Goldfinger the best of shirley bassey biography

Shirley left school in 1952 at the age of 15 to work in a local factory, but began her singing career the following year.

Goldfinger the best of shirley bassey biography

In 1955 she left Cardiff for London, after being discovered by bandleader Jack Hylton.

In early 1957 her debut single The Banana Boat Song reached the top 10. It was followed by Kiss Me, Honey Honey, Kiss Me, and the number one As I Love You.

In 1959 she released As Long As He Needs Me, the show-stopper from the Lionel Bart musical Oliver!, another smash which established Shirley as a household name.

In America, she was building a name for herself live as a top draw cabaret star, but chart success was harder to find.

All that changed in October 1964, when she stormed the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. The song was Goldfinger, and it was the theme to the third James Bond film.

Her much mimicked, never bettered vocal was the perfect complement to John Barry's majestic score. Further hits in the 1960s included I (Wh