2011 - Dame Shirley Bassey appears on the Classic BRIT Awards Show)
Dame Shirley closes the 2011 Classic Brit Awards Show (May 12, 2011) by paying tribute to John Barry. Shirley is spectacular, once again, as she sings one of her hits, Goldfinger, which was co-written by John Barry, Leslie Bricusse, Don Black and Anthony Newley. Bassey is the UKs most successful female recording artist of all time, with approaching 140 Million records sold worldwide! Not bad for someone who never originally intended to go into show business!!
Shirley recorded two versions of this song. She recorded the soundtrack to the movie, 'Goldfinger' and then she recorded a version to be sold as a 'single.' Both versions are superb, but I believe she holds that big last note longer here, on the 'Single' version! Simply amazing! And, based on the length of this last note it most likely was during the recording of this version where John Barry kept telling Shirley to 'hold it,,,,hold it,,,,hold it' until as Shirley says, "I almost passed out!"
ABOUT the song, Goldfinger:
"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. The single release of the song gave Bassey her only Billboard Hot 100 top ten hit, peaking at number eight; in the United Kingdom, the single reached #21. In 2008, the single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Upon being asked to create a theme song for the film-in-progress, Bricusse and Newley looked at each other instantly and sang out, "Goldfinger . . . wider than a mile," reprising "Moon River," the successful theme song from Breakfast at Tiffany's. Originally, Newley recorded the song, but it was re-recorded by Bassey with George Martin and Jimmy Page as a session guitarist. Newley's version was later released in 1992 to mark the 30th Anniversary of James Bond on film, in a compilation collector's edition: The Best of Bond...James Bond.
The release on vinyl of Bassey's version sold more than a million copies in the United States (Guinness Book of Records)[citation needed], and it also reached number one on the Japanese charts and the top ten of many European countries. The song has become Bassey's theme song and she has performed it in most of her concerts since the 1960s, often as an opening number.
LYRICS:
Goldfinger
He's the man, the man with the Midas touch
A spider's touch
Such a cold finger
Beckons you to enter his web of sin
But don't go in
Golden words he will pour in your ear
But his lies can't disguise what you fear
For a golden girl knows when he's kissed her
It's the kiss of death ...
From Mister Goldfinger
Pretty girl, beware of his heart of gold
This heart is cold
Golden words he will pour in your ear
But his lies can't disguise what you fear
For a golden girl knows when he's kissed her
It's the kiss of death ...
From Mister Goldfinger
Pretty girl, beware of his heart of gold
This heart is cold
He loves only gold
Only gold
He loves gold
He loves only gold
Only gold
He loves gold