Shirley Bassey - Diamonds Are Forever / GOLDFINGER (2002 Live)

2002 (Shirley's appearance on a BAFTA James Bond Tribute Show - Performing these two theme songs decades after her original recordings....The Dame's still got it!)

ABOUT the song, Goldfinger:
"Goldfinger" was the title song from the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. Composed by John Barry and with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, the song was performed by Shirley Bassey for the film's opening and closing title sequences, as well as the soundtrack album release. The single release of the song gave Bassey her only Billboard Hot 100 top ten hit, peaking at number eight; in the United Kingdom, the single reached #21. In 2008, the single was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Upon being asked to create a theme song for the film-in-progress, Bricusse and Newley looked at each other instantly and sang out, "Goldfinger . . . wider than a mile," reprising "Moon River," the successful theme song from Breakfast at Tiffany's. Originally, Newley recorded the song, but it was re-recorded by Bassey with George Martin and Jimmy Page as a session guitarist. Newley's version was later released in 1992 to mark the 30th Anniversary of James Bond on film, in a compilation collector's edition: The Best of Bond...James Bond.

The release on vinyl of Bassey's version sold more than a million copies in the United States (Guinness Book of Records)[citation needed], and it also reached number one on the Japanese charts and the top ten of many European countries. The song has become Bassey's theme song and she has performed it in most of her concerts since the 1960s, often as an opening number.

ABOUT the song, Diamonds Are Forever:
Diamonds Are Forever is the soundtrack for the 7th James Bond film of the same name.

"Diamonds Are Forever", the title song, was the second Bond theme to be performed by Shirley Bassey, after Goldfinger in 1964. The song was also recorded in Italian by Shirley Bassey as "Una Cascata di Diamanti (Vivo Di Diamanti)", this version was only issued on 7-inch single in Italy and has not had a CD release.

Producer Harry Saltzman hated the song and it only made the film due to co-producer Albert Broccoli. One of Saltzman's major objections was to the innuendo in the lyrics.

The original soundtrack was once again composed by John Barry, his sixth time composing for a James Bond film. Music written by John Barry (Jonathan Barry Prendergrast) and lyrics by Don Black.

Diamonds Are Forever STATS:
recorded: September, 1971 U/A
released: November, 1971
soundtrack album: UK: 29216, US: UAS-5220

charted:
single UK: #38, January 15, 1972
single US: Pop charts: #57, January 29, 1972
Easy Listening charts: #14, January 1, 1972
album US: #74, January 8, 1972

Written as theme for the James Bond movie "Diamonds Are Forever" 1971. Released on soundtrack LP: Jan 6th 1972, and on a soundtrack single: Jan 29th 1972. Another single with Pieces Of Dreams on the B-side had been released 1971. The single reached position number 38 in the UK single charts in 1972. In the US the single reached No. 57 on the charts, and the soundtrack LP reached No. 74. The soundtrack LP is available digitally remastered on CD. The song is available on many collections, live recordings, and videos. This was the second official recording of a James Bond theme for Shirley Bassey after Goldfinger. Moonraker followed 1979.

In Italy the film was called "Una Cascata Di Diamanti" and for the Italian soundtrack single Shirley Bassey had recorded the song with Italian lyrics: "Vivo Di Diamanti".

ABOUT the Movie - Diamonds Are Forever:
Diamonds Are Forever (1971) is the seventh spy film in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is based on Ian Fleming's 1956 novel of the same name, and is the second of four James Bond films directed by Guy Hamilton. The story has Bond impersonating a diamond smuggler to infiltrate a smuggling ring, and soon uncovering a plot by his old nemesis Blofeld to use the diamonds and build a giant laser satellite that would be used to hold the world for ransom.

LYRICS:
Diamonds are forever
They are all I need to please me
They can stimulate and tease me
They won't leave in the night, I've no fear that they might desert me
Diamonds are forever
Hold one up and then caress it
Touch it, stroke it and undress it
I can see every part, nothing hides in the heart to hurt me

I don't need love
For what good will love do me?
Diamonds never lie to me
For when love's gone
They'll lustre on

Diamonds are forever
Sparkling round my little finger
Unlike men, the diamonds linger
Men are mere mortals who are not worth going to your grave for

I don't need love
For what good will love do me?
Diamonds never lie to me
For when love's gone
They'll lustre on

Diamonds are forever, forever, forever
Diamonds are forever, forever, forever
Forever and ever