He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

by Laurie London

Overview

Fourteen-year-old Laurie London was as successful as a one-hit wonder could be -- his debut single and only hit, a rendition of the spiritual "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," made it all the way to the top of the charts in the United States. He was also a one-hit wonder in his native England, but a less spectacular one because the song missed the Top Ten there. Like Larry Collins and Frankie Lymon, London was pegged as a child act and found it difficult to sustain his career after the onset of adulthood. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands is a 31-track anthology that rounds up nearly all of London's recordings, most of which fall into one of two categories: upbeat gospel and folk songs performed in a post-skiffle style, or novelty rock & roll tunes like "The Cradle Rock" and "(She Sells) Sea Shells" that play up his young age. London's voice changed in 1960, so the dozen or so cuts dating from that time onward feature his mature vocal sound on songs mostly in keeping with his established repertoire. Although the lush pop of "Roll on Spring" suggests a promising new direction, his later recordings are mostly faint echoes of his former glory. London composed a few of his songs and was a popular live entertainer, but for some reason was never able to click again with record buyers after his first smash. It's tempting to attribute his commercial decline to his loss of youth, but his record sales fell off immediately after his first hit while he was still in his early teens. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands is an interesting look at the career of one of the only British acts to hit the top spot in America before the arrival of the Beatles, but most of his recordings are too marginal or derivative of his debut single to generate much excitement. ~ Greg Adams

Product Details

Release Date:	06/12/2001
Label:	Bear Family Records
UPC:	4000127164940

Tracks

1. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands
2. The Cradle Rock
3. Handed Down
4. (She Sells) Sea Shells
5. The Gospel Train
6. I Gotta Robe
7. Casey Jones (Railroadin' Man)
8. Boomerang
9. Up Above My Head
10. Basin Street Blues
11. Darktown Strutters Ball
12. I'm Gonna Walk and Talk with My Lord
13. Pick a Bale of Cotton
14. Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
15. My Mother
16. Three O'Clock
17. Pretty Eyed Baby
18. Boom-Ladda-Boom-Boom
19. Old Time Religion
20. God's Little Acre
21. Roll on Spring
22. I'm Afraid
23. Banjo Boy
24. Hear Them Bells
25. Darling Sue
26. Today's Teardrops
27. I'll Make You Forget Him
28. Down by the Riverside
29. Lucky Lips
30. The Bells of St. Mary's
31. Sad Songs

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Laurie London   Primary Artist,Vocals
The Rita Williams Singers   Vocals (Background)
Ken Jones   Director
Bert Weedon   Guitar (Electric)

Technical Credits

Traditional   Composer
Paul Pelletier   Discography,Biographical Notes
Shelton Brooks   Composer
Laurie London   Composer
Douglas Furber   Composer
Emmett Adams   Composer
Gene Pitney   Composer
Leo Moseley   Composer
Lee Pockriss   Composer
Peter Callander   Composer
Jerry Leiber   Composer
Narvel Felts   Composer
Ralph Murphy   Composer
Reid A. Stanley   Composer
Norman Newell   Producer
Mike Stoller   Composer
Aaron Schroeder   Composer
George Martin   Producer
William Johnson   Composer
Hoskinson, Larry   Composer
Jim Gordon   Composer
Richard Weize   Discography,Reissue Producer
Mary Lou Williams   Composer
Buddy Guy   Composer
Juergen Crasser   Mastering
Kip Gladwell   Composer
R.A. Andreas   Photography,Illustrations
Andrew Lloyd Webber   Composer
Paul Barnes   Composer