When the Lights Go On Again (All Over the World)
| "When The Lights Go on Again" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra | |
| Released | 1943 |
| Genre | Popular music |
| Writer(s) | Eddie Seiler, Sol Marcus, Bennie Benjamin |
"When the Lights Go On Again (All Over the World)" is a popular song composed during World War II. It was written by Bennie Benjamin, Sol Marcus and Eddie Seiler. The first recording by Vaughn Monroe reached number one on the charts in 1943.
The song expresses the hopes for an end to the war. The title is from the refrain found throughout the song as is found in the first verse:
When the lights go on again all over the world
And the boys are home again all over the world
And rain or snow is all that may fall from the skies above
A kiss won't mean "Goodbye" but "Hello to love"
The reference to "lights going on again" alludes to the remark "The lamps are going out all over Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our life-time", attributed to British statesman Sir Edward Grey on the eve of the First World War. The title of the song may also refer to the longed-for end to the blackout restrictions imposed in London and elsewhere during the Second World War.
Lucky Millinder's version reached number twelve on the pop charts and reached number one on the R&B charts for two non consecutive weeks.
Music was a large part of culture during World War II. During the war, music served as a uniting factor among people around the world; “When the Lights Go On Again” was one of the songs that helped keep up the spirits of those who were struggling. Famous singer Vera Lynn was best known for her music during the war, including popular songs such as “Lili Marlene” and “Yours.” She “will always be remembered by all who endured the Hell of Hitler’s Blitz, she will always be remembered by the troops.”
Music has long been used to fight conflict and to help further the resolution of conflicts, as well as to fuel the fires of anger in some situations. In the case of “When the Lights Go On Again,” the song was written to give people a sense of hope and calm. Most agree that the lyrics were inspired heavily by the London blackout, which were imposed to combat the bombing raids by the Germans, called the Blitz, which lasted from September 1940 to May 1941. The blackouts lasted through to the end of the war.
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