Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey, DBE is a British singer of Nigerian and English descent whose career began in the mid-1950s. She is best known for recording the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker...
ProfessionJazz Singer
Date of Birth8 January 1937
CityTiger Bay, Wales
car doors drive home leave night risk safe time walk
When you live in a safe place like Monte Carlo, you can walk home at any time of the night and you don't have to worry. I don't feel at risk there. If I drive myself, I can leave the car doors unlocked.
run
I'd like to run away from you, but if you didn't come and find me, I would die...
brought children
I'm a virgin and I brought up all my children to be the same.
bay girl tiger
Who would have thought a little girl from Tiger Bay would one day become a Dame?
kids feet safety
I was a wild kid. I was left to climb trees. And you know those railways logs, they piled them up, six feet apart, and I'd jump from one to the other. Without a safety net! I was an incredible tomboy.
age retiring show-business
I decided to retire from show business at the age of 17, because I didn't like it a bit.
birthday get-better
You don't get older, you get better.
attention want
You want success, and then when you do get it, you don't want it because of the attention.
hate people eating
I hate it when people come up to me when I'm eating.
real tvs watches
I'm always being asked if I watch 'The X Factor,' and I do from time to time. I know it makes for great TV and that Simon Cowell has a real gift.
singing shut-up
When I started singing, I couldn't be shut up.
energy busy too-busy
I'm too busy putting my energies into my performance to be a diva.
wings stage standing
I learned by standing in the wings and watching established acts on stage.
nurse wanted show-business
I wanted to be a model; I wanted to be a nurse; I wanted to be so many things, almost anything but being part of show business.