Shirley Bassey - The Girl From Tiger Bay (Graham Norton Show) (2009 Live) video free download
2009 (Shirley sings a Manic Street Preachers song? You Bet, and well done! The Manic Street Preachers wrote this song especially for Shirley, who was born in Tiger Bay Wales, and it's from her latest CD, titled 'Performance' recorded in 2009). This performance is from Shirley's appearance on the Graham Norton TV Show). Most vocalists in their 70's wouldn't attempt such a song, but veteran vocalist Bassey comes shining through with power & conviction, and even makes it look easy!)
Dame Shirley recorded and released this track on her 2009 CD titled, 'The Performance'
ABOUT this Song & ABOUT Tiger Bay:
"The Girl From Tiger Bay" was written by James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire of Welsh rock bank Manic Street Preachers who appeared with Dame Shirley in a November 2009 documentary screened by BBC television about a concept album written by invited songwriters about and for the diva.
Bradfield said that more than anything, Tiger Bay had a bit of a looming presence in their minds. They had tried to include the name in a song title many times before but it had always sounded crass; this time though they'd got it right.
The diva was impressed with the Bradfield/Wire collaboration, which is based on her early life, adding Tiger Bay was now gone as the area had been redeveloped, but it would live on in that song. Although Shirley Veronica Bassey has always been proud to associate her name with her place of birth, she spent most of her formative years in the nearby district which bears the unprepossessing Welsh name of Y Sblot, and which renders even worse in English, but "The Girl From Splott" doesn't have quite the same ring to it.
Tiger Bay is an area of the Port of Cardiff; it takes its name from the strong currents of the River Severn. Like not a few seaports, it became famous - or notorious - for its migrant communities, hard drinking sailors on shore leave and everything that comes with it, in particular ladies of easy virtue as portrayed by Jacques Brel in his song about the Port of Amsterdam.
Although less glamorous than Amsterdam, Tiger Bay has, unsurprisingly, enriched (and at times polluted!) our literary heritage. Girl From Tiger Bay is the title of a 1950 pulp fiction book, while the 1959 crime thriller Tiger Bay incorporated some of the district's legendary elements, and featured the screen debut of a twelve year old Hayley Mills alongside her father John (later Sir John) Mills. It is not though Hayley Mills who is the girl from Tiger Bay but a slightly older entertainer. Shirley Bassey is unarguably Tiger Bay's most famous export, although by the time this song was written the girl in question was in her seventies and living in semi-retirement overlooking the Bay of Monte Carlo.
LYRICS:
Theres a crack in every pavement
Underneath there is a beach
It's been a long time longing
As history repeats
Yes, many times I've wondered
Why a part of me remains
In a place so full of beauty
That somehow never changed
I bought a ticket of a lifetime
Theres no denying who I am
Forever young I will be
The girl from Tiger Bay
I bought a ticket of a lifetime
Theres no denying who I am
Forever young I will stay
The girl from Tiger Bay
The girl from Tiger Bay
Now, time has me believing
That there's nothing left to prove
I feel your love within me
And love can't be removed
There's a crack in every pavement
Underneath there is a beach
Its been a long time longing
As history repeats
I bought a ticket of a lifetime
There's no denying who I am
Forever Young I will stay
The girl from Tiger Bay
I bought a ticket of a lifetime
There's no denying who I am
Forever Young I will stay
The girl from Tiger Bay
The girl from Tiger Bay
All the memories and the stars
They dance away into the stars
They dance away into the stars
I bought a ticket of a lifetime
There's no denying who I am
Forever Young I will stay
The girl from Tiger Bay
I bought a ticket of a lifetime
There's no denying who I am
Forever Young I will stay
The girl from Tiger Bay
The girl from Tiger Bay
The girl from Tiger Bay
The girl from Tiger Bay
The girl from Tiger Bay
The girl from Tiger Bay
Comments
9 years ago
Rob Lawson
Love how she starts quite quietly and looks a little bit frail and by 1 minute in she's blasting it as well as she ever did :D9 years ago
roy ashman
Love the way JDB wants to break out..... not a massive Manics fan but he is one of the most underated guitarists/songwriters going....10 years ago
Penzanceman
Such a great song.10 years ago
Nick Harman
Love that actor playing a Flamenco guitarist behind her.10 years ago
Carlos Sesma
Wau....!!!! Es la mejor.....canta hermoso....es linda....inteligente....graciosa....sh's the best....!!!!10 years ago
stephan van der walt
The Dame stays beautifull and Queen to me,Greetings from sunny South Africa,Stephan x11 years ago
nanogog
yeah I though that was odd....then again, I'm sure he didn't mind. She's one of those performers you'd just be happy to share the stage with...11 years ago
Andrew O'Brien
Great performance though.11 years ago
Andrew O'Brien
Can't believe Graham didn't introduce James Dean Bradfield. That's really disrespectful.11 years ago
jonesfeld
A true superstar who i have the privilege to share the same birthday with along with those other greats David Bowie and Elvis Presley!11 years ago
burntrim
Somebody please tell me when she's touring northern England.11 years ago
spookynev
Fabulous Song Shirley gives it her all as she always does no one can match her!11 years ago
Shirley Bassey Music and Vids
Happy Birthday Dame Shirley! I join all of your world wide fans to wish you a wonderful Birthday, and a most prosperous 2013. Your Diamond Anniversary in Show Business (60) years, is truely an amazing feat for any artist! We all are impatiently awaiting for you to record your next CD....hope hope hope, and maybe you will decide to tour the world to celebrate with all your fans...Regards, Scot11 years ago
Shirley Bassey Music and Vids
Happy Birthday Dame Shirley! I join all of your world wide fans to wish you a wonderful Birthday, and a most prosperous 2013. Your Diamond Anniversary in Show Business (60) years, is truely an amazing feat for any artist! We all are impatiently awaiting for you to record your next CD....hope hope hope, and maybe you will decide to tour the world to celebrate with all your fans...Regards, Scot11 years ago
IFINEVERSING
it is David Arnold who produced `THE PERFORMANCE` for the incomparable dame. Dame Shirley is celebrating 60 years in 2013 as a professional singer, staring with an appearance in HAMBURG11 years ago
jetsebutenpost
world class11 years ago
Nick Jay
I absolutely love this song. So professionally sung and performed in her unimitable way. Brilliant! :)12 years ago
RoShamBohhh
The lady has class.12 years ago
Rosana Gandara
Amo, amo. amo!!! The Best!!! No carro, em casa... Sempre ouço Dame Shirley Bassey. Faz o meu dia ficar sempre maravilhoso. Ela é linda, talentosa... Um exemplo de MULHER!!! Minha admiração eterna...12 years ago
Shirley Bassey Music and Vids
@pbeardmore - It sure looks like him, doesn't it. If it's not him, then Mr Arnold has an identical twin. Shirley did perform together with many of the songwriters of her 2009 CD, as many of them are also excellent/talented musicians.Related Videos
