Shirley Bassey

Shirley Bassey

Relevance

• From a Morrissey interview in Sounds, June 18, 1988:

...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".. 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. A video for "You'll Never Walk Alone" also was used in the 2009 tour intermission, according to the list by Kewpie (information from Steph).

• "Ave Maria" was used as the outtro to Morrissey's concerts in 1991.

• "This Is My Life" was used as the outtro to some of the concerts in 2002.

• "I (Who Have Nothing)" was used in the 2004 intermission music according to Mozipedia and a forum post by Almodis, however according to a forum post by niva, the version actually played was by Petula Clark.

• Shirley's performance of "To Give (The Reason I Live)" on Italian television in 1969 was used as an intermission video in 2009. The song was also covered by Morrissey on the 2012 tour.

• Morrissey sang lines from "This Is My Life" when opening his London Palladium concert (October 9, 2022).

Her image was used on a drum head and backdrop during "Speedway" in 2024. The image was also the proposed "Hand In Glove" 2024 reissue sleeve.

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  Proposed "Hand In Glove" 2024 reissue sleeve (source)

External links

• "Don't Take The Lovers From The World" on YouTube
• "This Is My Life" on YouTube

Mentioned In

• Moon River
• Countdown Magazine (Australia) Profile
• Headful Of Heroes - NME (September 16, 1989)
• Kill Uncle Tour 1991 Pre-show Tracks
• 10 Questions: Morrissey - Los Angeles Times (June 16, 1991)
• Your Arsenal Tour 1992 Pre-show Tracks
• World Tour 2002 Pre-show Tracks
• Tour Of The Tormentors MMVI 2006-2007 Pre-show Tracks
• Tour Of Refusal 2009 Pre-show Tracks

Discogs Information

Profile

Born: 8 January 1937 in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales, UK.

Formally known as Dame Shirley Bassey DBE (Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire), after HM Queen Elizabeth II awarded her recognition with the 1999/2000 New Years Honours List announced on 31 December 1999.

Shirley Bassey is a singer, often regarded in the 'diva' sense, due to her strong and masterful prowess in her vocal talents, continuing into her latter years. She is perhaps best known as having done the vocals on the theme tunes to three films in the popular British espionage film franchise James Bond.

External Links

• https://www.discogs.com/artist/5492-Shirley-Bassey
• https://www.dameshirleybassey.world/
• https://www.facebook.com/officialDSB/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Bassey
• https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0060259/

Wikipedia Information

Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, the only artist to perform more than one, Bassey is one of the most popular vocalists in Britain. Born in Cardiff, 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. In the following decades, Bassey amassed 27 Top 40 hits in the UK, including two number ones (As I Love You and AA: Climb Ev'ry Mountain/Reach For The Stars) plus a number one on the Dance Chart (History Repeating). She became well known for recording theme songs of the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). Bassey has had numerous BBC television specials and 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 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 in 1977. She was appointed a Dame 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 in 2008. She has influenced many other singers, including Aretha Franklin. In a career spanning over 70 years, Bassey has sold over 140 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female artists of all time. She is the first woman in history to claim a Top 40 album in seven consecutive decades in the United Kingdom.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Bassey

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