Little Donkey
On a visit to Chappell Music Publishers in Denmark Street in 1959, songwriter Eric Boswell had a chance meeting with wartime chanteuse Gracie Fields.
Fields' career was in the doldrums and she was looking for a hit song to put her back on top. Boswell offered her Little Donkey.
The song was also recorded by Bethnal Green's very own Beverley Sisters and the popularity of both versions ensured that the song reached No.1 on the sheet music sales chart at the end of 1959. The sheet music sales chart carried more prestige than the record sales chart back then.
Northern lass Fields' Columbia recording made number 20 in the hit parade, outdone by our pride of the East End – the Beverley Sisters scored a number 14 hit for Decca.
In 1960 Dutch singing duo Nina and Frederick took it to No.3 in the UK chart
The Beverleys, Gracie Fields and three other versions of Eric Boswell's Little Donkey for you to enjoy…
My Public Scheduled Tours for December 2019
5th December – Old Kensington – 2pm High Street Kensington Tube
5th December – Jack The Ripper – 7.30pm Tower Hill Tube (by the tram)
6th December – Rock'n'Roll London – 2pm Tottenham Court Road Tube (exit 1)
7th December – Marylebone – 2pm Bond Street Tube
7th December – London Horror Story – 7.30pm St Paul's Tube
19th December – Old Kensington – 2pm High Street Kensington Tube
19th December – Jack The Ripper – 7.30pm Tower Hill Tube (by the tram)
20th December – Rock'n'Roll London – 2pm Tottenham Court Road Tube (exit 1)
21st December – London Horror Story – 7.30pm St Paul's Tube
23rd December – A Village In Piccadilly – 2.30pm Piccadilly Circus Tube (by Eros)
26th December – Jack The Ripper – 7.30pm Tower Hill Tube (by the tram)
27th December – Hidden London – 11am Monument Tube (Fish Street Hill Exit)
28th December – London Horror Story – 7.30pm St Paul's Tube
28th December – The Beatles & Bob Dylan In 1960s London – 10am Temple Tube
30th December – A Village In Piccadilly – 2.30pm Piccadilly Circus Tube (by Eros)
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