"The White Cliffs of Dover" - Vera Lynn (set to drone footage of the cliffs)

The song was written about a year after the Royal Air Force and German aircraft had been fighting over southern England, including the white cliffs of Dover, in the Battle of Britain. Nazi Germany had conquered much of Europe and in 1941 was still bombing Britain. With neither America nor the Soviet Union having yet joined the war, Britain was the only major power fighting the Axis powers in Europe (see The Darkest Hour). The American lyricist, Nat Burton, wrote his lyric unaware that the bluebird is not indigenous to Britain and asked Kent to set it to music. Notable phrases include "Thumbs Up!" which was an RAF and RCAF term for permission to go, and "flying in those angry skies" where the air war was taking place.

The lyrics also looked towards a time when the war would be over and peace would rule over the iconic white cliffs, Britain's symbolic border with the European mainland.

I'll never forget the people I met braving those angry skies. I remember well as the shadows fell, the light of hope in their eyes. And tho' I'm far away, I can still hear them say "Thumbs Up!" for when the dawn comes up,... There'll be blue birds over...

When night shadows fall, I'll always recall out there across the sea Twilight falling down on some little town; It's fresh in my memory. I hear mother pray, and to her baby say "Don't cry," This is her lullaby.... There'll be blue birds over...

So, are the ‘Bluebirds’ blue fighter planes?

More likely civilian airliners with blue logos such as Pan American or United Airlines.

The song refers to the peaceful pursuits that folks can enjoy after the Allies win the war. And the singer emphasizes that Jimmy can return to his own room after having been evacuated to the countryside or overseas in 1939-1940 to get away from German bombers.

“So, are the ‘Bluebirds’ blue fighter planes?” [sodpoodle, post 11]

During 1940, RAF Fighter Command painted the underside of assigned aircraft a pale blue, called “Duck Egg Blue,” or “Sky Type S.” In many illustrations now populating the internet, it looks closer to a very pale gray.

Perhaps that’s where the nickname originated.

(Applies to day fighter color schemes only. Night fighters were painted black all over).

Thank you for posting this link.

For many years I have had a recurrent dream where I was thrown over cliffs and landed by the ocean injured. My hips were broken in the dream and I died next to the ocean waves.

Bluebirds have been the messengers in my entire life. They appear magically at critical times, including constant flying into my office window making loud thinks when my son was committing suicide 500 miles away. I even commented to two other people at the time that someone was committing suicide. That was several hours before they found his body.

Many times, bluebirds have been my messengers for both good and bad events.

Yesterday as I was turning in my driveway, there was a bright blue, almost metallic male bluebird setting on my mailbox. I knew something important was about to happen. I haven’t seen bluebirds here in NC for several months.

When I played the video, immediately I saw the cliffs in the dream where I died. When the first line in the song played, the hair stood up, goosebumps formed and my body was electrified. There is much more to this that I can’t share, and it is still unfolding.

Thank you again as this video answered a prayer that I have been asking for guidance relating to a medical condition dogging me for years.

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