The Wonderful Vera - Vera Lynn

 

Autumn Leaves

The Wonderful Vera

Vera Lynn

With Tony Osborne and His Orchestra

Recording Supervised by Norman Newell

London LL 3359

1964

From the back cover: From February to April of this year (1963), Vera Lynn went on a world tour, going concerts in such far away places as Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. Everywhere she went, she was welcomed with open arms, and audiences the size of which must have made many cinema proprietor quit envious!

While in New Zealand, Vera flew 11,000 miles from Auckland to Dunedin just to give one concert! In Australia and New Zealand one, Vera gave 44 concerts in 42 days. As you can imagine, this kind of tour is very strenuous, and Vera took time out at Honolulu to laze on Waikiki Beach.

After this part of the tour was over in April, Vera returned home, but only for two weeks. Then came a trip to Canada, and amongst other concerts were two fabulously successful ones at the O'Keefe Center in Toronto. The trip to Canada was over in May, and once again Vera returned to London. But this trip, too, was a short one, because Gerry Oorde, of Bohemia in Holland, asked Vera if she would go there to accept a Gold Disc, the trophy which was Vera's reward for her phenomenal success with a song called Land Of Hope And Glory. Who could ever have imagined that this song could be the instrument with which one of the most loved singers in the world would receive a golden disc? It is a tremendous tribute to the sincerity with which Vera Lynn enhances everything she attempts. This record – The Wonder Vera – is further witness to the great warmth and feeling, and humor too, of Vera, as can be seen in the unusual Bossa Nova treatment of I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter. I didn't ask either Vera or Tony Osborne whose brilliant idea it was to do this song as a Bossa Nova, nor does it really matter: whet does matter is the result, which is quite enchanting.

The recording session for this record, as with most of Vera Lynn's recording sessions, were noticeably shorter than mot I have attended. This was because Vera is so professional when it comes to singing. Her timing is faultless, her interpretation beyond criticism, and her pitch is absolutely perfect. A singer with the three things at her command is as hard to find these days, it seems, as an oasis in a desert!

All the numbers on this LP, to the best of my knowledge, have never been recorded Bra before. When I was made aware of this I was more than surprised because, somehow, they are the sort of songs which seem to belong to her. Most of them you will know already. If not, listen to twelve beautiful songs, accompanied by the incomparable Tony Osborne, as they come to life with the superb artistry of the Wonderful Vera Lynn. – Gil King

From Billboard - April 25, 1964: This album once again demonstrates the singer's vocal power and polish. With the help of Tony Osborne's ork backing. Miss Lynn sends across a variety of musical flavors that are continually winning. Among the top sides are a bossa nova treatment of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter" and "Mr. Wonderful."

I Wish You Love

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter

Mr. Wonderful

A Kiss To Build A Dream On

My Heart Tells Me

With These Hands

Love Letters

You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me

Autumn Leaves

To Each His Own

Portrait Of My Love

We Just Can't Say Goodbye