This week I’m fulfilling a request for Philip.
“Can I make a request please for a song which I think is very rarely requested, if at all, and one which has been lost in the mist of time. It’s on her 1961 album Shirley Bassey. This album, along with Garland’s Carnegie Hall live concert recording was voted the best album of the year. The song is “Goodbye Lover, Hello Friend”
Thank you so much Philip for your request and for your generous comments.
Goodbye Lover, Hello Friend
Dame Shirley Bassey Blog 
Beautiful Song!
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Hello,
I was at Shirleys concerts at this time,and the gown she wears in the picture was Ice Blue…and at the back was a mass of blue stones at the top of the train.
Allen John.
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I remember Norman Newell (who wrote this song) being interviewed by Gloria Hunniford (I think). He was asked if he had a favourite song that he had written, and he said there`s a little known song called “Goodbye Lover, Hello Friend” that I wrote many years ago…it remains one of my favourites.
Norman Newell was a lovely man and he adored Shirley and, in turn that love and respect was mutual. Shirley loved him dearly.
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Thanks for those great details John. Ice blue had to be stunning on Dame Shirley. I wonder what your favorite DSB concert memory is? There must be many, but is there an especially outstanding one?
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Lydia,
My concert memory’s…
It was in the early 60s,and in those days the sound was good, but not to the perfection that we have today.
The orchestra were a little loud,and people shouted out to Shirley before her next song ….So….Miss Bassey turned to her pianist and siad something ???
Shirley then sang ” Till ” with piano……Simply incredible,the audience went crazy…. Always 100% at every concert…
I have to say…the Royal Albert Hall concert was just wonderful,I think it may be that the lighting and camera work made you feel that you were actualy there !
Lovely to have your mail Lydia.
John. x
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PS…..Lydia
Shirley wore the Ice blue gown soon after marrying Kenneth Hume,
She walked on stage to…The Wedding March….so it must have been the summer of 1961
Hence….the trian was a little extra for the audience…and a great start to that concert.
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Thank you John! I am so overwhelmed with the firsthand experiences of Dame Shirley concerts that I read today. I read of Julie and Jonas at the RAH just the other day. which was awesome. Now I get to read yours from 1961. How amazing just hearing Dame Shirley and the piano to such an amazing song like Till. So you mentioned the RAH, were you at the one in 1973? The one I have seen on You Tube, where she has the green dress on? Or where you speaking of the one the other day? Did you get to go to any of the Royal Performances like the time she sang Born to sing Forever and Hey Jude and got a standing ovation?
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Lydia,
Yes… I mean ths RAH concert in 1973…I was not there,but…I went to the RAH concert in 1976…Shirley wore a black version of the Orange Australia concert…
Shirley then introduced in her act….Born to lose, and Natalie…
And….she sang the end of Natalie walking off stage…and down a slope and carries on singing Natalie whan the stage was empty and her spotlight dimmed….
It was awsome !
In 1980…I saw Shirley when she introduced Solitaire,and songs from that Album…..that was truly magical……and she wore the Lilac gown…with all the beads !
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Man, that is way cool! I think I know the lLilac gown. I will have to search for that album Solitare. Or better yet, I will ask Astrid to play something from it. She has everything. Thank you John for sharing your Dame Shirley excitment. I hope to have a personal experience of a Dame Shirley concert someday. That is my dream. May Dame Shirley Live Forever!
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