The incredible talent of Dame Shirley Bassey is celebrated in a new collection that brings together classic and rare recordings.

Release date: Available now

Label: Strawberry Records/Cherry Red Records

Format: 3 CD Set

BACKGROUND TO THE COLLECTION

The Singer is a three CD collection which brings together recordings from Dame Shirley Bassey’s EMI and United Artists catalogue. It includes, in remastered form, not only recordings of some of her most loved vocal performances, but also alternate versions, rarities and some unreleased tracks. A major highlight of the collection are the previously unreleased live concert recordings from the Royal Albert Hall on 3^rd November 1973, from which excerpts were broadcast by the BBC on New Years Day 1974.

Dame Shirley Bassey, born in Tiger Bay, Cardiff, is without doubt one of the best vocalists the UK has ever produced. Her ability to tell the story of a song, and reflect in her own unique style, the emotional power and musical subtleties inherent in any composition, is something few other singers have mastered. Her reputation for outstanding and impactful vocal performances, whether on recordings or on stage, and the respect she is held in by other musicians and artists, has quite rightly never lessened. From the very informative accompanying booklet we learn that Dame Shirley Bassey is in fact the biggest selling UK female recording artist of all time.

This collection was originally planned for release in 2012, but this didn’t happen. Compiler Martyn Daye and Cherry Red are to be commended for ensuring this great collection, approved by Dame Shirley Bassey herself, has finally been released. A fitting celebration of the musical legacy of a very talented and authentic performer and artist.

In this review we will reflect on the impressive range of performances and musical highlights, to be encountered across the three CDs in this collection.

CD ONE

The second song in, Shirley, from her first album for United Artists, I’ve Got A Song For You, is a characteristically 1960s pop song with a strong brass and string arrangement. It was a song written specifically for her and became a part of her live show for many years. Dame Shirley Bassey’s rendition brings out both the tenderness of the song’s story, but also strikes a note of resilience, as her voice soars in the latter part of the arrangement. It is a vocal performance that really gets inside the song. 

THE JAMES BOND THEME SONGS

On this CD, we also happily have Dame Shirley Bassey’s three official theme songs from the James Bond films Moonraker, Goldfinger and Diamonds Are Forever. Moonraker has a lovely strings led lilt, as her voice gracefully ebbs and flows tracing the contours of the string arrangement. Goldfinger (the single version) is quite possibly the best ever James Bond theme song, with its striking brass parts, and a dramatic vocal delivery that only Dame Shirley Bassey could deliver. Her impassioned final delivery of the line, “He loves gold” is completely thrilling. Diamonds Are Forever, with its combination of funky rhythm and blues guitar, and funk led rhythm section and big band sound, could overwhelm many singers, but of course not Dame Shirley Bassey. Her voice is unmistakenly in the lead, and her poetical intonation gives full reign to the ironic lyrics. A simply superb vocal performance. 

The Lennon and McCartney classic, The Fool On The Hill, has an unusual upbeat musical backing, which strangely allows Dame Shirley Bassey’s voice to really pull out the poignancy of the song, while adding in a sense of wonder and intrigue. A testament to her interpretive skills as a singer, adding a new perspective to the song. Similarly, The Doors Light My Fire is given a torch ballad atmosphere combined with an infectious danceability. A striking and original take on such a well-known classic. Both are from the Something album recording sessions, which also produced her chart-topping single version of George Harrison’s composition Something.

signature songs

Big Spender, from the stage musical and film Sweet Charity, is of course one of Dame Shirley Bassey’s signature songs. It is essentially a jazz swing number with some very complex and dynamic time changes, all of which in this US version, Dame Shirley Bassey handles as if born to sing jazz. Musically it is an incredible performance and of course was aligned on stage with an engaging theatricality.

Hopefully this run through of some of the highlights across CD One gives a sense of the incredible musical range and quality Dame Shirley Bassey has as a singer, which is well represented across this collection.

CD TWO

On CD Two, the opening track Look For Me Tomorrow (I’ll be Gone), as sung by Dame Shirley Bassey, is a song of independence and empowerment, where the vocal effortlessly and skilfully changes the pace of the song several times. Add in that Dame Shirley Bassey seems to also have great fun with the song, and it is a performance that draws the listener back repeatedly.

Everything I Own, the song David Gates wrote, and performed with Bread, is sung in a quite understated way, that allows the emotional power of the words to gently fall out of the speakers in all their poignancy. This is a performance where you feel that the vocal is based on a deep emotional understanding of the song’s narrative. 

MAGNIFICENT JAZZ STYLINGS

Night Moves, written by Michael Franks and Michael Small, is a song that has a cinematic sweep in its lyrics. It is taken from The Magic Is You, Dame Shirley Bassey’s final album for United Artists.The arrangement and Dame Shirley Bassey’s performance give full expression to the cinematic theme, and infuse the song with some magnificent jazz stylings, that elevate the song to a whole new level. It is quite epic and a standout moment on the second CD. 

On CD two, we are also treated to a rarity which is without doubt a real gem. It is the Italian version of Diamonds Are Forever, Vivo Di Diamanti, a single which was only ever released in Italy. It manages the feat of surpassing the original version, with a compelling vocal that is in equal parts commanding and dynamic. In fact, the vocal performance really highlights the intensity of the musical arrangement, which surprisingly has something of the flavour of metal music in its musical attack.

The song, The Singer, is previously unreleased, and Martyn Daye in his excellent accompanying essay, notes that it was originally written about Edith Piaf. The treatise central to the song is the emotional authenticity intrinsic to a great singer who can completely mesmerise an audience. That is absolutely what Dame Shirley Bassey brings to the song and to her artistry and which audiences really connect with. Which brings us on to the concert recordings on the final CD

CD THREE

The previously unreleased live concert recordings from the Royal Albert Hall on 3^rd November 1973, are a real treasure in this set. Disc three skilfully weaves together the best recorded performances from across the matinee and evening performances. Dame Shirley Bassey takes the stage to the Goldfinger Fanfare, and thanks the audience for what is clearly a tumultuous reception. 

The first number Where Am I Going, is high energy with a fiery vocal. A brave way to start a concert, hitting a peak with the first number. The second song in the set is Shirley, from her first album for United Artists, which we reflected on earlier in its recorded version. It’s a sparkling version, with the orchestra really spirited in its backing, and the vocal perfectly holding together both the free spirited and poignant elements the song contains. Dame Shirley Bassey accomplishes this without dropping for a second the energy of the exuberant beginning to the set.

Goldfinger in the live setting is adorned with some remarkable vocal phrasing that lifts the song into a different realm, highlighting the songs narrative which warns of the betrayal of trust. The orchestra match this great vocal with some superlative musical touches, under the very capable conducting of musical director Arthur Greenslade. In the final song refrain of “He loves gold”, Dame Shirley Bassey’s voice again reaches the most incredible of high notes and holds it perfectly. The audience applause is of course loud and appreciative.

COMPLETELY HITTING THE MARK

Day By Day from the early 1970s Broadway musical Godspell is instantly recognised by the audience, as it would have been very current at the time of this concert. It is a driving and exultant version that completely hits the mark and somehow manages the feat of convincing the listener that the song was specifically written for Dame Shirley Bassey to perform. In this context, you might want to seek out The Performance, the excellent 2009 album, where Dame Shirley Bassey recorded a series of songs written for her by artists like the Pet Shop Boys and Richard Hawley, and in particular the quite wonderful biographical song, The Girl from Tiger Bay, written for her by James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers. 

The penultimate track in the concert is Dame Shirley Bassey’s performance of George Harrison’s Something, a song she had a major hit with, and it is a sensational version, that must have sounded incredible that evening in the Royal Albert Hall.

These are just a few of the highlights to be found on the live disc. It is also worth saying that the sound on this live recording is very good, really giving space to all the nuances in Dame Shirley Bassey’s vocal performance, and the musical detail delivered by the orchestra. Finally, a mention also to the informative essay by Martyn Daye, to be found in the accompanying booklet, which sets out the background to all the recordings and the project itself, in a very engaging and readable way.

DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY – SOME CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS

Dame Shirley Bassey is a singer, both on record and in live performance, who has an emotional power and range to her voice, that elevates each song she sings to something that touches the human experience, in all its complexity and contrasts. It is a rare and unique gift that finds expression throughout this collection. Dame Shirley Bassey is also an artist that has always connected with her audience, bringing her authentic self, and giving everything to each performance.

This review is dedicated to my dad Cliff Allen, and Joyce Rangeley, who were both big fans of Dame Shirley Bassey.

Watch here a video where the producer, and artists that wrote songs for Dame Shirley Bassey’s The Performance album, talk about her artistry.

You can find out more about Dame Shirley Bassey here: Facebook

You can find out more about Cherry Red Records releases here: Cherry Red Records / Cherry Red Records Facebook

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