"In 1943 the world was at war, and many thousands of American [and Canadian] men and women in the service would be spending Christmas far from home. As a special gift to them and their families came this lovely, tender ballad, recorded by Bing Crosby. Just a year earlier, Bing had had a best-seller with Irving Berlin's 'White Christmas,' and his recording of this new song by Kim Gannon and Walter Kent also passed the million-record mark in sales. On December 17, 1965, the Crosby recording became the first 'request' that was broadcast into outer space. As astronauts James Lovell and Frank Borman were hurtling back to earth aboard Gemini7 after their record 206 orbits, a NASA transmitter asked if there was any music they would especially like to hear. Their immediate reply? Bing's 'I'll Be Home for Christmas.' "
Merry Christmas Songbook, The Reader's Digest Assoc. Inc., 1981.
I'll be home for Christmas;
You can plan on me.
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree.
Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love-light gleams.
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams.
