SHIRLEY BASSEY
Shirley Bassey, The Singer, Classic and Undiscovered Gems 1962–1979 [2025] (3 x CDs)
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (/ˈbæsi/; 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 officially 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 the double A-side "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. (Wikipedia)
Shirley Bassey, The Singer, Classic and Undiscovered Gems 1962–1979 [2025] (3 x CDs)
Released in April 2025 by Cherry Red Records, The Singer is a 3CD anthology that finally delivers on a long-delayed dream: a comprehensive, remastered collection of Shirley Bassey’s EMI and United Artists recordings from 1962 to 1979, including eight previously unreleased studio master's and the legendary 1973 Royal Albert Hall concert, issued in full for the first time.
Compiled by Martyn Daye, the set features 45 tracks sourced directly from original master tapes and session reels, with remastering handled by Richard Moore at Mint Audio.
The first two discs span Bassey’s studio output, hit singles, rare B-sides, soundtrack cuts, and promo-only versions, including a new stereo mix of “Goldfinger,” the 1966 version of “I (Who Have Nothing),” and the rare Italian single “Vivo Di Diamanti.” Standouts include her orchestral take on “I Write the Songs” (previously unreleased), a lush version of “Everything I Own”, and the smoky drama of “Burn My Candle”.
Disc three is the crown jewel: the complete 1973 Royal Albert Hall concert, long considered one of Bassey’s finest live performances. Originally broadcast in part by the BBC on New Year’s Day 1974, this release restores unheard songs, alternate takes, and the full emotional arc of the show, from the explosive “Goldfinger” fanfare to her stirring renditions of “Where Am I Going”, “Without You”, and “This Is My Life.”
The packaging includes a lavish booklet with previously unpublished photographs, detailed track annotations, and a liner essay by Daye. For fans and archivists, The Singer is more than a compilation, it’s a historical restoration, finally giving Bassey’s overlooked gems the spotlight they deserve. (B)
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Track lists
CD1
01 Shirley Bassey - I've Got a Song for You 2:39
02 Shirley Bassey - Shirley 2:12
03 Shirley Bassey - Never, Never, Never 3:42
04 Shirley Bassey - For All We Know 2:46
05 Shirley Bassey - 'Til Love Touches Your Life 3:46
06 Shirley Bassey - When You Smile 3:33
07 Shirley Bassey - Moonraker 3:09
08 Shirley Bassey - And I Love You So 4:29
09 Shirley Bassey - I (Who Have Nothing) (1966 Version) 2:31
10 Shirley Bassey - The Fool on the Hill 3:25
11 Shirley Bassey - Light My Fire 3:29
12 Shirley Bassey - Something 3:35
13 Shirley Bassey - My Way 3:39
14 Shirley Bassey - Goldfinger (Alternate Stereo Mix) 2:53
15 Shirley Bassey - If You Go Away 4:35
16 Shirley Bassey - Burn My Candle (At Both Ends) 3:32
17 Shirley Bassey - The Liquidator (Soundtrack Version) 2:22
18 Shirley Bassey - La Vita 4:10
19 Shirley Bassey - Kiss Me Honey Honey (Kiss Me) 1:58
20 Shirley Bassey - As I Love You 2:18
21 Shirley Bassey - Diamonds Are Forever 2:42
22 Shirley Bassey - Big Spender 2:01
23 Shirley Bassey - The Greatest Performance of My Life 3:29
CD2
01 Shirley Bassey - Look for Me Tomorrow (I'll Be Gone) 2:30
02 Shirley Bassey - I Write the Songs 3:56
03 Shirley Bassey - Without a Word 2:06
04 Shirley Bassey - Everything I Own (New Mix) 3:08
05 Shirley Bassey - Why Can't I Cry? 3:04
06 Shirley Bassey - I'm Not Anyone 3:47
07 Shirley Bassey - Night Moves 3:17
08 Shirley Bassey - Vivo di diamanti 2:44
09 Shirley Bassey - My Liquidator 1:19
10 Shirley Bassey - Because You're Mine 2:55
11 Shirley Bassey - Runaway 4:29
12 Shirley Bassey - Ease on Down the Road 2:50
13 Shirley Bassey - Copacabana 5:12
14 Shirley Bassey - It's Always 4 A.M. 3:29
15 Shirley Bassey - Moonraker (Disco) (End Title) 2:34
16 Shirley Bassey - If I Should Love Again 2:48
17 Shirley Bassey - Where is Love 3:34
18 Shirley Bassey - I Got Lost in His Arms 3:20
19 Shirley Bassey - Until It's Time for You to Go 4:08
20 Shirley Bassey - The Singer 3:05
21 Shirley Bassey - I Believe in Music 3:19
22 Shirley Bassey - Don't You Pass Me By 2:16
CD3
01 Shirley Bassey - Goldfinger Fanfare (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 0:52
02 Shirley Bassey - Where Am I Going? (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 2:31
03 Shirley Bassey - Shirley (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 2:43
04 Shirley Bassey - And I Love You So (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 4:13
05 Shirley Bassey - Let Me Sing and I'm Happy (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 2:44
06 Shirley Bassey - I'd Like to Hate Myself in the Morning (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 3:07
07 Shirley Bassey - Make the World a Little Younger (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 3:22
08 Shirley Bassey - Without You (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 3:28
09 Shirley Bassey - Goldfinger (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 2:58
10 Shirley Bassey - Day by Day (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 4:39
11 Shirley Bassey - Never, Never, Never (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 4:24
12 Shirley Bassey - Somehow (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 2:22
13 Shirley Bassey - Lovely Way to Spend an Evening (Audience Applause) (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 2:10
14 Shirley Bassey - Greatest Performance of My Life (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 3:25
15 Shirley Bassey - Lovely Way to Spend an Evening (More Audience Applause) (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 2:14
16 Shirley Bassey - This is My Life (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 4:27
17 Shirley Bassey - The Party's Over (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 3:02
18 Shirley Bassey - The Party's Over (Audience Applause) (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 2:52
19 Shirley Bassey - Something (Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 4:21
20 Shirley Bassey - The Party's Over (More Audience Applause; Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1973) 2:07
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Music weaves itself into the fabric of our emotions, dances through the corridors of memory, and whispers to the soul of who we are. Sharing these stories deepens the connection, turning the experience into something timeless and profound.
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Not really my thing but boy she could belt out a tune.
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