“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” was written by lyricist Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent, with later legal co‑credit also given to songwriter Buck Ram.

Main answer

  • The classic Christmas song “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” was published and first recorded in 1943, with official songwriting credit going to Kim Gannon (lyrics) and Walter Kent (music).
  • After a legal dispute, Buck Ram—who had previously written a different song titled “I’ll Be Home for Christmas (Tho’ Just in Memory)”—was also recognized as a co‑writer and appears on some releases of the Bing Crosby recording label credits.
  • Because of this history, most modern references list Gannon and Kent as the primary writers, sometimes mentioning Ram in connection with the title dispute and shared credit.

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