Shirley Bassey (1937-present) is a vocal powerhouse from the United Kingdom responsible for three James Bond theme songs. Known for her sultry voice, sparkling gowns, and commanding presence, this singer is recognized as one of the greatest pop singers of the 20th century.
Shirley Bassey (1937-present) is a vocal powerhouse from the United Kingdom responsible for three James Bond theme songs. Known for her sultry voice, sparkling gowns, and commanding presence, this singer is recognized as one of the greatest pop singers of the 20th century.
History classes can get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. When we were students, we couldn’t help wondering... where were all the ladies at? Why were so many incredible stories missing from the typical curriculum? Enter, Womanica. On this Wonder Media Network podcast we explore the lives of inspiring women in history you may not know about, but definitely should.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know–but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Educators, Villains, Indigenous Storytellers, Activists, and many more. Womanica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
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Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Luvvie Ajayi Jones. I’m a NYT Best Selling author and host of the podcast Professional Troublemaker. I’m so excited to be your guest host for this month of Womanica!
This month we’re highlighting Prodigies: women who achieved greatness at a young age.
Today’s prodigy is a vocal powerhouse from the United Kingdom responsible for three James Bond theme songs. Known for her sultry voice, sparkling gowns, and commanding presence, this singer is recognized as one of the greatest pop singers of the 20th century.
Please welcome Shirley Bassey.
Shirley was born on January 8, 1937 in Cardiff, Wales. Her father, Henry Bassey, was Nigerian, and her mother, Eliza Jane Start, was English. She was the youngest of seven children but didn’t grow up knowing her father. Henry left the family before Shirley’s third birthday.
To help her family financially, Shirley left school at 15 to work at a factory. Her powerful vocal skills were already recognized by this time, though not celebrated. Choir instructors tried to quiet her strong voice. Seeking an outlet, she began singing at public houses and clubs in the evenings.
When she was a teenager, Shirley gave birth to a daughter, Sharon, who was ultimately left in the care of Shirley’s sister until the 1960s.
At age 16, Shirley secured her first contract and toured with the shows Memories of Jolson and Hot From Harlem. Two years later, she was noticed by an impresario who invited her to perform in the show Such Is Life. The show featured Shirley singing “Burn My Candle.”
In 1956, Shirley released the track as a single. The BBC banned the song due to its risqué lyrics, but it still kickstarted the rest of Shirley’s career. A year later, she released “The Banana Boat Song,” which reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart. She was only 20 years old.
That same year, Shirley made her American performance debut in Las Vegas, and in 1959 she released “As I Love You” and “Hands Across the Sea”, two songs that would become classics in her discography.
In 1961, Shirley married television producer Kenneth Hume, though they divorced following her affair with actor Peter Finch. During this time, Shirley gave birth to her second daughter, Samantha.
In 1964, Shirley recorded her first James Bond theme song for the film Goldfinger. Shirley then entered a period of great professional success. She starred in the BBC special, “The Young Generation Meet Shirley Bassey” and gave a run of record-breaking performances at the Talk of the Town nightclub.
In 1971, Shirley recorded the theme for another Bond film, “Diamonds Are Forever,” and in 1979 she recorded “Moonraker,” her third song for the franchise. In between, 18 of her own albums made the UK Albums Chart. The Shirley Bassey Show ran for two seasons and featured performances by her and other artists such as Neil Diamond and Dusty Springfield.
Shirley’s second marriage was to her manager Sergio Novak. And together, the couple adopted her grand-nephew, Mark. Eventually, Sergio and Shirley parted ways. About her relationships, Shirley said, “I’ve always been a breadwinner and men don’t like that … They can become jealous of the love one shares with an audience.”
Shirley entered semi-retirement in the 1980s. In 1985, her daughter Samantha died of apparent suicide. Shirley has always denied that the death was intentional. Still, she spent much of the decade performing throughout Europe, the United States, and Australia.
In 2000, Shirley was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her service to entertainment. The Queen of England recognized her 135-million record sales over her career.
Today, Shirley resides in Monte Carlo. She released her most recent album, “I Owe It All To You,” in 2020. She remains one of the top-performing female singers in the history of the British music charts.
All month, we’re highlighting prodigies. For more information find us on Facebook and Instagram @womanicapodcast.
You can order Rising Troublemaker everywhere books are sold.
Special thanks to creators Jenny and Liz Kaplan, for having me as your guest host..
As always, we’re taking a break for the weekend. Talk to you on Monday!