This was $2.40. Seems to be a lot of $2.40 records this week. Anyway, the playlist was pretty good and diverse so I got this.
Shirley Bassey, or Dame Shirley Bassey is from Wales. I did not know this. Along with Tom Jones, I seem to be cramming all my Welch content into this month. Anyway, her career started in the mid-fifties with chart successes in the UK and the US. Her biggest hit and the song she is really known for, for better of for worse, is the theme for the James Bond Film, Goldfinger. She also sang the themes to Diamonds are Forever, and Moonraker. She is still active today.
This was Bassey’s 13th album I believe. It was a comeback album of sorts. Bassey’s career had been in decline from the mid 60’s to 1970, when this came out. It was a big hit, reaching Number 5 on the UK charts. Her version of the Beatles’ “Something” was also a hit. This album greatly rejuvenated her career and led to a string of good albums in the 70’s.
And the album is pretty good. It has a good selection of songs from diverse sources. Pop standards, contemporary rock, older standards, film music, and a song from the musical Hair, all done with Bassey’s powerful vocals.
For a sample, I went with “What About Today” which I felt was the best song on the album. I also decided to go with her version of “Light My Fire” to give some contrast to the Nancy Sinatra version I posted last week.
Excellent album. Top rated.