To the "critics": Shirley Bassey never has to explain any song she sings or how or why she sings it. She's a living legend. You may have other style preferences, but when was the last time anyone paid to see, hear or televise anything you did? Glenn Close was amazing and owned this song for sure. Betty Buckley was also amazing. It doesn't detract from their performances to admire the singular talent of Dame Shirley Bassey when she sings these songs, or any song for that matter.
God she's brilliant! What a gift she has. Talk about goosebumps. Hello???? Any so many fantastic songs she has recorded. Talk about a discography. Wow!!!!! Your a gift to many Miss Dame Shirley Bassey.
Simply unreal. Every note- flawless. Every gesture- immediate and committed. Every nuance- personal and intimate and yet able to be read from the back row. This is how you perform. It doesn't matter where the original material came from- she is making it about HER, and it's simply unreal. Thanks for sharing!
I have seen Dame Shirley 4 times in Concert she always delivers. I love her style and voice, she doesn't play around with the song. She Always steers my emotions. Thank you Dame Shirley. Many thanks for the video.
Love her voice, nobody sounds like Shirley Bassey! My favorite recording of hers is "Moonraker" from the Bond film of the same name. I've read that she was a last minute replacement on the song when Johnny Mathis backed out and she does not consider the song "hers", but she could have fooled me! I even bought the soundtrack I liked it so much and played it over and over. And she was a hit a last night's Oscar's performing "Gold Finger"!!!
@sas9023055 - It's nice that you recognized the differences as you must be a big Sunset Boulevard fan. But, since 99.9% of the world's population never saw this musical, they wouldn't have known these differences unless someone pointed it out..thks!
Betty Buckley is one of the greatest singers/enterainers to sing in a musical, any musical..In my opinion. I didn't know she was such a great singer when growing up watching her in the 1980's sitcom, Eight Is Enough.
Just outstanding! Thank you for posting this. I've noticed comparisons and opinions which everyone is entitled to and I just want to say that I'd prefer to hear Shirley sing these songs, but if I had to choose a favorite theatrical stage performance, my choice would be Betty Buckley.. hands down!
PERFECTION! The GREATEST EVER and so BEAUTIFUL to this DAY!!! What a DAME!!!! I love you Shirley!!!! OH....did I mention the greatest SMILE I've ever seen? I STATE THE OBVIOUS!
Our very own my Idle the most wonderful Dame Shirley Bassey seen. Her in. Concert many many times. Juuuuuuust amazing 😉 miss you Shirley very much sweetheart love and hugs Dee 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
@Paulo Nogueiro. Right on, I'll also say that she is an actress. Even if she hasn't performed in films or on the stage she displays acting and star talent in all that she does. She's electrifying, and carries herself with a duchess's stage presence so that your eye goes straight to her, there could be ten other singers on the stage, she has the magnetism to dominate the camera. She glows with sincerity when she sings and her expressions subtly change, she knows how to turn a phrase, giving it an added meaning and truth that may not have been there on a sheet of paper. And she is completely comfortable, cool as a cucumber and natural in front of an audience, always alive and at home, never forced. And when she teases and talks to her audience you also know that she has comedic timing. Having a stunning voice that glitters like champagne then booms the climax like a stick of dynamite doesn't hurt either. :) She would have been good in many roles I think Norma Desmond, Velma Kelly, Fantine, Mama Rose, Lucy.
@DistantCousin - You are absolutely right. My only argument from the original comment made was that Shirley didn't screw up the lyrics, and thus she has nothing to be forgiven for. The lyrics as she sings them are exactly as her musical director arranged for her, and they are the same lyrics as she recorded her versions of both these songs. I enjoy all the lyrics from the musical, but to include these tracks on her POP LP, some of the lyrics had to be cut and they don't apply to the musical.
And, that's what makes the world go around. For me, just reverse your comment as Shirley is the one that gives me goosebumps. I am from the USA and grew up listening to Streisand, but once I heard Bassey sing, and especially LIVE, she became my favorite.
Don't get me wrong, I love Bassey too, but I think Streisand is the better actress. In any event, everything is subjective--and they're both extraordinarily talented women.
I agree I grew up listening to many vocalist and still do but for me DSB gives me goosebumps and strikes the heart and soul for me. Thank You for this posting 💕😘 DSB ♾️
@KuroInuSama69 - I'm glad Shirley is worthy of forgiveness, but she not screw up the lyrics to this song. She intentionally didn't sing all the lyrics as originally written for the musical, Sunset Boulevard. Shirley is a POP singer, and both the arrangements and the words to most of the songs from musicals that Shirley has recorded are slightly modified. If not, they wouldn't have that POP flavor, OR the 'Bassey' Stamp which makes her so unique. Once peole understand...everything's good.
becanto: What a great comment, and I'm sure that Dame Shirley, if she even logs on to RU-vid, would appreciate comments such as yours. This is the usual reaction people have when they first discover this lady, well, if they don't have previous bias to other contemporary artists that is. Bassey is an easy listening artists, but she has the VOICE to sing just about any genre of music there is (well, except maybe Rrapp). I discovered her when in high school...and haven't looked back!
KurolnuSama69 - And yet, over the last 15 years and with half a dozen live clips she has sung this song the same way, including her studio recording. You certainly have a right to your opinion on who sings this song best, and if I didn't think so, I wouldn't have approved your comments. I didn't say she always changes the lyrics; I said that whatever lyrics Bassey uses, they are intentional. Re: Your last sentence: I have over 700 clips loaded over several yrs and Probably have made 30 comments
Fab version. But you cant compare her to the actress who have performed this song as the character. Shirley was singing it as Shirley. Hey just my opinion x
I have uploaded the entire concert: For each number type in Shirley Bassey - Song title as shown below, then look for sas9023055. The songs she performs are: I Am What I Am : As I Love You : Johnny One Note : History Repeating : Yesterday When I Was Young : Razzle Dazzle : All That Jazz : I Want To Know What Love Is : You'll See : With One Look / As If We Never Said Goodbye : Goldfinger. Enjoy!
I like Shirley Bassey and she was talented, but she is no match to how Glenn Close performed this song. Heck, I didn't know Close could sing until her performance in Sunset Boulevard. But here, Close takes the crown.
Sunset Blvd was one of the theatre's greatest turkeys...it just did not work on any level....but Bassey does a reasonable job the songs suit her over the top style...
Shirley was offered the part, but performing the same songs in a musical, and singing them the same way, did not suit her personality. When she performs in concert she sings the song a little differently every time. . And, she directs the director when on stage rather than the other way around.
@mikeride101 If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have noticed that diction mistake as we know the lyrics and assume the singer sings them as they were written. The leopard coat was not well cut.
@sas9023055 Though I would argue that even if 99.9% of the population possibly hadn't seen SB, the songs themselves had become much better known in their own right, and therefore people would be more likely to spot difference to the standard lyrics.
@sas9023055 And yet, She has done other show tunes and sung them as written. Like i said i got no problem with her. To take it a step further... It would have been phenomenal to have seen her IN sunset blvd. because the ONLY satisfying Norma Desmond I EVER saw on stage is Glenn Close! Lupone, Buckley, Paige, Caroll.... they all palled in comparison in MY OPINION -this is my personal opinion and we now return you to your regularly scheduled comments-
Beautiful voice, wonderful presence but lacks the edge and expression of Judi Connelli. Connelli has that unique ability to have perfect diction merged with clipped pathos.
