Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE (born 8 January 1937), is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the mid-1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century". In the US, in particular, she is best known for recording the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979) and is the only artist to record more than one Bond theme song. Bassey is also a UNESCO Artist for Peace.[1]
From a Morrissey interview with Shaun Phillips in Sounds, June 18, 1988:[2]
...But this enthusiasm pales next to his desire to work with, or even meet, Shirley Bassey.
"I went to see her last night, I thought she was excellent. I'd love to meet her, I'd love to touch the end of her dress."
Clearly, Morrissey envies Shirley Bassey's stature.
"It's the kind of position I, not aspire to, but like the idea of. I don't think people consider me to be a superstar, or a world superstar, or a rock star or anything like that. I think I'm just considered to be a British phenomenon... as well as a sex symbol."
So would you like to do...
"A nude centrefold?"
The theme tune to a Bond Movie?
"No, what on earth for? Because she did it? Oh, I see."
No, because Duran Duran did it.
"Yes, I would actually. I liked Diamonds Are Forever, Goldfinger, things like that."
Sheena Easton did one as well.
"Could you name it though 'For Your... Legs Only'!?"
So you're not a big Sheena Easton fan?
"Not at the minute."
You'll be taking the Shirley Bassey route to stardom then?
"Good heavens, that means I'd have to stay alive for another 22 years. Could you imagine that, it's a ghastly thought, all those Christmas Morecambe & Wise Shows... No, I'm alright actually, because they're already dead."
"Don't Take The Lovers From The World" was listed #2 in the "Singles To Be Cremated With" section of the September 16, 1989 NME feature "Headful Of Heroes".[3]. Shirley Bassey is listed again in the same feature in the section "Bigmouths - The Singer Not The Song".
According to Mozipedia, "You'll Never Walk Alone" was used as an outtro to The Smiths concerts in 1986 and also to the Wolverhampton gig in 1988. "You'll Never Walk Alone" was also used in the closing montage of Hulmerist.
"Ave Maria" was used as the outtro to Morrissey's concerts in 1991.[4]
"This Is My Life" was used as the outtro to some of the concerts in 2002.[5]
"I (Who Have Nothing)" was used in the 2004 intermission music according to Mozipedia and a forum post by Almodis[6], however according to a forum post by niva, the version actually played was by Petula Clark.[7]
Shirley's performance of "To Give (The Reason I Live)" on Italian television in 1969 was used as an intermission video in 2009.[8] The song was also covered by Morrissey on the 2012 tour.
External links
References
- ↑ Shirley Bassey Wikipedia page. Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia.org.
- ↑ "Private Diary Of A Middle-Aged Man" - interview by Shaun Phillips - Sounds, June 18, 1988 (1988-06-18). The Motor Cycle Au Pair Boy. Retrieved from motorcycleaupairboy.com.
- ↑ NME. (2008-07-14). "Singles To Be Cremated With" - list by Morrissey, NME (Sep. 16, 1989). Morrissey-solo. Retrieved from morrissey-solo.com.
- ↑ mikael. (2008-03-26). Morrissey intermission music 1991. Morrissey-solo. Retrieved from morrissey-solo.com.
- ↑ davidt. (2008-08-19). 2002 tour intermission, entrance and exitus - details. Morrissey-solo. Retrieved from morrissey-solo.com.
- ↑ Almodis. (2004-04-23). intro setlist. Morrissey-solo. Retrieved from morrissey-solo.com.
- ↑ niva. (2005-02-20). 1991 intro setlist. Morrissey-solo. Retrieved from morrissey-solo.com.
- ↑ Martin. (2012-04-22). "To Give" intermission. Morrissey-solo. Retrieved from morrissey-solo.com.