The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

Many people here I talked to were surprised and somewhat shocked by Barbra's performance and her diminished vocal powers at the AAs. But anyone who listened to her beautiful 2009 Village Vanguard Club live album knew that their were significant changes with her instrument, too. Not as dramatic maybe as with Dionne or Aretha but still substantial.

But I for one loved the fragility on Sunday's "The Way Were", the version was very touching for me. In the past Streisand always sounded so mechanical in her phrasing and with the lyrics. Like a perfect singing-machine but lacking soul and depth and real emotional insights into the lyrics.

And I find it just great that BS with her well-known live insecurities and her infamous perfectionism was willing to expose herself.

I was wondering what your reactions and your thoughts were.

Hi GehVorbei! I too enjoyed Barbra Streisand's performance at the Oscars. As yo say, it was so gentle and such a warm tribute to her great friend. Great to see her up there where she belongs. I have to say, Shirley Bassey was in fine fettle too with 'Goldfinger' .. one waits for the full force of the original high notes and she made it!

Taking into account all of the vocalists that have been discussed in this forum over the years - not one comes close to Shirley Bassey in terms of someone who has maintained their vocal prowess over such a long period of time. ....... This lady is 76 years old and that performance on Sunday night was indistinguishable from one I saw in concert back in the early 70's. ...... "Goldfinger" is one of many songs performed on the CD "Shirley Bassey Live at Carnegie Hall" recorded back in 1973 featuring Woody Herman and the Young Thundering Herd! Although I have never cared for her interpretations of Bacharch compositions - given the right material - she is untouchable and has quite a catalog of great recordings - the most recent being a CD entitled "The Performance" a studio production released in 2009!

Note: She recorded another Bond theme "Moonraker" with lyrics by Hal David.

Shirley Bassey -- just phenomenal! As I watched her sing "Goldfinger," I thought that for sure she would get a standing ovation. And she did. "Goldfinger" may be the most dynamic movie theme song ever written. And no one sings it like Shirley Bassey. And I don't think anyone is more associated with a particular song as Shirley is with Goldfinger. And Shirley's voice, at 76, seemed as good as ever. It was a truly great and inspiring performance. One for the ages. When she hit that last note, I had gooseflesh. I'm so glad that I didn't miss it.

Barbra Streisand -- another great performance. And, yes, I could see some diminished quality to her voice, but it wasn't too noticeable. In April, she'll be 71 years old. For someone nearly 71, I'd say that her voice is still doing very well. And guess who the rehearsal pianist was for "Funny Girl" (which opened in 1964)? None other than Marvin Hamlisch!

Shirley Bassey was fantastic! The woman has clearly taken care of her voice. Although I am no fan of Barbra Streisand and never have been she gave a moving rendition of "The Way We Were". Her voice was noticably more fragile but still good. I remember Dionne's 2000 Oscar performance at age 60 and although she gave a passable performance, it's shocking how the bottom just seemed to fall out of her voice (figuratively speaking) during the late 90s and at a relatively young age, although you could begin to hear the strain on her voice as early as 1986 or 1987 especially with the Reservations For Two album and the Love Power single. Bassey has always been a powerhouse belter (but oh can she sing those gentle ballads as well!) and she has such a remarkable depth, resonance and strength to her voice it puts Barbra, Aretha and Dionne to shame and she's the oldest of the lot. She looked remarkable too. Only Dionne and Aretha have smoked heavily and Dionne continues to smoke two to three packs a day (sometimes more) after quitting about 10 years ago. She curtailed her habit substantially until about 2009 when she resumed smoking very heavily. What a toll it has taken on her voice. I find it hard to listen to Dionne live these days, sadly.

Here's Dame Shirley Bassey arranged by the great Nick De Caro, "Anyone Who Had A Heart":
(watch the great slide show that accompanies this song, pictures with Dame Bassey and Cilla Black, another where Dame Bassey bears a resemblance to Tina Turner!):

Almost everybody smoked: Sarah Vaughan, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday, Julie London, Judie Garland, Liza Minelli, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, Barbra Streisand (look at the DVD of her '94 concert), even Yma Sumac...Adele by-the-way is a heavy smoker.

Many opera singers have been smokers, including the greatest of the great: Tebaldi, Corelli, Callas and even Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Today the greatest living operatic bass René Pape is a heavy smoker and his voice has been getting better and better for years.

Maybe the smoking played a role in DWs voice changes through the ages, in the positive and in the negative...But this broken "she smoked her voice away" record is just too simplistic, boring and patronizing.

Dionne smoked when she could hit those perfect high notes in the 60s. She smoked when her voice seemed the most powerful in the early 80s. And she continues to smoke. It's her business, nobody else's...

Dame Shirley...what a voice !
It can reduce buildings to rubble !

"blue"

Hi GH .. I agree entirely. So sick of this no smoking, don't speak, don't do anything PC world. These vocalists are fabulous. I have to say, cos I'm a fan of them all. I absolutely love Dionne's smokey tones!! Even more so than than the pure early 60's ones! Far more mature and sexy!!

If Dionne had a stroke and could only sing 5 notes out of one side of her mouth, I'm sure there are some fans who would say, "I love that stroke quality of her voice these days."

Enormous, ROTFLMFAO!!!!

Well said!

Well, I hope Dionne doesn't end up like Sammy Davis or Debi Austin when it's all said and done!

I have been a Dionne Warwick fan since 1962!!! It's one thing when your voice changes due to age. But it's another when it's self-inflicted!

And please don't tell me you have to die from something!

Ms. Warwick asks friends which of her well known songs she should record again for her last cd NOW - yet she ignores the advice of her sons and friends to quit smoking for her own good. Mr. Cole is right - her actions and the negative current and future results are truly self inflicted. There is nothing politically correct about encouraging people you love and care about to take care of themselves. And Mr. gillanddon smokey tones are one thing smokey diseased lungs and throat are quite another. I wonder if Ms. Warwick encouraged her boys to smoke so that they would also develop those smokey tones to enhance their voices like she and Miss Houston did?

Shirley Bassey's still smokin'.....but in a different sense of the word.

"blue"

blueonblue wrote:Shirley Bassey's still smokin'.....but in a different sense of the word.

"blue"

Oh yes! And another thing about Shirley Bassey: I just love her stage presence and how she delivers a song. She's not only a singer -- she's a great performer... like Garland and Dietrich... and Warwick. Terrific stuff.

maestrofan wrote:Ms. Warwick asks friends which of her well known songs she should record again for her last cd NOW - yet she ignores the advice of her sons and friends to quit smoking for her own good. Mr. Cole is right - her actions and the negative current and future results are truly self inflicted. There is nothing politically correct about encouraging people you love and care about to take care of themselves. And Mr. gillanddon smokey tones are one thing smokey diseased lungs and throat are quite another. I wonder if Ms. Warwick encouraged her boys to smoke so that they would also develop those smokey tones to enhance their voices like she and Miss Houston did?

So very, very true. "Smokey tones" to one person is "vocal deterioration" to another. And, as fans of Dionne's, WE HATE TO SEE IT!