英国92岁女歌手精选碟成销量冠军

Dame Vera Lynn beat The Beatles and other artists to top the British charts on Sunday, and become the oldest living singer to have a number one hit album, at the age of 92.

Lynn's album outsold recent chart toppers Arctic Monkeys and Jamie T, which reached number two, as the 70th anniversary earlier this month of the outbreak of World War II revived memories of her heyday.

"We'll Meet Again -- The Very Best Of Vera Lynn", a compilation of 24 of her best-loved recordings, has been rising through the charts, 70 years on since she recorded the title track.

Lynn was dubbed the "Forces' Sweetheart" during the 1939-1945 conflict, bolstering spirits with optimistic songs such as "We'll Meet Again", which struck a chord with soldiers heading to war and the families they left behind.

The album was released to coincide with the 70-year anniversary of Britain's declaration of war on Nazi Germany on September 3.

Lynn trumped The Beatles' 12 remastered editions, plus its box sets, released to great fanfare on Wednesday, and four of which are in the top 10.

"I'm so surprised, I can't quite believe it. It really is amazing that this has happened after all these years," she said.

Asked why the album had become popular again, Lynn told the BBC: "I think it's because of the problems that are going on in various parts, and a bit of nostalgia, but I don't know, I'd like somebody to tell me."

Gennaro Castaldo, from music store HMV, said the album had been growing consistently in popularity in recent weeks.

"It's a really lovely surprise, that nobody could have imagined a few weeks ago, and it's ironic that it's taken one revered British icon to block the historic return of another to the top of the charts," he said.

Her album features songs such as "(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover", and "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart", which was a number one hit in the United States in 1952.

Lynn was born on March 20, 1917 in east London and her singing career was already flourishing when war broke out in 1939.

上周日，（英国92岁高龄的女歌手）薇拉．林恩爵士击败披头士乐队和其他艺人，登上英国音乐大碟排行榜冠军宝座，同时成为史上拥有冠军大碟的最年长的在世歌手。

本月早些时候的“二战” 爆发70周年纪念唤起了人们对林恩演唱生涯全盛时期的记忆，她的唱片销量超过了新近的排行榜冠军“北极猴子”和杰米．T。杰米．T目前排在第二位。

这张名为《我们会重逢——薇拉．林恩精选集》的专辑收录了薇拉最喜爱的24首金曲。这张专辑在排行榜上一路上升，尽管如今距她录制那首专辑同名曲已有七十年的历史。

在1939年到1945年的战争期间，林恩被人们称为“战地甜心”，她所唱的一些乐观向上的歌曲如《我们会重逢》鼓舞人心，给那些远赴战场的士兵和他们留在后方的家人带去了安慰。

这张专辑于9月3日发布，当天正好是英国向纳粹德国宣战70周年的纪念日。

披头士乐队则于上周三大张旗鼓地发布了最新灌制的唱片兼盒装全集，但最终还是不敌林恩。

林恩说：“我真的很惊讶，我简直不敢相信。没想到过了这么多年我的唱片还能成为销量冠军，真是不可思议。”

在接受英国广播公司采访被问及为什么她的唱片能再次流行时，林恩回答说：“我想是因为现在各个领域发生的事情让人们产生了一些怀旧情绪，不过我也不清楚，我倒希望有人告诉我为什么。”

HMV音像店的格纳罗．卡斯塔尔多说，最近几周林恩这张唱片的人气一直呈上升趋势。

他说：“这实在是个惊喜，几周前谁也不会想到会这样，而且一个受人尊敬的英国昔日偶像挡住了另一个老牌偶像的历史性的回归之路，真有点讽刺的意味。”

林恩这张专辑中的主打歌曲包括《多佛白崖上的知更鸟》和《别了，心上人》，后者曾于1952年成为美国音乐排行榜上的冠军单曲。

林恩于1917年3月20日出生于伦敦东部，她的演唱生涯在1939年二战爆发之前就已经有相当的发展了。