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I'll Be Home for Christmas

from Austin for Christmas by Karen Mal & Will Taylor

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Was written by Kim Gannon and composed by Walter Kent. 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. But Bing Cosby listed only Kim and Walter as the songwriters.

The song is sung from the point of view of a soldier stationed overseas during World War II, writing a letter to his family. Kim Gannon claimed on at least one occasion that he was not thinking of the soldiers when he wrote the lyrics but of all people who are unable to be home for Christmas. When he pitched the song to people in the music business, they turned it down because the final line was too sad for all those separated from their loved ones in the military. When playing golf with Bing Crosby, however, Gannon sang the song for Crosby, who decided to record it. The flip side of the original recording (Decca 18570B) was "Danny Boy"

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.

FUN FACT: 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.

After Gannon's death in 1974, he left royalty rights to the song to the American Heart Association, which has benefited since.

Source: Wikipedia,

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from Austin for Christmas, released December 2, 2017

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Will Taylor & Strings Attached Austin, Texas

🎻 Violinist heard on The Office, NPR, & Collaborations w/Willie Nelson, Pearl Jam, and Shawn Colvin. ❤️ Will Taylor and Strings Attached has made a name for itself by reworking iconic music like the Beatles ‘White album’, as well as Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd, Paul Simon, and Jimi Hendrix—adding jazz and roots flavors along with string arrangements to lovingly assembled acoustic renditions. ... more

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