"Till We Meet Again" is an American

popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...

. The music was written by Richard A. Whiting, the lyrics by Raymond B. Egan in

1918 This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide. Events Below, the events ...

. Written during the

Great War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, the song tells of the parting of a soldier and his sweetheart. The title comes from the final line of the chorus: :''Smile the while you kiss me sad adieu,'' :''When the clouds roll by I'll come to you,'' :''Then the skies will seem more blue,'' :''Down in lovers lane my dearie,'' :''Wedding bells will ring so merrily,'' :''Every tear will be a memory,'' :''So wait and pray each night for me,'' :''Till we meet again.'' As Whiting's daughter

Margaret Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular through ...

tells it, the song was intended for a 1918 contest at a Detroit theater. Dissatisfied with the result, Whiting threw the manuscript in the trash. His secretary retrieved it and showed it to their boss, publisher Jerome Remick, who submitted it in the contest, where it won top honors. The song gained widespread popularity in Canadian traditional music circles as a result of its use as the closing number for the CBC television program

Don Messer's Jubilee ''Don Messer's Jubilee'' was a folk musical TV variety show produced at station CBHT in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was broadcast by CBC Television nationwide from 1957 until 1969, after almost two decades in various formats on CBC radio. T ...

. It continues to be a standard ending number for Old Time dances across the country. In

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the ...

, it was the number 1 song of the year as recorded by

Henry Burr Henry Burr (January 15, 1882 – April 6, 1941) was a Canadian singer, radio performer and producer. He was born Harry Haley McClaskey and used Henry Burr as one of his many pseudonyms, in addition to Irving Gillette, Henry Gillette, Alfred Alex ...

and Albert Campbell. Other artists who recorded the song include: Charles Hart & Lewis James,

Gitz Rice Lieutenant Gitz Rice (May 5, 1891 – October 16, 1947) was a Canadian service member and entertainer, best known for creating various World War I war songs popular among both troops and civilians. Early life Ingraham "Gitz" Rice was born in ...

Vernon Dalhart Marion Try Slaughter (April 6, 1883 – September 14, 1948), better known by his stage name Vernon Dalhart, was an American country music singer and songwriter. His recording of the classic ballad "Wreck of the Old 97" was the first country song ...

, Nicolas Orlando's Orchestra, British duet Coltham & Parker,

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

Albert Brunies Albert "Abbie" Brunies (January 19, 1900 - October 2, 1978) was an American jazz cornetist. Brunies came from a famous New Orleans musical family, which counted among its members George Brunies and Merritt Brunies. Brunies was the leader of th ...

Kid Thomas Valentine Kid Thomas (1896–1987), born Thomas Valentine, was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Kid Thomas was born in Reserve, Louisiana and came to New Orleans in his youth. In the early 1920s, he gained a reputation as a hot trumpet man. Star ...

, George Lewis,

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

and

Patti Page Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), known professionally as Patti Page, was an American singer and actress. Primarily known for pop and country music, she was the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female ar ...

. The song and tune was adapted by supporters of English

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

team,

Huddersfield Town Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . The team have played home games at the Kirklees Stadium since moving from Leeds Road in 1994. Th ...

in the 1920s and is still sung by them. (''"Smile Awhile"'') Smile Awhile - Full lyrics - Huddersfield Town Wikipedia page

References

External links

Sheet music for "Till We Meet Again"
Jerome H. Remick & Co., 1918.
View the song MP3 and sheet music cover at the Illinois Digital Archive
Songs about parting Songs about soldiers Songs about the military Songs of World War I 1918 songs Songs with lyrics by Raymond B. Egan Songs with music by Richard A. Whiting {{pop-standard-stub