Captain Tom Moore set out to walk 100 lengths of his garden before his 100th birthday on April 30. He hoped to raise £1,000 for the National Health Service, to thank the doctors and nurses caring for patients.
People were so moved by the sight of him, walking frame and all, that donations came pouring in. By late April, he had raised more than £28 million. Prince William called him a “one-man fundraising machine.”
Then singer Michael Ball had an idea. Together with Captain Tom and the NHS Voices of Care Choir, he recorded the classic “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Every penny of their proceeds went to Captain Tom’s walk for NHS Charities Together.
Listen as Captain Tom’s voice joins Michael Ball and the choir in this beloved song of hope.
On April 24, 2020, the song went to No. 1 on the UK singles chart, beating The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.” It was the fastest-selling single of the year so far, and it made Captain Tom the oldest artist ever to reach No. 1 in the UK. Because it stayed at the top for his birthday, he also became the first person to have a No. 1 at 100 years old.
“My grandchildren can’t believe I am a chart-topper!” he said. “This just proves: you’ll never walk alone.”
For Michael Ball, it was his first No. 1 single. He called it one of the proudest moments of his career, adding, “but it’s not about me, it’s about Captain Tom.”
Do you remember Captain Tom’s walk? Share this with someone who could use a little hope today.