Jan 19, 2011 2 min read

To the editor:

Here is a little nostalgia, because Kate Smith was a very special woman. In case you don’t know, this is the person referred to in the trite verbalization of “It’s not over till the fat lady sings.”

Kate Smith was born and grew up in Columbia, Missouri. In early 1940, she was deeply worried about her country. She asked Irving Berlin if he could give her a song that would re-ignite the spirit of American patriotism and faith. He said he had a song written in 1917, but he had never used it, and she could have it. She sat at the piano & played it and realized how good it was. She called Mr. Berlin and told him that she couldn’t take this from him for nothing. So they agreed that any money that would be made would be donated to the Boy Scouts of America.

Thanks to Kate Smith and Irving Berlin, the Scouts have received millions of dollars in royalties. This clip is from the movie “You’re in the Army Now.” You will see a familiar face (near the very end).

Frank Sinatra said that when Kate Smith, whom he considered the greatest singer of his age, first sang this song on the radio, a million guys had to wipe tears.

Here is her story and her song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnQDW-NMaRs

It seems to me that playing this song and/or showing the movie that went

with it several times each day may be a great idea, especially at a time

when patriotism, love of country, let’s all start working together may be

just the shot in the arm that this country sorely needs right now.

Paul Rendine

Salisbury, Md.