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Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the
theme songs Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at som ...
to three
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists in Britain. Born in
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
, Bassey began performing as a teenager in 1953. In 1959, she became the first Welsh person to gain a number-one single on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. In the following decades, Bassey amassed 27
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
hits in the UK, including two number-ones. She became well-known for recording the soundtrack theme songs of the James Bond films '' Goldfinger'' (1964), '' Diamonds Are Forever'' (1971), and '' Moonraker'' (1979). In 2020, Bassey became the first female artist to chart an album in the Top 40 of the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
in seven consecutive decades with her album ''
I Owe It All To You "I Owe It All to You" is a pop song written by Alonzo, Jim Guthrie, Adam Messinger, and Damhnait Doyle for Eva Avila Eva Avila (born Eva Gougeon-Ávila on 25 February 1987) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fourth ...
''. Bassey has also had numerous
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
television specials, and she hosted her own variety series, '' Shirley Bassey''. In 2011, BBC aired the television film ''Shirley'', based on Bassey's life and career. Since making her first appearance at the
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
in 1971, she has performed at the venue 45 times. Bassey received the first award for Best British Female Solo Artist at the
1st Brit Awards The Brit Awards 1977 was a United Kingdom popular music award special event to mark both 100 years since Thomas Edison invented the phonograph and the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II. The awards were given for the previous 25 years of her reign ...
in 1977.The Brits 1977
Brit Awards She was appointed a
Dame ''Dame'' is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system and those of several oth ...
in 1999 for services to the performing arts. In 2003, she was ranked among the " 100 Great Black Britons". Her song " Goldfinger" was inducted into the
Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
in 2008. She has influenced many other singers, including
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...
.


Early life

Shirley Veronica Bassey was born the sixth and youngest child of Henry Bassey and Eliza Jane Start on Bute Street in
Tiger Bay Tiger Bay ( cy, Bae Teigr) was the local name for an area of Cardiff which covered Butetown and Cardiff Docks. Following the building of the Cardiff Barrage, which dams the tidal rivers, Ely and Taff, to create a body of water, it is re ...
,
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
. She grew up in the nearby community of
Splott Splott ( cy, Y Sblot) is a district and community in the south of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, just east of the city centre. It was built up in the late 19th century on the land of two farms of the same name: Upper Splott and Lower Spl ...
. Her father was
Nigerian Nigerians or the Nigerian people are citizens of Nigeria or people with ancestry from Nigeria. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River running through the country. This name was allegedly coined in the late 19th century by British jour ...
, and her mother came from
Teesside Teesside () is a built-up area around the River Tees in the north of England, split between County Durham and North Yorkshire. The name was initially used as a county borough in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Historically a hub for heavy manu ...
. Two of her mother's four children from previous relationships lived in the Bassey household. Bassey's mother listed her first husband, Alfred Metcalfe, as her own father in the registry of her marriage to Henry Bassey, giving rise to speculation that this marriage was
bigamous In cultures where monogamy is mandated, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. A legal or de facto separation of the couple does not alter their marital status as married persons. I ...
in the absence of a prior divorce. Eliza and Henry's second child died in infancy, so Shirley was born into a household of three sisters, two half-sisters, and one brother. Teachers and students alike at Moorland Road School noticed Bassey's strong voice, but gave the pre-teen little encouragement: "everyone told me to shut up. Even in the school
choir A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
the teacher kept telling me to back off till I was singing in the corridor!" A classmate recalled her singing the refrain "
Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" with music by Jerome Kern, and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, is one of the most famous songs from their classic 1927 musical play '' Show Boat'', adapted from Edna Ferber's 1926 novel. Context The song, written i ...
" from ''
Show Boat ''Show Boat'' is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock worke ...
'' with such feeling that she made their teacher uncomfortable. She left
Splott Splott ( cy, Y Sblot) is a district and community in the south of the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, just east of the city centre. It was built up in the late 19th century on the land of two farms of the same name: Upper Splott and Lower Spl ...
secondary modern school A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland from 1944 until the 1970s under the Tripartite System. Schools of this type continue in Northern Ireland, where they are usuall ...
at age 14 to work at
Curran Steels Curran Steels was a manufacturing company in Cardiff, Wales, founded as the ''Edward Curran Engineering Co'' and known locally as ''Curran's''. The factory was located on the east bank of the River Taff, near to Cardiff Docks. It was served by ...
and, in the evenings and weekends, to sing in local
pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
s and clubs.


Career


1953–1959: Career beginnings

In 1953, Bassey signed her first professional contract, touring with the variety show ''Memories of Jolson'', a musical based on the life of
Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-billed ...
. On 17 December 1953, Bassey signed a contract with Columbia Productions for two performances at the salary of £10. Her next professional engagement was in the touring show ''Hot from Harlem'', in which she and other mixed-race Cardiff performers were passed off as Black Americans in 1954. A review of the show in March 1954 included: "Shirley Bassey, an attractive young singer, is an asset to the show." Later that year, Bassey gave birth to her daughter Sharon, while staying with her sister Ella in London. While performing in Jersey, Bassey met her first manager, Mike Sullivan. In 1955, Bassey toured various theatres until she was noticed by the impresario
Jack Hylton Jack Hylton (born John Greenhalgh Hilton; 2 July 1892 – 29 January 1965) was an English pianist, composer, band leader and impresario. Hylton rose to prominence during the British dance band era, being referred as the "British King of Jazz" ...
at the Astor Club in September 1955. He invited her to feature in
Al Read Alfred Read (3 March 1909 – 9 September 1987) was a British radio comedian active throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Originally a businessman, he has been described as highly influential on British comedy. Early life Read was born in Brought ...
's ''Such Is Life'' which opened on 14 December 1955 at the
Adelphi Theatre The Adelphi Theatre is a West End theatre, located on the Strand in the City of Westminster, central London. The present building is the fourth on the site. The theatre has specialised in comedy and musical theatre, and today it is a receiv ...
in London's West End. In the show, which ran until 3 November 1956, she featured the song " Burn My Candle", leading one reviewer to say that she had nearly stopped the show with the song "which brought outraged mutters, then roars of shamefaced applause." During the show's run,
Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), commonly shortened to Philips, is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, it has been mostly headquartered in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarters i ...
record producer
Johnny Franz John Charles Franz (23 February 1922 – 29 January 1977) was an English record producer and A&R man at the Philips label. He was one of Britain's most successful producers in the 1950s and 1960s. While his recordings encompassed several forms o ...
spotted her on television, was impressed, and offered her a recording deal. Bassey recorded her first single, " Burn My Candle", the song she had featured in "Such Is Life", and this was released in February 1956. The cabaret-style song was banned by the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
because the lyrics were considered too suggestive. More singles followed, and in February 1957, Bassey had her first
hit Hit means to strike someone or something. Hit or HIT may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities * Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super'' * Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
with "
The Banana Boat Song "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" is a traditional Jamaican folk song. The song has mento influences, but it is commonly classified as an example of the better known calypso music. It is a call and response work song, from the point of view of ...
", which reached No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart. Following a successful run at the Café de Paris, London, she made her American stage début in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
at
El Rancho Vegas El Rancho Vegas was a hotel and casino at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It opened in 1941, as the first resort on the Strip, known then as part of Highway 91. It was located at what is now the southwest corner of Las ...
in February 1957. Following on from Las Vegas, Bassey opened at
Ciro's Ciro's (later known as Ciro's Le Disc) was a nightclub on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California owned by William Wilkerson. Opened in 1940, Ciro's became a popular nightspot for celebrities. The nightclub closed in 1957 and was reopened ...
on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood on 15 February 1957. She also recorded under the direction of American producer
Mitch Miller Mitchell William Miller (July 4, 1911 – July 31, 2010) was an American choral conductor, record producer, record-industry executive, and professional oboist. He was involved in almost all aspects of the industry, particularly as a conductor ...
in New York City for the
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
label (which at the time had a distribution deal with Philips), producing the single "If I Had a Needle and Thread" b/w "Tonight My Heart She Is Crying". On her return to the UK in April 1957, she starred in "
Sunday Night at the London Palladium ''Tonight at the London Palladium'' is a British television variety show that is hosted from the London Palladium theatre in the West End. Originally produced by ATV for the ITV network from 1955 to 1969, it went by its original name ''Sunday ...
" for the first time on 28 April 1957. In mid-1958, Bassey recorded two singles that would become classics in the Bassey catalogue. "As I Love You" was released as the
B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
of another ballad, "Hands Across the Sea"; it did not sell well at first but, after another appearance at the
London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 an ...
on 30 November, sales began to pick up. In January 1959, "As I Love You" reached number-one and stayed there for four weeks; it was the first number-one single by a Welsh artist. While "As I Love You" climbed the charts, so did Bassey's recording of " Kiss Me, Honey Honey, Kiss Me" and both records would end up occupying the top 3 at the same time. A few months later, Bassey signed to
EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
's Columbia label and released the album '' The Fabulous Shirley Bassey''. The album reached No. 12 on the
UK Albums The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
chart.


1960–1979: Success and breakthrough

Between 1960 and 1961, Bassey had four Top 10 hits in the UK. Her 1960 recording of " As Long As He Needs Me" from
Lionel Bart Lionel Bart (1 August 1930 – 3 April 1999) was a British writer and composer of pop music and musicals. He wrote Tommy Steele's "Rock with the Caveman" and was the sole creator of the musical '' Oliver!'' (1960). With ''Oliver!'' and his work ...
's ''
Oliver! ''Oliver!'' is a coming-of-age stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens. It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before op ...
'' peaked at No. 2, and had a chart run of 30 weeks. She made her American television début on 13 November 1960, when she performed on ''
The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
''. In 1961, the double
A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...
" Reach for the Stars"/"
Climb Ev'ry Mountain "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical ''The Sound of Music.'' It is sung at the close of the first act by the Mother Abbess. It is themed as an inspirational piece, to encourage people to take every s ...
" reached number-one. Bassey's version of " As Long as He Needs Me" reached No. 2. Her single " I'll Get By" peaked at No. 10. Bassey's rendition of "You'll Never Know" was one of England's top hits in 1961, reaching No. 6 on the charts. She began to gain recognition in the American market and signed to
United Artists Records United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B. History Genres In 1959, ...
in August 1961. The following month she began a five-week engagement at the Persian Room inside New York's Plaza Hotel Bassey's collaboration with
Nelson Riddle Nelson Smock Riddle Jr. (June 1, 1921 – October 6, 1985) was an American arranger, composer, bandleader and orchestrator whose career stretched from the late 1940s to the mid-1980s. He worked with many world-famous vocalists at Capitol Records ...
and his orchestra, the album '' Let's Face the Music'' (1962), reached No. 12 in the UK album chart; and the single, " What Now My Love" made it to No. 5 in 1962. Her cover version of the
Ben E. King Benjamin Earl King (né Nelson; September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015) was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He is best known as the singer and co-composer of " Stand by Me"—a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later ...
hit "
I (Who Have Nothing) "I (Who Have Nothing)" (sometimes billed as "I Who Have Nothing") is an English language cover of the Italian song "''Uno dei Tanti''" (English: "One of Many"), with music by Carlo Donida and lyrics by Giulio "Mogol" Rapetti. The initial version ...
" reached No. 6 in 1963. In January 1963, Bassey performed at a gala commemorating the second anniversary of
President John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until assassination of Joh ...
's inauguration in Washington, D.C. In March 1963, she appeared on the cover of ''
Ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when ...
'' magazine. Bassey made her debut at New York's
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
debut on 15 February 1964. The complete concert recording was not released until it was included in the EMI compilation ''The EMU/UA Years 1959–1979'' in 1994. In 1965, Bassey enjoyed her only
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
hit on the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
with the
title song A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...
of the James Bond film, '' Goldfinger''. The single " Goldfinger" was released in the US in January 1965, peaking at No 8. The
original soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of ...
for ''Goldfinger'' hit number-one in the US that year. The "Goldfinger" theme song, had a lasting impact on her career. In the sleeve notes for Bassey's ''25th Anniversary Album'' (1978),
Peter Clayton Peter James Clayton (25 June 1927 – 10 August 1991) was an English jazz presenter on BBC Radio, jazz critic, and author. From October 1968 until his death in August 1991, Clayton presented jazz recordings, interviews, studio performances, and ...
noted that: "Acceptance in America was considerably helped by the enormous popularity of ("Goldfinger")...But she had actually established herself there as early as 1961, in
cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...
in New York. She was also a success in Las Vegas...'I suppose I should feel hurt that I've never been really big in America on record since "Goldfinger"...But, concertwise, I always sell out.'..." Her live 1965 album ''
Shirley Bassey at the Pigalle ''Shirley Bassey at the Pigalle'' is Shirley Bassey's first live album, recorded on the opening night of an eight-week engagement at the Pigalle, a nightclub in the West End of London. This performance, on 12 September 1965, earned Bassey outs ...
'', recorded during a sold-out run at the Pigalle in London, peaked at No. 15 on the UK album chart. Also in 1965, she sang the title song for the James Bond spoof '' The Liquidator.'' Bassey recorded a song for the next Bond film, '' Thunderball'' (1965). " Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" was not used in the movie, although the film's score follows its melodic theme. Written by John Barry and Leslie Bricusse, "Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" was re-recorded by American singer
Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboards Hot 100 pop singles cha ...
, and then rejected in favor of a new song, "Thunderball", hastily written by Barry and given to Welsh singer Tom Jones after the film's producers decided the song over the opening credits must feature the film's title. In the aftermath of "Goldfinger" her UK sales started to falter as well: only two of her singles would enter the UK top 40 from 1966 to 1970. Her first album on United Artists, "
I've Got a Song for You ''I've Got a Song for You'' is a 1966 album by Shirley Bassey. Bassey had left EMI's Columbia Label, and this was her first album for United Artists, a label she would remain with for approximately 14 years (until it was sold, ironically enough, ...
" (1966), spent one week on the chart. From 1966 to 1970, only two albums would chart, one of those a compilation. One of her best-known singles, " Big Spender" was released in 1967, charting just short of the UK top 20. Bassey began to live as a
tax exile A tax exile is a person who leaves a country to avoid the payment of income tax or other taxes. The term refers to an individual who already owes money to the tax authorities or wishes to avoid being liable in the future for taxation at what they ...
in 1968 and was unable to work in Britain for almost two years. In 1969, she appeared in
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
's ''The Spring Thing,'' a musical television special hosted by
Bobbie Gentry Bobbie Gentry (born Roberta Lee Streeter; July 27, 1942) is a retired American singer-songwriter, who was one of the first female artists in America to compose and produce her own material. Gentry rose to international fame in 1967 with her Sou ...
and
Noel Harrison Noel John Christopher Harrison (29 January 1934 – 19 October 2013) was an English actor and singer who had a hit singing " The Windmills of Your Mind" in 1968, and was a member of the British Olympic skiing team in the 1950s. He was the son of ...
. Guests included were
Goldie Hawn Goldie Jeanne Hawn (born November 21, 1945) is an American actress, dancer, producer, and singer. She rose to fame on the NBC sketch comedy program ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (1968–1970), before going on to receive the Academy Award and Go ...
,
Meredith MacRae Meredith Lynn MacRae (May 30, 1944 – July 14, 2000) was an American actress, singer and talk show host. She is most remembered for her roles as Sally Morrison on ''My Three Sons'' (1963–1965) and as Billie Jo Bradley on ''Petticoat Junction ...
, Irwin C. Watson, Rod McKuen, and
Harpers Bizarre Harpers Bizarre was an American sunshine pop band of the 1960s, best known for their Broadway/sunshine pop sound and their cover of Simon & Garfunkel's " The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)." Career Harpers Bizarre was formed out of t ...
. Bassey's UK comeback came in 1970 leading to one of the most successful periods of her career. Starting the year with a BBC Television 'Special', '' The Young Generation Meet Shirley Bassey'', recorded in Sweden and shown on
BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
on 18 March. She returned to the UK with a record-breaking run of performances at the Talk of the Town nightclub. Also that year, her album ''
Something Something may refer to: Philosophy and language *Something (concept) *Something, an English indefinite pronoun Music Albums * ''Something'' (Chairlift album), 2012 * ''Something'' (Shirley Bassey album), 1970 * ''Something'' (Shirley Scott ...
'' was released, and showcased a new Bassey style, a shift from
traditional pop Traditional pop (also known as classic pop and pre-rock and roll pop) is Western culture, Western pop music that generally pre-dates the advent of rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The most popular and enduring songs from this era of music are known ...
to more contemporary songs and arrangements (the eponymous single was more successful in the UK charts than the original recording by
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
) – although Bassey would never completely abandon that which had been her forte: standards,
show tunes A show tune is a song originally written as part of the score of a work of musical theatre or musical film, especially if the piece in question has become a standard, more or less detached in most people's minds from the original context. T ...
, and
torch songs A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end, which is ignited and used as a light source. Torches have been used throughout history, and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggling entertainment. In ...
. Her song "
Something Something may refer to: Philosophy and language *Something (concept) *Something, an English indefinite pronoun Music Albums * ''Something'' (Chairlift album), 2012 * ''Something'' (Shirley Bassey album), 1970 * ''Something'' (Shirley Scott ...
" was also a top 10 US hit on the
Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
chart. Other singles of this period included the hit "
Never Never Never ''Never Never Never'' is a 1973 album by Shirley Bassey. It features the hit single title track, which was a UK top 10 hit, which became one of Bassey's best-known songs. The album also became a top 10 hit in the UK and was a moderate hit in th ...
", an English version of the Italian "Grande grande grande", reaching the top 10 in the US Adult Contemporary Chart, the UK top 10 and number one in Australia and South Africa. Returning to the James Bond franchise, she recorded the theme song for '' Diamonds Are Forever'' (1971). Bassey appeared on the ''
Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working i ...
Christmas Show'', broadcast on Christmas Day in 1971. Bassey was the subject of '' This Is Your Life'' on two occasions: firstly, in November 1972 when she was surprised by
Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...
at
Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport (), called ''London Airport'' until 1966 and now known as London Heathrow , is a major international airport in London, England. It is the largest of the six international airports in the London airport system (the others be ...
, and then in January 1993, when
Michael Aspel Michael Terence Aspel (born 12 January 1933) is an English retired television newsreader and host of programmes such as '' Crackerjack'', ''Aspel & Company'', '' Give Us a Clue'', ''This is Your Life'', '' Strange but True?'' and ''Antiques Ro ...
surprised her at the curtain call of a sell-out concert at the
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
. Bassey recorded a series of successful albums on the United Artists label, including: '' Something Else'' (1971); '' And I Love You So'' (1972); '' I Capricorn'' (1972); ''
Never Never Never ''Never Never Never'' is a 1973 album by Shirley Bassey. It features the hit single title track, which was a UK top 10 hit, which became one of Bassey's best-known songs. The album also became a top 10 hit in the UK and was a moderate hit in th ...
'' (1973); ''
Good, Bad but Beautiful ''Good, Bad but Beautiful'' is a 1975 album by Shirley Bassey. In the first half of the decade, Bassey recorded nine albums, with three making the top ten. In March 1975, Bassey released a compilation that became her highest-charting album to dat ...
'' (1975); ''Love, Life and Feelings'' (1976); ''You Take My Heart Away (album), You Take My Heart Away'' (1977) and ''Yesterdays'' (1978). Additionally, two of Bassey's earlier LPs also entered the charts in the '70s: ''And We Were Lovers'' (1967, re-issued as ''Big Spender''), and '' Let's Face the Music'' (1962, re-issued as ''What Now My Love''). Two compilations, ''The Shirley Bassey Singles Album'' (1975) and ''25th Anniversary Album (Shirley Bassey album), 25th Anniversary Album'' (1978), both made the top three of the UK charts: ''The Shirley Bassey Singles Album'', her highest-charting album, reached number two and earned a British Phonographic Industry#Certifications, gold disc, and the ''25th Anniversary Album'' eventually went platinum. Between 1970 and 1979, Bassey had 18 hit albums in the UK Albums Chart. Her album ''The Magic Is You'' (1979) featured a portrait by the photographer Francesco Scavullo. In 1973, her sold-out concerts at New York's
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
were recorded and released as a two-LP set, ''Shirley Bassey: Live at Carnegie Hall''; this album reached No. 20 on the Billboard R&B album chart. In 1976, Bassey starred in the six-episode '' Shirley Bassey'' show, the first of her television programmes for the BBC, followed by a second series of six episodes in 1979. The final show of the first series was nominated for the Golden Rose of Montreux in 1977. The series featured guests including Neil Diamond, Michel Legrand, The Three Degrees and Dusty Springfield and featured Bassey in various international locations as well as in the television studio. In 1978, Bassey pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly "after shouting abuse in the street and pushing a policeman". In 1979, Bassey recorded the title theme song for the Bond film, '' Moonraker''.


1980–1999: Semi-retirement and continued success

Throughout most of the 1980s, Bassey focused on charitable work and performing occasional concert tours throughout Europe, Australia, and the United States. She had ended her contract with United Artists, whose former record division was now part of EMI, and began what she referred to as "semi-retirement". Bassey recorded an album entitled ''All by Myself (Shirley Bassey album), All by Myself'' (1982) and made a TV special for Thames Television called ''A Special Lady'' with guest Robert Goulet. Around this time she recorded a duet with the French film actor Alain Delon, "Thought I'd Ring You" (1983). Bassey was now recording far less often but an album of her most famous songs, ''I Am What I Am (Shirley Bassey album), I Am What I Am'' (1984), was recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) conducted by Carl Davis. This was followed by a single and video to support the London Tourist Board, "There's No Place Like London" (1986), which was co-written by Lynsey de Paul and Gerard Kenny. She recorded an album of James Bond themes, ''The Bond Collection'' in 1987, but was apparently unhappy with the results so she declined to release it. (Five years later it was released anyway, Bassey sued in court, and all unsold copies were withdrawn.) Bassey provided vocals for Swiss artists Yello on "The Rhythm Divine" (1987), a song co-written by Scottish singer Billy Mackenzie. An album sung entirely in Spanish, ''La Mujer'' was released in 1989. In the latter mid-1980s Bassey had started working with a vocal coach, a former opera singer, and her album ''Keep the Music Playing'' (1991) displayed a grand, operatic pop style on several songs (perhaps also influenced by her album with the LSO seven years earlier). EMI released the five-CD box set ''Bassey – The EMI/UA Years 1959 – 1979, Bassey – The EMI/UA Years 1959–1979'' in 1994. The accompanying booklet opened with a poem by Marc Almond. Bassey collaborated with Chris Rea in the film ''La Passione (1996 film), La Passione'' (1996), appearing in the film as herself and releasing the single "'Disco' La Passione". The remix of this single charted just outside the UK singles chart, UK top 40. Bassey's "History Repeating (song), History Repeating" (1997), written for her by the Propellerheads, reached number one on the UK Dance Chart, and number 10 on the Hot Dance Club Songs, US Dance Chart. The liner notes of the Propellerheads' album ''Decksandrumsandrockandroll'' included the lines: "We would like to extend our maximum respect to Shirley Bassey for honouring us with her performance. We are still in shock...." Bassey celebrated her 60th birthday in 1997 with two open-air concerts, at Castle Howard and Althorp Park, and another TV special. The resulting live album ''The Birthday Concert'' received a Grammy Award nomination for Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance. On 7 October 1998 in Egypt, Bassey performed for a benefit at an open-air concert close to the Great Sphinx of Giza, Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Giza, Great Pyramid. Bassey played the Friday night at Henley Festival in 1984. Bassey was sued in a breach of contract case in 1998 by her former personal assistant, who also accused Bassey of hitting her and making an ethnic slur. Bassey won the case. The episode was lampooned by Alexander Baron in his one-act play ''The Trial of Shirley Bassey''. The following year, she performed the official song for the rugby World Cup, "World In Union (song), World in Union", with Bryn Terfel at the opening ceremony at The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, wearing a gown based on the Welsh flag. Their single made the top 40, and Bassey contributed two more songs to the official album ''Land of My Fathers'', which reached number one on the UK compilations chart, and went silver.


2000–present: High-profile performances and final album

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Bassey continued to perform at various high profile events. In 2001, she was principal artiste at the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Edinburgh's 80th birthday celebration. On 3 June 2002, she was one of a line-up of artists including Elton John, Paul McCartney and Tom Jones who performed at the Party at the Palace, Queen's 50th Jubilee Party at Buckingham Palace. Bassey celebrated 50 years in show business in 2003 with the release of the CD ''Thank You for the Years'', which was another top 20 album. A gala charity auction of her stage costumes at Christie's, "Dame Shirley Bassey: 50 Years of Glittering Gowns", raised £250,000 (US$500,000) for the Dame Shirley Bassey Scholarship at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and the Noah's Ark Children's Hospital Appeal. Bassey topped the bill at the 2005 Royal Variety Performance, introducing her new song "The Living Tree (song), The Living Tree". Two popular ''Audiences with Shirley Bassey'' have aired on British television, one in 1995 that attracted more than 10 million viewers in the UK, with the second broadcast in 2006. Bassey returned to perform in five arenas around the UK in June the same year, culminating at Wembley Arena, Wembley. She also performed a concert in front of 10,000 people at the Bryn Terfel Faenol Festival in North Wales broadcast by BBC Wales. Marks & Spencer signed her for their Christmas 2006 James Bond–style television advertising campaign. Bassey is seen in a glamorous ice palace singing a cover version of Pink (singer), Pink's song "Get the Party Started", wearing an Marks & Spencer, M&S gown. "The Living Tree (song), The Living Tree", written, produced, and originally recorded by the group Never the Bride, was released as a single on 23 April 2007, marking Bassey's 50th anniversary in the UK Singles Chart – and the record for the longest span of top-40 hits in UK chart history. Bassey performed a 45-minute set at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival wearing a pink Julien Macdonald dress, and customised Wellington boots. A new album, ''Get the Party Started (album), Get the Party Started'', was subsequently released on 25 June 2007 and entered the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
at number six. The single of the title song reached number 3 on the US Dance Chart. The same year, Bassey performed "Big Spender" with Elton John at his annual White Tie and Tiara Ball to raise money for The Elton John AIDS Foundation. In 2007, Bassey performed in ''Fashion Rocks'' in aid of The Prince's Trust at the
Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
. Bassey was rushed to hospital in Monaco on 23 May 2008 to have an emergency operation on her stomach after complaining of abdominal pains. She was forced to pull out of the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Tribute concert because of her illness. A biography of Bassey, ''Diamond Diva'', was published in 2008. Bassey recorded the album ''The Performance'' (2009), with James Bond composer David Arnold as co-producer (with Mike Dixon (conductor), Mike Dixon). A number of artists wrote songs expressly for her, including Manic Street Preachers, Gary Barlow, Tom Baxter, KT Tunstall, Pet Shop Boys, Nick Hodgson of the Kaiser Chiefs, John Barry (composer), John Barry and Don Black (lyricist), Don Black. Bassey headlined at the BBC Electric Proms on 23 October 2009, in her only full live set of 2009. She performed several of the new songs from ''The Performance'' in November 2009 on various TV shows: ''The Graham Norton Show'', ''The Paul O'Grady Show'' and as the guest singer on ''Strictly Come Dancing''. Bassey performed at a gala celebrating the 80th birthday of Mikhail Gorbachev on 30 March 2011. She also performed at the Classical Brit Awards in 2011, singing "Goldfinger" in tribute to John Barry (composer), John Barry. The BBC broadcast a 70-minute drama entitled ''Shirley'' on 29 September 2011, depicting Bassey's early life and career. Ruth Negga played the title role. Bassey was one of the line-up of artists on 4 June 2012 who performed at the Diamond Jubilee Concert, Queen's 60th Jubilee Party at Buckingham Palace, singing "Diamonds Are Forever". She performed at the 85th Academy Awards, 2013 Academy Awards on 24 February 2013 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the James Bond movie franchise. It was her first appearance at an Oscars ceremony as a performer. She sang "Goldfinger" to a standing ovation. Bassey performed "I'm Still Here" and "The Lady Is A Tramp" on 13 November 2014 at the Royal Variety Performance in the presence of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Bassey released another album, ''Hello Like Before'', on 17 November 2014. It includes a 50th-anniversary re-recording of "Goldfinger" (recreating the original orchestration) and a duet of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" with Paloma Faith, produced and conducted by Stuart Barr. In December 2016, Bassey starred in a 60-minute BBC broadcast hosted by David Walliams. On 11 March 2018, Bassey performed "Almost Like Being In Love" in a tribute to Sir Bruce Forsyth at the London Palladium. At a gala for AMFAR (The Foundation for Aids Research) in Los Angeles on 18 October 2018, Bassey sang "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever", "Almost Like Being In Love" and "I Am What I Am". On 9 August 2019, Bassey performed at UNICEF's Summer Gala in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, singing "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever" and "S'Wonderful". Bassey appeared on the Ball & Boe TV Christmas Special on Friday 20 December 2019, singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" with Michael Ball and Alfie Boe. In 2020, with the release of her most recent album, ''
I Owe It All To You "I Owe It All to You" is a pop song written by Alonzo, Jim Guthrie, Adam Messinger, and Damhnait Doyle for Eva Avila Eva Avila (born Eva Gougeon-Ávila on 25 February 1987) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fourth ...
'', Bassey became the first female artist to chart an album in the top 40 of the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
in seven consecutive decades. On 4 October 2022, Bassey performed in "The Sound of 007: Live from the Royal Albert Hall", which commemorated the 60th Anniversary of the James Bond Film era. She sang the two opening songs, "Diamonds are forever" and "Goldfinger".


Personal life


Marriages

Bassey's first marriage was to Kenneth Hume in 1961. The couple separated in 1964 and divorced in 1965 in the wake of Bassey's affair with actor Peter Finch. She then announced to the press that she and Finch would not be marrying, telling the press: "It simply wouldn't work out. Just know I am not ready for marriage to anyone. I feel I have to be free." A year later, Hume sued Finch and another man, John McAuliffe, for being "indiscreet" with Bassey. Both Finch and McAuliffe were cited as co-respondents in the Hume–Bassey divorce. For her part, Bassey was named as co-respondent in 1965 when Finch's wife, South African actress Yolande Turner, divorced him. From 1968 until they divorced in 1979, Bassey was married to Sergio Novak, the assistant manager of the Excelsior Hotel in Venice. During this time, Novak was Bassey's manager, and they adopted Mark, her grand-nephew.


Children

The fathers of Bassey's two daughters, Sharon Bassey (a.k.a. Sharon Novak, born 1954) and Samantha Bassey (a.k.a. Samantha Novak, born 1963), are unknown. Bassey had Sharon at the age of 17 and her sister Ella raised her as her own daughter until the 1960s. Bassey's first husband suggested that Samantha, born during the couple's marriage, was the result of an affair between Bassey and Peter Finch. In 1985, Samantha, age 21, was found dead in the River Avon (Bristol), River Avon in Bristol, England. Bassey has always maintained that the death of her daughter was not a suicide. On 24 March 2010, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed they were undertaking fresh inquiries into the death and specifically claims that the convicted killer Michael Moffat was involved in her death. However, in October 2010 it was reported that the investigation came to an end and concluded that there "is no evidence of any criminal act involved" in Novak's death. The ordeal of losing her daughter caused Bassey to temporarily lose her voice. In a 2009 interview, Bassey stated that she and her son, Mark, had reconciled. Bassey has four grandsons through her surviving daughter, Sharon Novak. Bassey resides in Monaco. In 2018, Bassey reported that she had a great-granddaughter.


Accolades

In 1994, Bassey became a Order of the British Empire, Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). She was made a Order of the British Empire, Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) on 31 December 1999 by Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth II for services to entertainment. She was invited to perform in 2002 at the Party at the Palace, a public celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Bassey also performed at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace on 4 June 2012, singing "Diamonds Are Forever". She was invited to perform at the Queen's 90th Birthday celebrations at Windsor Castle on 15 May 2016. In 2012, Bassey was among the Culture of the United Kingdom, British cultural icons selected by artist Sir Peter Blake (artist), Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork – the Beatles' ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' album cover – to celebrate the British cultural figures of his life that he most admires. In 2016, she was named as one of "the 50 greatest Welsh men and women of all time". In November 2016 the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama announced the naming of the Shirley Bassey Studio in celebration of Bassey's long-standing support for young Welsh singers studying at the College. She was awarded a Knight in France, France's Legion of Honour in 2003, to signify her popularity and importance in the culture of France. Bassey was awarded the freedom of her hometown, Cardiff, in a ceremony at City Hall on 17 May 2019. Bassey has also received the following honors: * 1993: Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama * * 1999: Madam Tussaud's waxwork unveiled in London (second model in Las Vegas) * 2000: Most Successful British Female Singer – Guinness Book of Records * 2004: Ranked No. 8 on the list of " 100 Great Black Britons" * 2005: Avenue of Stars, London, Avenue of Stars – plaque unveiled in London *2018: She unveiled a carriage on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, named in her honour *2019: Freedom of the City of Cardiff *2019: Square of Fame – plaque of Bassey's handprints unveiled at the SSE Arena, Wembley Park, London *2020: Official UK Chart Record – First female artist to claim a top 40 album in seven consecutive decades


Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards , - , 1999 , ''The Birthday Concert'' , Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album , , - , 2008 , " Goldfinger" ,
Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
(Single) , NME Awards , - , 1959 , Shirley Bassey , Favorite British Singer , , - , 1960 , Shirley Bassey , Favorite British Singer , Bassey has also received the following awards and nominations: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *2014: Lifetime Achievement Award – World Music Awards * *


Discography


Television specials


Bibliography

* "Shirley Bassey: Diamonds Are Forever" – Mary Long (2017) * ''Miss Shirley Bassey'' – John L. Williams (2010) – London: Quercus. * ''Shirley Bassey: Diamond Diva'' – Peter Hogan (2008) * ''Cardiff: Rebirth of a Capital'' (Foreword by Shirley Bassey) – Ungersma, Hurn (2005) * ''Shirley Bassey: Welsh History Stories'' – Evans, Stokes, ap Emlyn, ap Emlyn (2003) * ''Shirley Bassey: An appreciation'' – Muriel Burgess (1998, reprinted 1999) * ''My Life on Record and in Concert'' – Shirley Bassey (Bloomsbury, 1998) * ''The Trial of Shirley Bassey – A Play in One Act'' – Alexander Baron (1998) * ''Shirley Bassey: This Is My Life'' (Piano/vocal/guitar) – Sheet music book * ''Shirley Bassey: You're the Voice'' (Piano/vocal/guitar) – Sheet music book * ''Guinness Book of British Hit Singles'' – 14th Edition – * ''Guinness Book of British Hit Singles'' – 16th Edition – * ''Guinness Book of British Hit Albums'' – 7th Edition – * ''The Book of Golden Discs'' – 2nd Edition – * ''The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits'' –


See also

* List of best-selling music artists


References


See also

* Legion of Honour * Musée de la Légion d'honneur, Legion of Honour Museum * List of Légion d'honneur recipients by name (B), List of Legion of Honour recipients by name (B) * List of foreign recipients of the Légion d'Honneur, List of foreign recipients of Legion of Honour by name * List of foreign recipients of the Légion d'Honneur by country, List of foreign recipients of the Legion of Honour by country * List of foreign recipients of the Légion d'Honneur by decade, List of foreign recipients of the Legion of Honour by decade


External links


Dame Shirley Bassey
– Official Facebook Page
Shirley Bassey
discography at Discogs *
Shirleybassey.nl
– extensive CD discography with track lists
The Songs of Shirley Bassey (archived site)

Shirley Bassey
biography on BBC Wales {{DEFAULTSORT:Bassey, Shirley 1937 births Living people 20th-century Black British women singers 21st-century Black British women singers Traditional pop music singers Torch singers Welsh pop singers Brit Award winners Nigerian recipients of British titles Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Singers awarded knighthoods People from Butetown British expatriates in Monaco Welsh people of English descent Welsh people of Nigerian descent People of Efik descent 20th-century Welsh women singers 21st-century Welsh women singers Columbia Graphophone Company artists Philips Records artists Decca Records artists United Artists Records artists Geffen Records artists