Music: 'Dame Shirley Bassey - The Singer'

A Welsh national treasure is given a monumental anthology, so dial up your stereo console and get ready for The Tigress From Tiger Bay

One does not become a legend merely by name. Yet by invoking the dramatic delivery, glamorous stage presence, and iconic theme songs for the James Bond films (“Goldfinger,” “Diamonds Are Forever,” and “Moonraker”) Welsh songstress Dame Shirley Bassey has transcended that definition and has become what we know and love her for: a vocal powerhouse.

The anthology Dame Shirley Bassey — The Singer: Classic and Undiscovered Gems From the EMI/UA Years 1962–79 is a 3CD set featuring a wide-ranging potpourri of hit singles (including the above-mentioned ‘007’ tracks), rarities and in its entirety, a reconstructed version of her two-night performance in 1973 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, previously only broadcast in excerpts on BBC 1.

Goldfinger Theme Song – James Bond/℗© Unart Music Corp BMI/YouTube

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Bassey’s first in the trilogy of her James Bond themes is presented in stereo for the first time, with a different vocal to the soundtrack album. Accompanying the collection is a 32-page booklet revealing, among other tantalizing morsels, that composer John Barry made her hold the final note so long that she nearly fainted. Despite the shockingly disparaging remarks from the film’s producer Harry Saltzman (“That’s the worst fucking song I've ever heard in my fucking life”), 1965’s “Goldfinger” gave Bassey a Billboard Top Ten hit, along with what is arguably her signature song.

Shirley Bassey – Something 1971/℗© EMI Music Publishing/YouTube

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Bassey’s oeuvre over a 70-year career is covered in wide-ranging genres. Insofar as her early career is best known for the deeply emotional timbre she brings to what would be considered standards, Bassey moves seamlessly into modern compositions, most notably in her interpretations of The Beatles’ “Something” and “The Fool on the Hill,” to a seductive, brassy jazz take on The Doors’ “Light My Fire,” and her 1972 bright, bell-clear delivery of “For All We Know,” in marked contrast to Karen Carpenter’s well-known contralto vocalization the year previous.

However, one of the best indicators of a set of this depth are the unreleased tracks, coupled with the sonically restored concerts. “I Write the Songs,” the quintessential Barry Manilow tune (penned by The Beach Boys’ Bruce Johnston), is included as well as a 1976 rendition of “Ease on Down the Road,” from the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz. But for all that, what may be the drawing card is the 20-track live recordings from the Royal Albert Hall. Her rendering of Nilsson’s “Without You” is stunning in its breadth of emotion, which comes through loud and clear from the adulation and applause heard throughout the show.

Although the collection’s original intention was a celebration of Bassey’s 75th birthday in 2012, the project was shelved due to the financial collapse of EMI. To now bring into being this tribute pays not only respect to Bassey (now in her 88th year) and her legacy, but illuminates the pathway of a living legend deserving of such a treasured assemblage.

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Dame Shirley Bassey — The Singer: Classic and Undiscovered Gems From the EMI/UA Years 1962–79 is released on April 18 as a 3CD, 45-track compilation. Pre-order from Cherry Red, Rough Trade, Barnes & Noble, and HMV.