I'll Be Home for Christmas

• Date: 1953
• Composer: Walter Kent
• Period: Modern (1910-1949)

Review

Composed in the summer of 1943, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" by Walter Kent and James Gannon was first recorded by Bing Crosby on October 4 of that year. Within a month, it had peaked at number three on the charts. It was re-released the following year and reached number 19 on the charts, earning Crosby his fifth gold single. Kent and Gannon's "I'll Be Home for Christmas," like Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" before it and Blane and Martin's "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" after it, touched the hearts of Americans separated by World War II. With its combination of nostalgic lyrics, an easily sung melody, and cloying harmonies, "I'll Be Home for Christmas" quickly became an American Christmas classic covered by Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, and even Elvis Presley. ~ All Music Guide

Albums with Complete Performances of the Work

Title	Date
A Cabaret Christmas
A Glorious Christmas	1992
A Hometown Christmas, Vol. 2	2003
A New Century Christmas	2000
A Norman Rockwell Christmas
Always in My Heart: Classic Songs from World War II, Vol.2
Best of Christmas in Vienna	2002
Christmas All Over The World	2002
Christmas Favorites (Box Set)	2002
Christmas Favorites from the World's Favorite Tenors	1993
Christmas Is... Percy Faith
Christmas Joy (Box Set)	2002
Christmas Piano Favorites	2001
Christmas Traditions	2004
Christmas Treasures, Vol. 5	1997
Christmas in London	2001
Christmas with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra	1998
Christmas with the Stars	1997
Christmas with the University of Texas at Austin Trombone Choir
Christmastime Is Here	2006
Disney's Christmas Lullaby Album
Holiday Homecoming	2003
Holiday Pops!	2003
I'll Be Home for Christmas	2007
I'll Be Home for the Holidays	1999
Joy to the World	1998
Mistletoe Sax
Noel Patrie: The Christmas Album, Vol. 1	2005
Our Favorite Things	2001
Our Favorite Things [SACD]	2001
Our Favorite Things: Christmas in Vienna [DVD Video]	2001
Silent Night (Box Set)	2002
The Best of Christmas	1995
The Christmas Angels	2006
The Glorious Sounds of Christmas	2008
The Joy of Christmas	2001
The Most Beautiful Sounds of Christmas
The Sounds of Christmas on Guitar	1995
The Three Tenors Christmas	2000
The Three Tenors Christmas [CD & DVD]	2004
The Three Tenors Christmas [SACD]	2000
The Very Best of Kiri Te Kanawa	2003
Time-Life Treasury of Christmas: Christmas Spirit/Christmas Memories	2001
Totally Christmas, Vol. 1	2004
Voices of Christmas
We Three Kings	2003
Weihnachten mit Carreras, Domingo & Pavarotti	1992
What if Mozart Wrote 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus'
While She Was Out [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]	2008