Customer Reviews

I Capricorn

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At long last available on CD, one of Dame Shirley Bassey's finest albums from the 1970's: "I Capricorn". Bassey has an unbelievable voice and a unique artistry that defies description. Imagine taking the collective vocal power of Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Holliday, Judy Garland and Lena Horne (. . . and multiplying that by ten!), adding a dash of Eartha Kitt and a pinch of Sarah Vaughan - and several of Diana Ross' sequins - and you might just begin to understand why she is the greatest singer of all time (...or close to it). This CD is a great introduction to The Bassey Experience, with lush arrangements and top-notch production it is both contemporary and timeless at the same time. The CD is remastered and the sound quality is great!

The CD kicks off with the haunting title song, which features the Voice in all its glory. And moves into her unique take on the Bacharach/David gem "The Look Of Love". Ordinarily rendered as a sultry ballad (ala Dionne and Dusty), Bassey cranks up the brass and the bass, and gives it the James Bond Theme treatment. She is wistful on the lilting "Where Is Love" from OLIVER. Neither the Bronx nor Washington Square could provide an escape from the enormity of her hyper-emotional reading of "Where Am I Going" from SWEET CHARITY. Other standouts are "I've Never Been A Woman Before" and "One Less Bell To Answer".

The CD would be worth it on the strength of all of the aforementioned songs but the most colossal find here is her staggering rendition of "The Greatest Performance Of My Life". This song is Classic Bassey -- equal parts melancholy and hysteria -- all delivered in a grand yet ferocious, full-throated wail that would grey Celine Dion's hair and send Mariah toppling off her 6-inch stilettoes. The song is about throwing a fabulous party just to fool all of your friends into thinking you're okay with the fact that your beau left you for someone else, but really you are not (or there wouldn't be anything to sing about). And goodness does Bassey sing! She is so dramatic you don't know whether she is going to faint or start breaking the good china.

If due to illness, insanity or destitution, you find that you are only able to purchase one (1) Shirley Bassey CD in your lifetime, make it "I Capricorn".

I PURCHASED SEVERAL SHIRLEY BASSEY CD'S-THEY BRING BACK HAPPY TIMES WITH MY WIFE WHO IS NOW DECEASED. I RECENTLY HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSE WITH A TERMINAL CANCER AND THE HAPPY MEMORIES MISS BASSEY BRINGS ARE BETTER THAN MOST PAIN PILLS. I KNOW THAT THIS IS REALLY NOT A REVIEW IN THE STRICTEST SENSE, BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT "RECORDS" FROM YEARS AGO CAN BE TREASURED. THANK YOU

"I, Capricorn" opens this stunning collection with all of the haunting brilliance that is typical of a great Bassey performance in an absolutely magical musical surrounding...classic collection was released in 1972 the same year Miss Bassey graced us with her regal presence in a sold-out tour-de-force concert at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles which found her in incredibly great form as featured here in this awesome set! A winning sensual "The Look Of Love" and a hauntingly beautiful "The Way A Woman Loves" find Shirley in peak form weaving vocal magic in glorious settings created by arranger Johnny Harris who is Miss Bassey's greatest collaborator. John Lennon"s "Love" is soft and warm while the classic Cy Coleman/Dorothy Fields "Where Am I Going" becomes a powerful anthem showing a versatile singer whose musical scope is as wide open as that great voice. Beautiful and passionate "I've Never Been A Woman Before" is mesmerizing while the theme song from "Lovers And Other Strangers", "For All We Know" is definitive. Two powerful 70's Diva performances is first the moving "The Greatest Performance Of My Life" from Nancy Wilson and the other of course is from Shirley!! This magnificent ballad has always been a highlight in the concerts of Miss Wilson and Miss Bassey with both giving the performance of a lifetime with this stirring ballad. Stellar performances from two Broadway Classics "Where Is Love?" and "Losing My Mind" make one long for another Bassey Broadway Album as it certainly would be a masterpiece. A beautiful "One Less Bell To Answer" is followed by the stormy and magnificent "Lost And Lonely" which is Shirley Bassey at her devastating best!!! Grab this one while it is available as an Import if you love the Art Of Great Singing at its finest! BRAVO SHIRLEY...you are incredible!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this album as it gives a feeling of things to come in the NEVER NEVER NEVER album, one of Bassey's greatest albums, but still, surpricingly, not available on CD.
I can not understand for the life of me why this album has not been made available in CD, but until then, this album, I CAPRICORN, remains one of her best, musically and in the quality and clearity of her voice.

She is the greatest singer and performer of all time. This is one of many cds that are par excellance. She was born to sing and only too many superlatives to mention can describe this lady.

This album, I Capricorn, is full of great Shirley Bassey songs from the early 1970's. My parents bought the album and I was 15 at the time. I resisted liking it since I was into Led Zeppelin, Alice Cooper, Grand Funk, etc... But I truly love this album. There is no one that sings with such raw, breathless emotion like Shirley Bassey. The woman takes a song, any song, and makes it her own. On this album she performs John Lennon's "Love", "One Less Bell to Answer" (made famous by the 5th Dimension) and "For All We Know" (originally done by the Carpenters). All excellent covers of these well-known songs. Good songs combined with Bassey's soaring vocals makes every song on this album simply phenomenal. In my opinion, Bassey's best.

A special person,a mysterious creature,Shirley!!
Amazing voice,romantic and sublime songs in sad and happy rhythms.Relaxing sound and beautiful love poems.For those in love and also out of love.Bassey sings almost right from her soul.She has sense of humours too,just watch her entertainment at 'Live At Carnegie Hall'.I'm her number one FAN.
As music is the food to the soul,it can solve spiritual problems.Because life is music and music is life.It can mend a broken heart and cure madness.
I keep good memories of my parents who passed away almost at the same time.Bassey's songs keep me remember them and how wonderful it was when they were there.Remember always that every family has somebody to love and somebody to loose.They live forever in your heart especially with Bassey's songs.