Amazon.co.uk Review
Welsh chanteuse, Shirley Bassey's
This is My Life-The Greatest Hits came hot on the heels of her critically acclaimed remix album,
Diamonds Are Forever .
This Is My Life is a celebration of her 40-year-long career as Britain's classiest female icon/singer. Totally individual, Bassey came to most people's attention with her classic 1960s and 1970s James Bond themes "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Moonraker", written by soundtrack composer par excellence, John Barry. These songs were probably her greatest achievement but as this 22-track disc reveals, Bassey's repertoire was always as versatile as her glorious, instantly recognisable voice. Digitally re-mastered, this album is a musical autobiography, stretching from "I Who Have Nothing" produced by George Martin in 1961 through to her 1990s collaboration "History Repeating" with big beat combo The Propellerheads. The post-modern irony-mongers among us will pass Bassey off as over-produced cool kitsch but as dazzling tune follows dazzling tune you will know they are far off the mark. Working the singles market as adeptly as the Americans, Bassey's hits include the blues of Jean Jacques Brel's "If You Go Away", The Door's "Light My Fire", the 60s soul of Leiber/Stoller's "I Who Have Nothing" and show tunes like "Big Spender". Shirley Bassey was an amazing, highly emotive stylist and we may never see her like again. --
Olivia Ferenczi