With a career spanning seven decades, Dame Shirley is Britain’s most successful female artist of all time. Her grand finale album, her first in over five years, I Owe It All To You entirely dedicated to her fans, is released via Decca Records. The album is a heart-felt thank you to those who have supported her throughout her glittering career and to the music – which has remained a constant throughout her life...

Somewhere, at sometime in everyone's life in the UK Dame Shirley Bassey will have left some sort of mark. Whether it's singing the theme to your favourite James Bond film (she gave us three to choose from); Her number one hits 'As I Love You' and the double A-sided, 'Reach for the Stars' / 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain; or even i it's just because your grandparents love her extensive back catalogue, she'll mean something to you.

I Owe It All to You is apparently her swan song album, and if I'm being honest, having digested these songs over several weeks now, not to mention Dame Shirley's wonderful performances, I really can't see how this album could have been any more on the nail. There's a good mix of music and the songs can be enjoyed by fans of all ages.

Talking about the album, Bassey says: "My new album is a celebration of 70 years in showbiz. 70 years of support from my fans and 70 years of music! I’ve trodden the boards of many stages and kicked up many a diamante heel! The songs I have chosen all feel very personal and connected to my life. I hope they will do the same for my fans."

I Owe It All To You includes both brand new material written especially for Bassey, as well as tracks which the world-renowned singer has handpicked to reflect her incredible life and career. The title track and first single from the album is written by Don Black with whom she has a long and illustrious recording partnership, he also wrote ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ – the iconic Bond theme she sang in 1971.

Many of Dame Shirley’s friends are celebrated in some way on the album, from Roger Taylor (Queen) who suggested Dame Shirley sing ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’, to Bruce Forsyth for whom she tributes ‘Almost Like Being In Love’ a song that lifts the audience with magic and sparkle. ‘Maybe This Time’ has been a lifelong dream for her to record and ‘I made It Through The Rain’ sends a beautiful message to her fans.

There are fan favourites ‘You Aint Heard Nothing Yet’, personal favourites of Dame Shirley’s such as Elvis’s ‘You Were Always On My Mind’, and of course the perfect finale to such a momentous journey ‘Music Is My First Love’.

In Dame Shirley’s own words, when describing the album track ‘I Was Here’, they perfectly capture the sentiment of the entire album; “This song blew me away. It picked me up, swirled me around and then at the end left me speechless. Every word in this song is how I feel. Hoping that somehow in my life through my words and through my music, I made a difference to someone’s life. That my footprints will forever stay”.

A wonderful conclusion to an illustrious career.

Track listing:

01 - Overture
02 - Who Wants To Live Forever
03 - I Owe It All To You
04 - Almost Like Being In Love
05 - Maybe This Times
06 - I Made It Through The Rain
07 - Adagio
08 - Look But Don’t Touch
09 - Smile
10 - You Ain’t Heard Nothing Yet
11 - Don’t Know What Love Is
12 - Always On My Mind
13 - I Was Here
14 - Music

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Nick Smithson