For the first time in 70 years, British singer Vera Lynn is at the top of the UK music charts.
Imagine a pop star, and the image that comes to mind is probably a beautiful, curvaceous young woman with a blindingly white smile, luscious curls, and dance moves that rival the performers of Cirque du Soleil. But Britain’s latest chart-topper, Vera Lynn, doesn’t quite fit that picture.
Lynn has a mane of white hair and a well-worn face; if she ventured a split, she’d probably never stand again. But despite her disparities from the pop idol mold, 92-year-old Lynn has become an unsuspecting second-time superstar. Her new album, We’ll Meet Again - The Very Best of Vera Lynn, is a collection of her recordings dating back 70 years, to the World War II era. In those days, Lynn was known as “the Forces’ Sweetheart,” and her sad, evocative songs helped soldiers feel connected to their loved ones back at home while on the front.
She hadn’t recorded a new song in years, but to her (and everyone else’s) surprise, the greatest hits collection has struck a chord with a huge audience, and has spent several weeks as the number one album in Great Britain.
“I certainly didn’t expect it to go to No. 1,” Lynn told TIME. “I thought the songs were suitable for that time and that there would be new songs that would come along to take their place.” Yet she understands why the album’s title song, “We’ll Meet Again,” holds a timeless quality: “It meant so much to so many people, and it’s lived on. People know that practically all around the world, and I think it will go on forever, really. It’s just one of those songs.”
Though Lynn’s new album has topped the efforts well-known competitors including Kings of Leon, Lady Ga Ga, and Beyoncé, the senior chanteuse isn’t too familiar with the rest of the modern music scene. “If I switch on the radio and hear some nice classical music, I will sit and listen to it but I don’t sort of play records or go for any particular type of music.”
And while Lynn is thrilled with her unlikely comeback, she knows that this album will be her swan song. Since time has taken a toll on her vocal chords, she said, “I wouldn’t attempt to record anything now. I’d rather leave people knowing my voice as it was.”
Check out the wonderful video of Lynn’s “We’ll Meet Again” below, or purchase the import CD.