In March 1959 and May 1963, respectively, Vera Lynn and Kenneth McKellar – two of Decca’s best-selling exclusive artists – went into the studio to record albums of nursery rhymes. Simply but deliciously scored with several touches of humour, the two collections were brought together by Decca in 1976 and issued as “The Wonderful World of Nursery Rhymes”. A gatefold sleeve for the 1976 LP (SPA 485) was commissioned and it included an illustration that encompassed all 54 nursery rhymes featured on the album. Now, for the first complete CD reissue of that LP, the same illustration is used and the original sequencing of the nursery rhymes retained. Additionally, the lyrics for all the nursery rhymes are printed in the booklet, ensuring that this becomes something of a collector’s item as well as the perfect gift for the young at heart.
Girls And Boys Come Out To Play (Vera Lynn)
The Grand Old Duke Of York (Vera Lynn)
Hey Diddle Dumpling, My Son John (Kenneth McKellar)
London Bridge Is Falling Down (Kenneth McKellar)
Polly Put The Kettle On (Kenneth McKellar)
Dickery, Dickery, Dock (Vera Lynn)
Here We Come Gathering Nuts In May (Kenneth McKellar)
Little Jack Horner (Kenneth McKellar)
Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush (Vera Lynn)
Little Miss Muffet (Kenneth McKellar)
Yankee Doodle (Vera Lynn)
Old Mother Hubbard (Kenneth McKellar)
Jack And Jill (Kenneth McKellar)
Three Blind Mice (Kenneth McKellar)
Sing A Song Of Sixpence (Vera Lynn)
Hey Diddle Diddle (Kenneth McKellar)
What Are Little Boys Made Of (Kenneth McKellar)
Mary Had A Little Lamb (Vera Lynn)
Bye Baby Bunting (Kenneth McKellar)
Ding Dong Bell (Kenneth McKellar)
Cock-A-Doodle-Doo (Kenneth McKellar)
I Had A Little Nut Tree (Vera Lynn)
Pat-A-Cake (Kenneth McKellar)
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Vera Lynn)
Little Boy Blue (Kenneth McKellar)
See-Saw Marjorie Daw (Vera Lynn)
O Where, O Where Has My Little Dog Gone? (Kenneth McKellar)
The North Wind Doth Blow (Kenneth McKellar)
Three Little Kittens (Kenneth McKellar)
Lucy Locket (Kenneth McKellar)
Pop Goes The Weasel (Vera Lynn)
Georgie Porgie (Kenneth McKellar)
Humpty Dumpty (Kenneth McKellar)
The Frog’s Wooing (Vera Lynn)
There Was A Little Man (Kenneth McKellar)
Ride A Cock Horse (Kenneth McKellar)
Doctor Foster Went To Gloucester (Kenneth McKellar)
The Jolly Miller (Vera Lynn)
The Lion And The Unicorn (Kenneth McKellar)
Tom, Tom, The Piper’s Son (Vera Lynn)
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep (Vera Lynn)
Oranges And Lemons (Vera Lynn)
There Was A Crooked Man (Kenneth McKellar)
Simple Simon (Kenneth McKellar)
Old King Cole (Kenneth McKellar)
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary (Kenneth McKellar)
Goosey, Goosey Gander (Kenneth McKellar)
Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be? (Vera Lynn)
There Was An Old Woman (Kenneth McKellar)
Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat (Kenneth McKellar)
Where Are You Going To, My Pretty Maid? (Vera Lynn)
I Love Little Pussy (Kenneth McKellar)
Little Bo Peep (Vera Lynn)
Hush A Bye Baby (Kenneth McKellar)
Vera Lynn
with ensemble directed by Barry Gray
Arrangements by Barry Gray and Georgio Forli
Kenneth McKellar
with ensemble directed by Bob Sharples
Arrangements by Bob Sharples
Recordings: March 1959 (Vera Lynn); May 1963 (Kenneth McKellar)
Project manager: Cyrus Meher-Homji
Booklet editor: Rebecca Ameriks
Original artwork: Decca Music Group (front cover; reverse of inlay)
Art direction: Chilu Tong