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The One and Only Dame Shirley Bassey

GerardGerard
edited September 2023 in Music Posts: 6,138
I tried to find a thread dedicated to Dame Shirley, couldn't find one, so ddecided to create my own. And all that to announce that the Royal Mail will issue a series of stamps dedicated to the only singer to have sung more than one Bond song (yes, I know about Herb Alpert, but he's a trumpet player, and besides, he only appeared in two "unofficial" Bonds). The stamps will be released on september 21st. Mark your calendars !

Comments

  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,571
    Without revealing too much, a family member works with Dame Shirley Bassey whenever she is in the UK attending or performing at events.
    We were ever so lucky to receive a signed wedding gift from our family member which she dedicated to me and my wife.
    As you can imagine it takes pride of place in the Man/Bond cave! :-bd
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,684
    Lovely.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,138
    One question : What is your favourite non-Bond song from Dame Shirley ? Mine is "Never, Never, Never" :



    Followed, very closely, by "This is my Life" :

  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,229
    I think "Never, Never, Never" would be my candidate. I just checked and found that (except for the Bond soundtrack CDs in question) I only have a double album "Shirley Bassey - Simply The Best" (and no, she's not even singing the Tina Turner song on that one). The only Bond song on that one is "Diamonds Are Forever", and "Never, Never, Never" is not on it, either. It's mainly a collection of more-or-less standards, but I'd be hard-pressed to say any of it is a real highlight. Solid music, simply because of her voice, but for me, sometimes too drawn out and exaggerated. Basically, she's just an extremely good cover artist, but there is very little besides the Bond themes that she actually owns.
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,417


    I must say I quite like her first number 1 in Britain. Her voice sounds so clear and young, and there is little "belting" but at the end. Very sweet, actually.
  • zebrafishzebrafish <°)))< in Octopussy's garden in the shade
    Posts: 4,417


    And guess what - her second #1, "Reach For The Stars", was written by Austrian singer-song writer legend Udo Juergens.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,229
    zebrafish wrote: »


    And guess what - her second #1, "Reach For The Stars", was written by Austrian singer-song writer legend Udo Juergens.

    No kiddin'? I didn't know that. Though I think Udo Jürgens has unfairly been put into the "Schlager-Fuzzi" category and was quite a musical genius in his compositions. He just knew how to make money with his arr.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,138
    One thing I find funny about Dame Shirley : Why didn't she appear in movies, apart from singing songs ? She certainly had the beauty and talent to get interesting parts. All I see in her resume are TV variety shows, but no fiction.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,959
    Gerard wrote: »
    One thing I find funny about Dame Shirley : Why didn't she appear in movies, apart from singing songs ? She certainly had the beauty and talent to get interesting parts. All I see in her resume are TV variety shows, but no fiction.

    An interesting question. From IMDb (Oliver! 1968):

    Carol Reed had Shirley Bassey in mind for Nancy, but his choice was rejected by Hollywood studio bosses who felt that the public was not ready for a Black Nancy.
  • Bond_ScoresBond_Scores UK
    Posts: 113
    Gaaaaaaah, every time I see this topic come up on the forum I think that Shirley's passed away :(
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    edited May 2023 Posts: 17,979
    Dwayne wrote: »
    Gerard wrote: »
    One thing I find funny about Dame Shirley : Why didn't she appear in movies, apart from singing songs ? She certainly had the beauty and talent to get interesting parts. All I see in her resume are TV variety shows, but no fiction.

    An interesting question. From IMDb (Oliver! 1968):

    Carol Reed had Shirley Bassey in mind for Nancy, but his choice was rejected by Hollywood studio bosses who felt that the public was not ready for a Black Nancy.

    Feels weird to see race brought up with relation to Dame Shirl, as she is one of those people who you kind of forget has non-white heritage: I'm not sure I've even seen it mentioned more than a handful of times. She's not defined by that at all, which I guess you can see as positive or negative depending upon your viewpoint (perhaps you could say that she's never really embraced that side of her makeup), but I think it's notable that it was perceived as more of a problem for US bosses than for the maker of the film. Certainly in the UK I think she's seen more as the girl from Tiger Bay than anything to do with her race.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited May 2023 Posts: 6,684
    Bond_Scores wrote: »
    Gaaaaaaah, every time I see this topic come up on the forum I think that Shirley's passed away :(

    Me too! The topic should be renamed The Amazing, Peerless Shirley Bassey. Or Call Me Shirley: The Shirley Bassey Appreciation Thread.
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    edited May 2023 Posts: 3,896
    echo wrote: »
    Bond_Scores wrote: »
    Gaaaaaaah, every time I see this topic come up on the forum I think that Shirley's passed away :(

    Me too! The topic should be renamed The Amazing, Peerless Shirley Bassey. Or Call Me Shirley: The Shirley Bassey Appreciation Thread.

    My idea for titles:

    A Midas Touch: Shirley Bassey Appreciation Thread 😊

    The Woman With the Golden Voice: A Shirley Bassey Appreciation Thread.

    Sing Sing Bang Bang: A Shirley Bassey Appreciation Thread

    Voices Are Forever: A Shirley Bassey Appreciation Thread

    Where is the Moonlight Trail that leads to your side? A Shirley Bassey Appreciation
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,138
    Well, the stamps have been revealed :

    https://shop.royalmail.com/special-stamp-issues/dame-shirley-bassey

    as10600-1-bassey-stamp-set.jpg

    mz191-1-bassey-minature-sheet.jpg

    I think they're wonderful. Don't you ?
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,589
    Yes, @Gerard … what a talent, and so beautiful.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,229
    There is still the issue of how this thread is named. As several posters before me wrote, and although I did a couple of comments in May myself, the "Shirley Bassey news" headline made me think something awful had happened.,,
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,138
    Done. You might be right.

  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    Posts: 9,229
    Merci beaucoup, bon choix!
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,684
    Gerard wrote: »
    Done. You might be right.

    +1
  • GerardGerard
    edited December 2023 Posts: 6,138
    At the New Year's Honours, Dame Shirley Bassey has been named as a Companion of Honour by His Majesty King Charles the Third.

    https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/new-year-honours-2024-emilia-clarke-paul-hollywood-newsupdate/

    220px-CHCompanionofHonour.jpg

    Edit : and on a related note, Don Black is now a Commander in the Order of the British Empire. To tell you the truth, I thought he was already.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,138
    One great song, Morecamb and Wise style :

  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,684
    I love this thread and Dame Bassey but every time it pops up I'm like, "Oh no!"

    But then I'm relieved.
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 6,138
    Tonight, BBC is airing a special night dedicated to the Girl from Tiger Bay. Here's the program, as found on the Radio Times website :

    22.40 : Shirley Bassey at the BBC volume 2
    00.10 : Shirley Bassey at the Royal Albert Hall 1974
    00.55 : Dame Shirley Bassey: The Girl from Tiger Bay
    01.50 : Dame Shirley Bassey : Electric Proms 2009
    02.50 : Shirley Bassey at the BBC

    Too bad I won't be able to watch it live. Better try to record it.
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