The Shirley Bassey Singles Album
Encyclopedia
The Shirley Bassey Singles Album is a compilation
album released in 1975 by British singer Shirley Bassey
.
Having seen a sales dip in the latter half of the 1960s, Shirley Bassey enjoyed a successful comeback in the 1970s, beginning with the single and album hits, "Something". This continued over the next few years with several high-selling albums and in 1975, her record label United Artists
, released a collection of songs taken from this period, plus "Big Spender
" and "If You Go Away
" (which were featured on a 1960s album that had been re-released and a hit in 1971). The Shirley Bassey Singles Album was an immediate hit, going gold a month after its release, and peaking at No.2 in the UK - her highest charting album - during a 24-week run. The album included the top 10 singles "Something
", "For All We Know
" and "Never Never Never
" as well as featuring the hits "Fool on the Hill
" and "Diamonds are Forever
", which had not featured on any of her albums up to this point.
This album was first released on CD in 1988 with bonus tracks and retitled as Shirley Bassey The Singles.
Side Two
Bonus tracks on the re-issued CD were:
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
album released in 1975 by British singer Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
.
Having seen a sales dip in the latter half of the 1960s, Shirley Bassey enjoyed a successful comeback in the 1970s, beginning with the single and album hits, "Something". This continued over the next few years with several high-selling albums and in 1975, her record label United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
, released a collection of songs taken from this period, plus "Big Spender
Big Spender
"Big Spender" is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musical Sweet Charity, first performed in 1966. It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess "girls"; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the film...
" and "If You Go Away
If You Go Away
"If You Go Away" is a song in English based upon the French song "Ne me quitte pas" , written by Jacques Brel. The English lyrics were written by Rod McKuen as part of a larger project to translate Brel's work. "If You Go Away" is considered a pop standard and has been recorded by many artists,...
" (which were featured on a 1960s album that had been re-released and a hit in 1971). The Shirley Bassey Singles Album was an immediate hit, going gold a month after its release, and peaking at No.2 in the UK - her highest charting album - during a 24-week run. The album included the top 10 singles "Something
Something
"Something" is a song by The Beatles, written by lead guitarist George Harrison in 1969. It was featured on the album Abbey Road, and was also the first song written by Harrison to appear on the A-side of a Beatles' single...
", "For All We Know
For All We Know
"For All We Know" can refer to a number of songs:*"For All We Know" , a song by Sam M. Lewis and J. Fred Coots*"For All We Know" , a song by Robb Wilson, Fred Karlin, and Arthur James, made popular by the Carpenters...
" and "Never Never Never
Grande grande grande
"Grande grande grande" is a 1972 Italian song, written by Alberto Testa and Tony Renis. It was a No. 1 hit for Mina in Italy and for Shirley Bassey released as "Never Never Never" in the U.K., U.S. and Australia.-Mina version:...
" as well as featuring the hits "Fool on the Hill
The Fool on the Hill
"The Fool on the Hill" is a song by The Beatles. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and recorded in 1967...
" and "Diamonds are Forever
Diamonds Are Forever (soundtrack)
Diamonds Are Forever is the soundtrack for the 7th James Bond film of the same name."Diamonds Are Forever", the title song, was the second Bond theme to be performed by Shirley Bassey, after Goldfinger in 1964...
", which had not featured on any of her albums up to this point.
This album was first released on CD in 1988 with bonus tracks and retitled as Shirley Bassey The Singles.
Track listing
Side One- "SomethingSomething"Something" is a song by The Beatles, written by lead guitarist George Harrison in 1969. It was featured on the album Abbey Road, and was also the first song written by Harrison to appear on the A-side of a Beatles' single...
" (George HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
) - 3.35 (Recorded in 1970) - "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story" (Francis Lai, Carl Sigman) - 3.13 (Recorded in 1971)
- "Diamonds are ForeverDiamonds Are ForeverDiamonds Are Forever may refer to:In literature;* Diamonds Are Forever , the fourth novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series* Diamonds Are Forever, a 2004 short novel by Ryk E...
" (John BarryJohn Barry (composer)John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
, Don Black)- 2.41 (Recorded in 1971) - "The Fool on the HillThe Fool on the Hill"The Fool on the Hill" is a song by The Beatles. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and recorded in 1967...
" (John LennonJohn LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
) - 3.14 (Recorded in 1971) - "Make the World a Little Younger" (Terry Howell, L. O'Hara) - 3.31 (Recorded in 1973)
- "Big SpenderBig Spender"Big Spender" is a song written by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields for the musical Sweet Charity, first performed in 1966. It is sung, in the musical, by the dance hostess "girls"; it was choreographed by Bob Fosse for the Broadway musical and the film...
" (Cy ColemanCy ColemanCy Coleman was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist.-Life and career:He was born Seymour Kaufman on June 14, 1929, in New York City to Eastern European Jewish parents, and was raised in the Bronx. His mother, Ida was an apartment landlady and his father was a brickmason...
, Dorothy FieldsDorothy FieldsDorothy Fields was an American librettist and lyricist.She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films...
) - 1.49 (Recorded in 1967)
Side Two
- "Never, Never, Never" (Tony Renis, Alberto Testa, Norman NewellNorman NewellNorman Newell, OBE was born in Plaistow, Essex , and was a successful British record producer in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as co-writer of many notable songs...
) - 3.37 (Recorded in 1973) - "When You Smile" (William Salter, Ralph MacDonald) - 3.28 (Recorded in 1974)
- "If You Go AwayIf You Go Away"If You Go Away" is a song in English based upon the French song "Ne me quitte pas" , written by Jacques Brel. The English lyrics were written by Rod McKuen as part of a larger project to translate Brel's work. "If You Go Away" is considered a pop standard and has been recorded by many artists,...
" (Rod McKuenRod McKuenRod McKuen is an American poet, songwriter, composer, and singer. He was one of the best-selling poets in the United States during the late 1960s. Throughout his career, McKuen produced a wide range of recordings, which included popular music, spoken word poetry, film soundtracks, and classical music...
, Jacques BrelJacques BrelJacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who composed and performed literate, thoughtful, and theatrical songs that generated a large, devoted following in France initially, and later throughout the world. He was widely considered a master of the modern chanson...
) - 4.31 (Recorded in 1967) - "And I Love You So" (Don McLeanDon McLeanDonald "Don" McLean is an American singer-songwriter. He is most famous for the 1971 album American Pie, containing the renowned songs "American Pie" and "Vincent".-Musical roots:...
) - 4.27 (Recorded in 1972) - "Does Anybody Miss Me" (Les Reed, Johnny Worth) - 2.27 (Recorded in 1969)
- "For All We Know" (Fred Karlin, Arthur James, Robb Wilson) - 2.43 (Recorded in 1971)
Bonus tracks on the re-issued CD were:
- "GoldfingerGoldfinger (song)"Goldfinger" was the title song from the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. Composed by John Barry and with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, the song was performed by Shirley Bassey for the film's opening and closing title sequences, as well as the soundtrack album release...
" (Leslie BricusseLeslie BricusseLeslie Bricusse is an English composer, lyricist, and playwright.Although best known for his partnership with Anthony Newley, Bricusse has worked with many other composers. He was educated at University College School in London and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge...
, Anthony NewleyAnthony NewleyAnthony George Newley was an English actor, singer and songwriter. He enjoyed success as a performer in such diverse fields as rock and roll and stage and screen acting.-Early life:...
, John BarryJohn Barry (composer)John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
) - 2.49 (Recorded in 1964) - "No Regrets" (Charles Dumond, Michel Vaucaire, Hal DavidHal DavidHarold Lane "Hal" David is an American lyricist. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. David is best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach.-Career:...
) - 2.45 (Recorded in 1963) - "I (Who Have Nothing)I (Who Have Nothing)"I " is a song originally released in English by Ben E. King in 1963."I " is based on the Italian song "Uno Dei Tanti," with music by Carlo Donida and lyrics by Giulio "Mogol" Rapetti. "Uno Dei Tanti" was released by Joe Sentieri in 1961...
" (MogalMogol (lyricist)Giulio Rapetti , in art Mogol, is an Italian music lyricist. He is best known for his collaborations with Lucio Battisti.-Career:...
, Carlo Domida, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - 2.41 (Recorded in 1963) - "What Kind of Fool am I" (Leslie BricusseLeslie BricusseLeslie Bricusse is an English composer, lyricist, and playwright.Although best known for his partnership with Anthony Newley, Bricusse has worked with many other composers. He was educated at University College School in London and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge...
, Anthony NewleyAnthony NewleyAnthony George Newley was an English actor, singer and songwriter. He enjoyed success as a performer in such diverse fields as rock and roll and stage and screen acting.-Early life:...
) - 3.16 (Recorded in 1961)