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.
The Shadow of Your Smile
Shirley Bassey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One day in early spring
You held a piper in your hand
To mend it's broken wing
Now I remember many a day
And many a lonely mile
The echo of a piper song
The shadow of a smile
The shadow of your smile
When you are gone
Will color all my dreams
And light the dawn
Look into my eyes, my love, and see
All the lovely things, you are, to me
Our wistful little star
Was far too high
A teardrop kissed your lips
And so did I
Now when I remember spring
All the joy that the love can bring
I will be remembering
The shadow of your smile
The lyrics of Shirley Bassey's "Shadow of Your Smile" tell the story of a nostalgic love that has come and gone. The song begins by describing a walk on a beach during early spring, where the singer and her lover come across an injured bird that they try to mend. The imagery of the bird with a broken wing is a metaphor for their relationship, which has been damaged but they are trying to fix.
As the song progresses, the lyrics evoke the memories of the time spent together and the loneliness felt after the lover has left. The phrase "The shadow of your smile" represents the lingering memory of the lover's presence, which continues to color the singer's dreams long after the departure. The lyrics also declare the depth of the love that was once shared as the singer reminisces about the past and all the lovely things her lover represents.
Overall, "Shadow of Your Smile" is a tender, melancholic ballad that captures the memory of love that has come and gone, leaving behind only the bittersweet traces of its influence.
Line by Line Meaning
One day we walked along the sand
Once, there was a day when we strolled next to the beach.
One day in early spring
On a spring day, some time ago.
You held a piper in your hand
You carried a flute in your grasp.
To mend it's broken wing
To repair the instrument's broken parts.
Now I remember many a day
I recall countless days from the past.
And many a lonely mile
Going the distance alone several times.
The echo of a piper song
The sound of a flute's tune still resonates.
The shadow of a smile
The memory of your happy grin still lingers.
The shadow of your smile
The imprint of your smile remains in my mind.
When you are gone
After you depart.
Will color all my dreams
My dreams will be tinged with your presence.
And light the dawn
You will brighten the start of each day.
Look into my eyes, my love, and see
Gaze deeply into my eyes and witness my emotions, my darling.
All the lovely things, you are, to me
You are everything wonderful and pleasant to me.
Our wistful little star
The object of our affection that will soon depart.
Was far too high
Out of our reach and too high up in the sky.
A teardrop kissed your lips
A tear rolled down your cheek and landed on your mouth.
And so did I
And I followed suit and kissed your lips as well.
Now when I remember spring
Reflecting on spring days.
All the joy that the love can bring
Recalling the happiness that love can create.
I will be remembering
I will reminisce.
The shadow of your smile
The echo of your smiling face.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Webster, Johnny Mardel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
priere
Devon always knows the right songs to sample. This is a treasure
Frank Cintron
Her interpretation of this song is the best among all other performers. She is able to stop time in an instant and allow you to relive those special memories all over again. Thanks for posting.
Airton Rodrigues de Lima
Y
Lee Keeling
This has been my favorite song for many years. I've never heard it sung better..
Jonatan Zahav
Ella Fitzgerald
Sooz
A beautiful woman with a phenomenal voice. Thank you for sharing this with us. 💜
rupert von trapp
What a brilliant and intelligent reading of a beautiful ballad. I've never been a great fan of the 'Goldfingers and Big Spenders' but this...this is the stuff of magic. In these quieter (and infinitely more difficult) passages of her career she shows what a God given gift she has and to be honest she has no equals. Check out her version of 'April in Paris' it really has more than anyone dare expect from the performance of a popular song.
grammypj
The very best version of this song, EVER! Shirley puts so much emotion into every note she sings and does such justice to the song because she sings the entire song, including the intro, which is such an important part of any song. TY so much for this classy video! :)
Marg Dee
This is a masterpiece interpretation of the lyrics and music. Shirley Bassey is the rarest talent.
Hektor Schmidt
You chose a wonderful song! Lovely photos, as well! Keep your Shirley Bassey uploads coming, they are wonderful!