Churchill champions pop charts

Winston Churchill has made pop music history, becoming the first British Prime Minister to enter the pop charts, and the oldest entrant ever.

Churchill's voice appears on the Central Band of the RAF’s album Reach for the Skies, which commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. The album has reached number four in the pop charts.

Reach for the Skies, the Official Album of the Battle of Britain, teams up the modern-day Central Band of the RAF with some of Churchill’s most rousing speeches from 1940. It sets Churchill's memorable speeches ‘The Few’ and ‘Their Finest Hour’ to wartime classics such as the Dambusters March, Battle of Britain March and 633 Squadron.

The album is "Dedicated to all the men and women who fought in the Battle of Britain." Official Charts Company Managing Director Martin Talbot says, “It is great that to a long list of Official Chart stars including Elvis, Madonna, Cliff and The Beatles, we can now add Winston Churchill. It is also a tribute to the amazing sacrifices of our Servicemen that the British public have bought this RAF album in such large numbers.”

Wing Commander Duncan Stubbs, director of the Central Band of the RAF, said of the chart victory, “If through our music we can help keep the tradition and spirit of the Battle of Britain alive, then we have done a good job."

Hear two members of the Central Band of the RAF talk about the album in our interview here.