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 Wall
Shirley Bassey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it's not made of stone
Although we're together
I feel so alone
Though you say you love me
There's no warmth in your kiss
Speak your mind my darling
Is it something I've done that changed you
Has something I've said hurt you so
Is there someone else that you can call
Whatever it is, let me know
There's a wall between us
Will it keep us apart
Darling tear down that wall
And mend my broken heart
And mend my broken heart!
In Shirley Bassey's "The Wall," the lyrics tell of an emotional divide between two people who are together but not united. The wall described is not a physical one made of stone, but rather an emotional and relational one that separates the two. Despite being together, the singer feels a deep sense of loneliness and a lack of connection with their partner. Even though the partner expresses love, it is not communicated in a way that feels intimate or genuine. This leads the singer to question what has changed between them and to ask whether something hurtful has been said or done. Finally, the singer pleads for the wall to be torn down so that their broken heart can be mended and their relationship restored.
The theme of relational walls in "The Wall" speaks to many people who have experienced emotional distance and a lack of physical and emotional intimacy in their relationships. Shirley Bassey's powerhouse vocals also convey the intensity of the emotion and the need for resolution. The song is a poignant reminder of the importance of clear and honest communication in relationships and the consequences of not addressing relational walls.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a wall between us
We are separated by some kind of barrier.
And it's not made of stone
The barrier is not a physical one.
Although we're together
We are in each other's company.
I feel so alone
Despite being together, I feel emotionally disconnected from you.
Though you say you love me
You claim to love me.
There's no warmth in your kiss
Your affection towards me feels forced.
Speak your mind my darling
Tell me what is bothering you.
We can't go on like this
Our relationship cannot continue in its current state.
Is it something I've done that changed you
Is there something I did that has made you distant?
Has something I've said hurt you so
Did I say something hurtful to you?
Is there someone else that you can call
Are you seeking comfort from someone else?
Whatever it is, let me know
I want to understand what is causing your distance.
There's a wall between us
We are still emotionally disconnected.
Will it keep us apart
Is our distance permanent?
Darling tear down that wall
Please remove the barrier between us.
And mend my broken heart
Help me heal from our emotional disconnect.
And mend my broken heart!
I am pleading for you to fix our relationship.
Writer(s): O. Diamond, D. Dreyer, C. Owens
Contributed by Jason M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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, Scot
Gordon Fitzgerald
i've been searching for this song for years, it's beautiful. i was 4yo when this album was released and bought by a family member and knew the words to every song at 5yo!
Shirley Bassey Music and Vids
ATTENTION: Dame Shirley Bassey will be appearing at the 2013 Academy Awards Show In Hollywood on February 24th. She will perform for the 50th James Bond anniversary celebration! Wonderful News! Bassey is herself celebrating 60 (Diamond) years in Show Business, starting back in 1953.
Andrew Lang
I think I have contributed before to this song? lol. It is one of my favourites from the Phillips era, or "early Shirley" sometimes it is named. You CAN hear the operatic I feel in the voice on this?
ausfan100
This is the original version of "The Wall". It was recorded by Shirley in New York on 2 December 1956 during a US visit. The song was produced by Mitch Miller but inexplicably wasn't issued by her UK record company Philips until her 1959 album "The Bewitching Miss Bassey". A real shame as it's arguably superior to the two Feb 1957 cover recordings by Patti Page and Eileen Rogers. Miller used a similar arrangement on the Eileen Rogers version on Columbia.
Anthony Huggett
SB is great ! 1:03
Andrew Lang
I am only 45. From what I remember reading of the discussion over the internet, this is one of those very hard to find songs from way back in the Philips catalogue. Apologies if I have it wrong. Is this from the time of the "blues E.P."? I'm thinking Walbash blues, and Blues in the night? Some you can find on cds but I seem to remember that The Wall had never been re-issued on cd, is that still the case? There are a lot of Philips recordings which have still never been released.
Shirley Bassey Music and Vids
Andrew...Here is the scoop on this song. Shirley Bassey recorded the track in New York, and it was issued in 1959 on the album The Bewitching Miss Bassey. She recorded some other songs during this Mitch Miller session and they were Phillips Single releases; Tonight My Heart She is Crying and If I had a Needle and a Thread. The Wall can be found on an CD compilation album called Easy To Love issued by Motif Records in 2010, which features the later Bassey recordings for the Philips Records label and EMI. On the Cash Box Best-Selling Records charts, where multiple versions of a song were always combined, this song lasted 5 weeks and peaked at #42. Regards, Scot
rupert von trapp
Can you imagine if someone with a bit of nous had known how to handle a talent like this in the UK in the late 50's and pushed her in the States...what a different story it might have been. Instead, apart from the Bond themes and discerning audiences in upmarket venues, Shirley was never as big as she could have been there. I know she has been really huge in Europe and Australia/Japan etc but the American's reaction to her mind-blowing performance at the Oscars moved me greatly because it felt almost like a late 'sorry'.
Shirley Bassey Music and Vids
Hi Rupert: I certainly agree with you that Shirley and her music was never pushed here in the US like it was throughout Europe. I believe her TV Shows in the 1970's were broadcasted here, but on some high channel. But, I have never seen her great TV Specials, including her latest one from last year televised here. I have my contacts in Europe and feel lucky to have been able to view them all, and most of them are on my site. (ie, unless Copywrite restrictions don't allow it). Dame Shirley may not have as many hits here in the USA where I am from as she does in the UK, but she has her fans here nevertheless. And, when she toured here her concerts always sold out. On my site, the largest percent of viewers are from the USA. And, as you probably can figure out by this site, that Shirley is my favorite vocalist of all time. Regards, Scot