Remember Pearl Harbor (song) facts for kids

"Remember Pearl Harbor" is a famous American patriotic song. It's a type of march, which is music often used for parades or military events. The song was written by Don Reid and Sammy Kaye. They wrote it right after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This attack happened when the Japanese navy attacked a military base in Hawaii.

How the Song Was Made

Just ten days after the attack, Sammy Kaye's band, called "Swing and Sway," recorded the song. They were in New York City. Kaye's "Glee Club" helped by singing the harmonies. The song's tune was inspired by Kaye's college song, "Alma Mater, Ohio."

They recorded the song four times, but the first recording was the best. A producer named Leonard Joy watched over the recording. Sammy Kaye was in charge of the music.

When the Song Became Popular

The magazine Billboard announced that the song was released on January 17, 1942. It was released by a record company called RCA Victor.

Just two weeks later, the song was very popular! It was the 7th best-selling record in the country. It was also the 10th best-selling sheet music. Sheet music is how musicians read and play a song. By the end of that year, the song was still on many "Top 100" lists.

By January 1943, Sammy Kaye had given $4,000 from the money the song earned to Navy Relief funds. This money helped support Navy families.

Remembering Pearl Harbor Today

In December 2017, President Donald Trump honored veterans who were at Pearl Harbor. During a ceremony at the White House, he asked, "Remember Pearl Harbor.' Have you heard that before a couple of times, 'Remember Pearl Harbor?'"

One of the veterans, Michael "Mickey" Ganitch, bravely started singing the song. He remembered the words even after 75 years! He sang: "Let's remember Pearl Harbor as we go to meet the foe. Let's remember Pearl Harbor, as we did the Alamo. We will always remember how they died for liberty. Let's remember Pearl Harbor, and go on to victory."