''Sings the Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber'' is a studio album by

Shirley Bassey 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 to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists ...

, released in 1993. This album saw Bassey briefly return to her old label EMI (which also owns her United Artists recordings); the album was issued by EMI on the Music For Pleasure Premier label. All songs on this album were composed by

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...

. This is the first, and to date the only ''Songbook'' album that Bassey has recorded and released. In her early recording career she had recorded many songs from the Great American Songbook, but unlike

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...

, Ella Fitzgerald, and many other artists, she had never recorded a complete album of songs by one composer. The songs on the album are all taken from the popular musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber, that he wrote with various lyricists. The oldest song found on the album is from the 1971 musical ''

Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...

'' which originally opened on Broadway in October of that year. Bringing it up to date the album also includes two songs from '' Sunset Boulevard'' which had recently premiered on July 12, 1993, in London's

West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...

. Four songs had previously been recorded by Bassey: " I Don't Know How To Love Him" in 1972 for the album '' And I Love You So'', " Don't Cry for Me Argentina" in 1978 for the album ''

The Magic Is You ''The Magic Is You'' is a 1979 album by Welsh singer Shirley Bassey. Her final album for United Artists Records, the album notably featured a disco version of her signature 1968 song "This Is My Life". Overview Following the UK top three succe ...

'', " Memory" in 1984 for the B-side of the European single "That's Right" and "

All I Ask of You "All I Ask of You" is a song from the 1986 English musical ''The Phantom of the Opera'', between characters Christine Daaé and Raoul, originally played on stage by Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton, respectively. It was written by Andrew Llo ...

" in 1991 for the album ''

Keep the Music Playing ''Keep the Music Playing'' is a 1991 album by Shirley Bassey. The album was recorded in the UK at the Westgreen Studios and in the Netherlands at Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum. The album is a mixture of contemporary pop ballads, such as "I Want t ...

''. Several TV performances and interviews were made by Bassey to promote this album. The album entered the UK Albums Chart on December 4, 1993, and peaked at No. 34.Shirley Bassey on officialcharts.com
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Track listing

# " Memory" (

, Trevor Nunn, based on work from

T. S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biogr ...

) (from ''

Cats The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of t ...

'') – 5.02 # " Starlight Express" (Webber, Richard Stilgoe) (from '' Starlight Express'') – 3.04 # "

" (Webber, Charles Hart, Stilgoe) (from '' The Phantom of the Opera'') – 4.05 # " I Don't Know How to Love Him" (Webber, Tim Rice) (from ''

'') – 4.15 # "Macavity" (Webber, Trevor Nunn, based on work from

) (from ''

'') – 3.17 # "Chanson D'Enfance" (Webber, Hart, Don Black) (from '' Aspects of Love'') – 2.28 # "With One Look" (Webber,

Christopher Hampton Sir Christopher James Hampton ( Horta, Azores, 26 January 1946) is a British playwright, screenwriter, translator and film director. He is best known for his play ''Les Liaisons Dangereuses'' based on the novel of the same name and the film ...

, Black) (from '' Sunset Boulevard'') – 3.44 # " Tell Me on a Sunday" (Webber, Black) (from '' Song and Dance'') – 3.33 # "The Last Man in My Life" (Webber, Black) (from '' Song and Dance'') – 3.38 # " Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Webber, Rice) (from '' Evita'') – 5.13 # "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" (Webber, Hart, Stilgoe)(from '' The Phantom of the Opera'') – 3.25 # " As If We Never Said Goodbye" (Webber, Hampton, Black) (from '' Sunset Boulevard'') – 3.47 # "Memory" ''(reprise)'' (Webber, Nunn, based on work from

) (from ''

'') – 1.09

References

{{Authority control Shirley Bassey albums 1993 albums Tribute albums Music for Pleasure (record label) albums Andrew Lloyd Webber