Dear Mom (Glenn Miller song)
Dear Mom was a 1941 World War II song with words and music by Maury Coleman Harris released by Republic Music Corp. The song was inspired by the 1940 Selective Service Act.[1] The original recording was by Sammy Kaye and his Orchestra, with vocals by Allan Foster from the Victor Records stable.[2] This was overshadowed by a recording in 1942 by Glenn Miller.[3]
The lyrics take the form of a "Dear Mom.." letter from a serviceman:
The weather today is cloudy and damp Your package arrived but was missing a stamp Your cake made a hit with all the boys in the camp How they loved it.
Bronco song
A version of the song with changed lyrics later became current as the "Dear Mom" Bronco song, after the OV-10 Bronco, among US pilots in the Vietnam War. Retaining the "Dear Mom" letter beginning the author changes from the son, to "Dear Ma'am," from a fellow pilot informing her of the death of her son in action:[4]
Dear mom (or ma'am), your son is dead, he bought the farm today; He crashed his OV-I0 on Ho Chi Minh's Highway; It was a rocket pass and he busted his ass. Hmmm. Hmmm. Hmmm. He went across the fence to see what he could.
References
- ^ Norman Polmar, Thomas B. Allen - World War II: America at war, 1941-1945 1991 "The passage of the SELECTIVE SERVICE Act in 1940 inspired "Dear Mom" (words and music by Maury Coleman Harris), which Kate Smith introduced: Dear Mom . . . your package arrived but was missing a stamp . . . your cake made a hit with ..."
- ^ Nat Shapiro, Bruce Pollock - Popular music, 1920-1979: a revised cumulation - Volume 1 - 1985 Page 407 "Dear Mom Words and music by Maury Coleman Harris. Republic Music Corp., 1941. Introduced by Sammy Kaye and his Orchestra, vocal by Allan Foster (Victor). .
- ^ Billboard - 21 Feb 1942 "DEAR MOM - A STRONG bid for popularity as a sentimental war song is being made by Maury precision so evident in many other swing Coleman Harris' Dear Mom, a letter of a boy at camp
- ^ Joseph F. Tuso Singing the Vietnam blues: songs of the Air Force in Vietnam 1990 Page 59 "Sometimes appearing with the title 'Dear Ma'am," the 'Bronco Song" has a curiously lilting, playful melody that does not seem to suit the lyrics. Bronco Song Dear mom, your son is dead, he bought the farm today; He crashed his OV-10 on Ho Chi Minh's Highway."