Christmas Songs #2: I'll Be Home For Christmas Bing Crosby (1943)

Number 2: Festive Christmas Songs
Good Housekeeping: November 30, 2019

I'll Be Home For Christmas 
Bing Crosby (1943)

Bing Crosby holds the top two spots on Good Housekeeping magazine's 2019 list of favorite Christmas songs. This heartfelt holiday tune is a moving tribute to the soldiers fighting in World War II.



When Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" premiered the previous year, it became a  holiday favorite. Shortly after he released "I'll Be Home for Christmas," it joined his last effort as one of America's most popular holiday tunes. 

Bing Crosby

The song particularly struck a nerve with overseas GIs and their families awaiting their return from serving their country in World War II. The GI magazine said Crosby accomplished more for military morale than anyone else of that era.

I'll Be Home For Christmas 
Bing Crosby



I'll Be Home For Christmas
Josh Groban (2007)

Josh Groban's version of this song topped the American adult Contemporary Chart in December 2007. It became the first Christmas album to top the Billboard album chart in 13 years. 

Josh Groban

The previous holiday recording to head the list was Kenny G's best-selling Miracles - The Holiday Album, which reached the summit in December 1994. Groban's album benefited from his appearance on Oprah Winfrey's "My Favorite Things" edition of her show.

I'll Be Home For Christmas 
Josh Groban



I'll Be Home For Christmas 
Home Free (2015)

Home Free is an American acapella group of five vocalists, Austin Brown, Rob Lundquist, Adam Rupp, Tim Foust, and Adam Chance. The group competed in and won the fourth season of The Sing-Off on NBC in 2013. According to the Rolling Stone article dated December 11, 2015:

Home Free

"The members of Home Free will head overseas next month, kicking off the vocal group's first international tour with a show in Birmingham, England. When 2015 comes to a close, though, Home Free will head back home. . .and they've dedicated their newest music video, "I'll Be Home for Christmas," to those who can't make a similar trip. 

"A special thank you to all members of the military who can't be home these holidays," bass singer Tim Foust says at the end of the nostalgic video, which inter-cuts performance footage of the group with clips of American soldiers returning home to their families."

I'll Be Home For Christmas 
Home Free


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