Astrid’s Simply Bassey #157

Today is the final of the requests from  João Carlos. Another often overlooked recording from the sixties, Dommage, Dommage. Thanks to João Carlos for all the suggestions.

Lyric:

Dommage, Dommage
Our love was once exciting
Now it’s just a game we play

Too bad, too bad
But nothing lasts forever
All at once we lost our way

Hello, goodbye
And suddenly it’s over
And there’s nothing we can do

Dommage, Dommage
But may your next attempt at love come true

Hello, goodbye
And suddenly it’s over
And there’s nothing we can do

Dommage, Dommage
Too bad we couldn’t make our dreams come true

Dommage, Dommage

…

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‘Shirley – As Long As He Needs Me’ CD.

CD Sleeve

A collection of Shirley’s early recordings has been released on a 2 CD set on the GVC label.  The full title of the CD is ‘Shirley – As Long As He Needs Me … the first five years 1956-1960’.  Containing 53 tracks from her Philips and Columbia recordings all of them are now out of copyright.  I was a little aprehensive when I first heard they were releasing this album as with recordings out of copyright anyone can release them.  However I think some care has gone into this release.

Track Listing.

It is very nicely presented and contains a booklet.  As expected most of the recordings are from the Philips label but the 2 songs she did for HMV from the musical ‘Showboat’ are given an outing.  I like this CD set very much and the quality is excellent.  They haven’t included the ‘live’ tracks from ‘Cafe De Paris’ and to be honest I’m not really bothered about not having them again.

Inside of back tray inlay.

It’s nice to see that’The Wall’ is included and also ‘Count On Me’, ‘If You Love Me’ and ‘With These Hands’ from EMI.  I expect as recordings come out of copyright we’ll see more CDs being released.  If that is the case then I hope they will be as good as this set is.  Oh and the ‘GVC’ of the label stands for ‘Great Voices of the Century’.  They certainly got that correct.

Although I have received my copy from Amazon most sites do not have it as released until 5th September.

Booklet

Booklet

Booklet

Booklet

Booklet

Back of booklet.

Click on the images to make them larger.

 

Edinburgh Fringe Homage to DSB.

Sue Schilperoort contacted us with the following message:

I’m taking a one-woman  show to Edinburgh Fringe about how
Shirley Bassey saved the life of a young woman born poor in the Welsh
valleys and how she followed Dame Shirley around the globe for 30
years. I’d love to put the details on your website, but I’d also love
the great lady herself to know that there is a homage to her at
Edinburgh.

Below is the press release for it.

An Audience with Shurl Edinburgh Fringe

Ever wondered what it must be like to be one of the greatest divas in the world? And to get there from nowhere? Fom less than nowhere? From worse than that…….from the Welsh valleys? To be born in such deprivation that the climb out looks like the north face of the Eiger? But then to find you’ve made it onto the greatest stages of the world…topping the bill in Las Vegas? To dream the impossible dream? And then to find yourself living it? In a sequined dress spray-painted on to a supermodel body? (Too many questions, but they have to be asked!)

Well, so has Shurl. She’s wondered. She’s spent a lifetime wondering. And wandering.

And she’s here to share her story with you, in an exclusive audience in her dressing room before the greatest moment in her career.

Hear the story of her mystical encounters with the magnificent Dame Shirley Bassey, and how she quite literally saved our Shurl in her darkest moments.

Or did she?

Memories are wonderfully inventive things, and Shurl raids hers (or does she?) as she takes you through story-telling and song in a captivating autobiographical tale (or is it?) of a woman finding her own voice.

Shurl weaves an intimate musical story around autobiographical moments. But where reality ends and fantasy begins is something she’s not even sure of herself at times. Shurl’s story-telling holds the audience spellbound, and with the sublime musical soundscape from the Zugswang Duo, what more could you want in a show!

Don’t miss it! Be one of the lucky few to grab this once-in-a-lifetime chance of an audience with Shurl. Not the magnificent Shirley Bassey herself, and don’t expect Shirley Valentine. You won’t find a precocious Shirley Temple, nor even a feisty Shirley Carter. No, this is our Shurl, our girl from the valleys who’s making it big….at last.

Booking

information:

Dates:  Mon 22 – Sat 27 Aug          7.10pm               Tickets: £6 (£4.50)

Running time: 45 mins

Venue info: the Space on the Mile (V39)

Venue website: www.thespaceuk.com  Phone 0845 508 8316

Astrid’s Simply Bassey #156

This week I’m playing for João Carlos a beautiful recording from the early seventies, It’s Impossible.

 

 

 

 

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It’s impossible

Tell the sun to leave the sky

It’s just impossible

.

It’s impossible

Ask a baby not to cry

It’s just impossible

.

Can I hold you closer to me

And not feel you going through me

Split the second that I never think of you

Oh how impossible

.

Can the ocean keep from rushing to the shore

It’s just impossible

If I hold you could I ever want for more

It’s just impossible

.

And tomorrow should you ask me for the world somehow I’d get it

I would sell my very soul and not regret it

For to live without your love

Is just impossible

.

Can the ocean keep from rushing to the shore

It’s just impossible

If I hold you could I ever want for more

It’s just impossible

.

And tomorrow should you ask me for the world somehow I’d get it

I would sell my very soul and not regret it

For to live without your love

Is just impossible

.

It’s impossible

It’s impossible

It’s impossible

 

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It’s Impossible – Live from the German documentary “All About Shirley”

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