Berlin wrote this American patriotic song in 1918 during World War I and revised it in 1938 in the lead-up to World War II . The later version was recorded by Smith, becoming her signature song.
Recorded March 21, 1939, this iconic original studio version was a popular hit upon initial release that year. A year later, Smith’s recording enjoyed a resurgence, climbing as high as No. 5 on Billboard’s best-sellers chart in mid-August.