Christmas ( 1954 ) Bing : A Musical Autobiography ( 1954 ) High Tor ( 1956 ) A Christmas Sing with Bing Around the World ( 1956 ) High Society ( w / Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, and Louis Armstrong ) ( 1956 ) Songs I Wish I Had Sung the First Time Around ( 1956 ) Bing Sings Whilst Bregman Swings ( 1956 ) Bing with a Beat ( 1957 ) A Christmas Story ( 1957 ) Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves ( 1957 ) Never Be Afraid ( 1957 ) Jack B. Nimble -- A Mother Goose Fantasy ( 1957 ) New Tricks ( 1957 ) Fancy Meeting You Here ( w / Rosemary Clooney ) ( 1958 ) How the West Was Won ( 1959 ) Bing & Satchmo ( w / Louis Armstrong ) ( 1960 ) 101 Gang Songs ( 1960 ) Holiday in Europe ( 1960 ) The Road to Hong Kong ( 1962 ) On the Happy Side ( 1962 ) On the Sentimental Side ( 1962 ) I Wish You a Merry Christmas ( 1962 ) Reprise Musical Repertory Theatre ( 1963 ) Return to Paradise Islands ( 1963 ) Bing Crosby Sings the Great Country Hits ( 1963 ) America, I Hear You Singing ( w / Frank Sinatra and Fred Waring ) ( 1964 ) 12 Songs of Christmas ( w / Frank Sinatra and Fred Waring ) ( 1964 ) That Travelin ' Two - Beat ( w / Rosemary Clooney ) ( 1965 ) Bing ' n ' Basie ( w / Count Basie ) ( 1972 ) A Couple of Song and Dance Men ( w / Fred Astaire ) ( 1975 ) Seasons ( 1977 ) Bing Crosby : The Voice of Christmas ( 1998 ) Family Dixie Lee ( first wife ) Gary Crosby ( son ) Dennis Crosby ( son ) Phillip Crosby ( son ) Lindsay Crosby ( daughter ) Kathryn Crosby ( second wife ) Harry Crosby ( son ) Mary Crosby ( daughter ) Nathaniel Crosby ( son ) Denise Crosby ( granddaughter ) Larry Crosby ( brother ) Bob Crosby ( brother ) Related Songs Bing Crosby recorded multiple times A Tribute to Bing Crosby Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I%27ll_Be_Home_for_Christmas&oldid=825836698 '' Categories : American Christmas songs 1943 songs Bing Crosby songs Songs of World War II Songs with lyrics by Kim Gannon Songs written by Buck Ram Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Decca Records singles Songs with music by Walter Kent Hidden categories : Wikipedia articles incorporating text from public domain works of the United States Government All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2011 CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list Talk More Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Français Italiano 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Simple English Svenska Türkçe 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 15 February 2018, at 18 : 31. 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Question: who sang i will be home for christmas
Answer: Bing Crosby