She now resides in Monaco and has recently sold her London apartment. Many of its furnishings were auctioned for charity. Two very popular 'Audiences With Shirley Bassey' have aired on British TV, the most recent being in March 2006.
In 2006, UK retailer Marks and Spencer hired Bassey for their Christmas advertising campaign, with Dame Shirley singing a cover of P!nk's 'Get the Party Started'.
In late 2009 Bassey released 'The Performance' her first studio album for two decades, which was released in a maelstrom of anticipation. Still popular well into one of the longest and most illustrious musical careers in British and indeed international history, Bassey is considered by Brits to be a national treasure.
If
Shirley Bassey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've fallen in love again
I shall remember when
My world was you
When and if
I get that all terrific thrill
It will last until
Live and learn
They say, we live and learn
And may be in return
We learn to live
Foolish me
How crazy can I be
When anyone can see
There's only you
If and when
Love ever calls again
I close the door and say
You've been this way before
If and when
Love ever calls again
I close the door and say
You've been this way before
The lyrics to Shirley Bassey's song "If and When" are a clear expression of a love that has been lost. The song speaks of the possibility of falling in love again but being unable to forget the person who was once the center of one's world. The lyrics are full of raw emotion and vulnerability, describing how the singer will try to move on but will inevitably think of the lost love.
The first verse sets the scene for the rest of the song, as the singer muses on the possibility of falling in love again. However, the lyrics quickly turn to the past, with the singer saying that they will remember their lost love when they fall in love again. The second verse describes the rush of falling in love, but the lyrics make it clear that this feeling will not last because the person's thoughts will inevitably turn to the one who was lost. The third verse contains the most explicit expression of regret, with the singer acknowledging that they were foolish to let the love go.
The chorus provides the refrain that ties the whole song together. The lyrics describe how, if love ever calls again, the singer will close the door and say that the lost love has been this way before. In this way, the lyrics suggest that the singer has learned something from the experience of losing love, even if it is only to recognize the warning signs of falling for someone who will hurt them.
Overall, Shirley Bassey's "If and When" is a deeply moving song that speaks to the universal experience of loss and regret. Through powerful lyrics and a soulful delivery, the song captures the complex emotions that come with trying to move on from a lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
If and when
At some indefinite point in the future
I've fallen in love again
I have developed feelings for someone else
I shall remember when
I will reflect on the time when I loved you
My world was you
You were my everything
When and if
If at some point
I get that all terrific thrill
I experience that overwhelming feeling of love
It will last until
The feeling will remain until
I think of you
I am reminded of you
Live and learn
We gain knowledge through experience
They say, we live and learn
It is a common saying that we learn as we go through life
And may be in return
As a result of this process
We learn to live
We learn how to navigate life
Foolish me
I was foolish
How crazy can I be
I must have been crazy
When anyone can see
It is clear to everyone
There's only you
You are the only one for me
If and when
At some indefinite point in the future
Love ever calls again
If I fall in love again
I close the door and say
I shut out the possibility of love and say
You've been this way before
I have already loved someone like you in the past
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CYRIL ORNADEL, NORMAN NEWELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
woodland1963
At 2:40 to 2:45 sent shivers down my spine...truly a rare singer for that era.
Anne Mander
What a powerful voice! WOW!
Abra Cadabra
What a great voice, what a great woman, what a great song and what a great time
James VanDolah
That's the best I've ever seen anyone sing that song. Maybe people will start to see how powerful those words truly are. David Gates comparing the love of his life to that of the universe is truly a poetic masterpiece. And wouldn't it be heavily, when the world was through, that you and the love of your life would simply Fly Away. Wow! How do you top that? The song is genius.
Sharon Phelps
Absolutely! Very poetic.
Drew Gormley
It's a defining song for a vocalist. There are a few like that, they draw out the gifts to live up to the melody which is a rare and unique one. Not sure what was in the water at that time in the 70s but the most personal love songs were written then. They seem to transcend genre as you see here. Belting this delicate of a song works for Shirley.
Emilio Nassar
Una gran Diva Internacional de la Canción... Y con esta hermosa melodía y muchas gracias por este excelente vídeo.
Anne
Such an awesome rendition!!
MN Bluestater
Shirley is the best pop vocal musician of our lifetime. Fascinatingly lives and physically performs a song from beginning to end.
Aureliano Medeiros
Linda! Maravilhosa!