My Son, My Son

For the 1940 film, see My Son, My Son!.

"My Son, My Son"
Single by Vera Lynn
Released	October 1954 (1954-10)
Recorded	1954
Genre	Traditional popular music
Label	Decca Records - F 10372
Writer(s)	Bob Howard, Gordon Melville Rees and Eddie Calvert
Producer	Frank Lee
Vera Lynn singles chronology
"The Windsor Waltz" (1953) "My Son, My Son" (1954) "Who Are We" (1956)

"My Son, My Son" is a traditional popular music song written by Bob Howard, Melville Farley and Eddie Calvert in 1954.^[1]

The best known recording of the song, by Vera Lynn, climbed to the number one spot in the UK Singles Chart in November that year.^[1]

Earlier, in 1951, her recording of "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" climbed to the very top of the U.S. Billboard chart, a feat she no doubt would have repeated in the United Kingdom had there been a chart there at the time.^[1] As it was, Lynn managed her only British number one with the sentimental ballad "My Son, My Son", towards the end of the most active part of recording career.^[1] Her song was produced by Frank Lee and released on Decca Records under the original catalogue number - F 10372.^[1]

Eddie Calvert, who co-wrote the song, joined Mantovani as the second number one hit recording star to write a number one hit for someone else.^[1] The full credit on Lynn's record read 'Vera Lynn with Frank Weir, his Saxophone, his Orchestra and Chorus'.^[2] "My Son, My Son" was Lynn's fifth chart hit in the UK, following on from "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart", "Forget-Me-Not", "The Homing Waltz" (all 1952) and "The Windsor Waltz" (1953).^[2]

A recording by Frankie Vaughan and Vocal Group with Geoff Love and his orchestra was made in London on September 19, 1954. It was released by EMI on the His Master's Voice label as catalog number B 10766.

See also

• List of number-one singles from the 1950s (UK)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 14. ISBN 0-85112-250-7. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 334. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

Preceded by "Hold My Hand" by Don Cornell

UK Singles Chart Number 1 single Vera Lynn 5 November 1954 for two weeks

Succeeded by "Hold My Hand" by Don Cornell