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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZBASSEY, Shirley(b 8 January 1937, Tiger Bay, Cardiff, Wales) Big-voiced singer and UK showbiz icon. First pro job at 16 in touring revue Memories Of Al Jolson; discovered in variety at Astor Club '55 by Jack Hylton; he put her in revue Such Is Life with Northern comic Al Read. Her top ten UK hits began with 'Banana Boat Song' '57, 'Kiss Me Honey Honey Kiss Me' no. 3 '58; first no. 1 'As I Love You' '59; no. 2 in '60 with 'As Long As He Needs Me' from Oliver!; 'You'll Never Know' no. 6, 'I'll Get By' no. 10, 'Reach For The Stars'/'Climb Every Mountain' no. 1, all '61. Her real talent was on stage, with dynamic singing, extravagant gestures, often a backless, sideless and strapless gown keeping the audience in suspense. A smash hit gig in New York's Persian Room in 1961 established her as a live act in USA, but her only top 40 entry there was the theme from the James Bond film Goldfinger (no. 8 '65). UK hits continued: 'What Now, My Love' '62; 'I (Who Have Nothing)' '63. The Cy Coleman/Dorothy Fields hit from Sweet Charity 'Big Spender' reached no. 21 '67 and became a memorable body-grinding moment in the live act; later the record was found effective in clearing pigeons from runways at Liverpool airport. During the pre-Thatcher era when big earners in Britain were too heavily taxed she moved to Switzerland in 1969, leading to LP Does Anybody Miss Me. George Harrison's 'Something' made no. 4 '70, 'For All We Know', 'Never, Never, Never' made top ten; another Bond theme 'Diamonds Are Forever' did well, but by mid-'70s the hit singles had stopped. Concert and cabaret appearances still a hot ticket; played Carnegie Hall '72-3-4; live album from there '73; in ther early '80s she talked of semi-retirement. She was successful on UK TV in 1983, with guests like Richard Clayderman and Robert Goulet; she was more serene and mature, extravagant only on specialities such as Coleman/Fields tune 'Nobody Does It Like Me'. Despite public sympathy on her daughter's death by drowning in 1985 UK tabloid papers sold issues with an implication of neglect. In 2008 she came back with her first new album in a decade, Get The Party Started, including a reprise of the Bond theme 'You Only Live Twice'. |