2009 (Another superb track from Shirley Bassey on her latest CD titled, 'The Performance'). One thing for sure,,,this would have been a great Theme song for the latest Bond movie, 'Quantum of Solace'. It would have been Bassey's 4th!!. It appears that this song was actually considered, but another song was chosen, which Alicia Keys recorded. The word, 'Solace' is even in the lyrics. When the final decision was made to not use this song, the song tile was most likely changed at that time to, 'No Good About Goodbye'

The Performance is an album by singer Shirley Bassey, released on 9 November 2009. It is her first full studio album of original compositions in several years. English film composer David Arnold co-produced the entire album with Mike Dixon.

David Arnold initially contacted Bassey about recording an album together following her successful appearance at Glastonbury festival in 2007. Having entered semi-retirement and not toured for a few years, Bassey was unsure until she heard that a number of famous songwriters were keen to contribute to the album. With artists such as Manic Street Preachers, Gary Barlow and Pet Shop Boys involved, Bassey felt honoured by the contributions and agreed to do the album. The first song ready for the album was the Rufus Wainwright composition, "Apartment". The recording took place during 2009 with the orchestral arrangements taking place some time before the vocals were laid down - a process Bassey was unfamiliar with. The vocal sessions took place in Grouse Lodge Studios, Westmeath, Ireland.[1]

The recording of the album became the subject of a BBC documentary titled The Girl from Tiger Bay named after the song written by James Dean Bradfield and Nicky Wire of Manic Street Preachers for the project. Of the songs, Bassey commented that they were very different from anything she had recorded before, with songs such as "After the Rain" being in a much lower key than she would normally use, while the Arnold composition "As God is My Witness" was almost scrapped due to a disagreement about the arrangement. Gary Barlow said that he had a struggle to complete his song, "This Time", and as Bassey found it lyrically too long, some sections were abandoned. Barlow came into the studio to play it to them, having been unable to record a demo in time. The only female writer, KT Tunstall revealed that her song "Nice Men" was originally titled "Nice Boys", but thought that a 72-year-old woman referring to 'boys' was perhaps distasteful. Of the Pet Shop Boys composition, "The Performance of My Life", Bassey remarked that the lyrics hit close to home and moved her to tears during recording. Songwriter Neil Tennant said that it was about a diva, who lived her life on stage, but was not specifically about Bassey. At the end of recording, Bassey said that the experience was both "frustrating, but exhilarating". Of the finished album, she has said to be "ecstatic".

LYRICS:
Where is the solace that I crave?
Will it still haunt me to my grave?
Too broken to forgive, too painful to relive now
There may be other arms to hold
They'll only keep me from the cold
There always be a space, a fact I have to face now

How long does a heart stay broken?
How long if the pain's unspoken?
No solace in a kiss
No comfort in the sigh
No good about goodbye
My heart is no good at pretending
It knows that the hurts never ending
No solace in a kiss
No comfort in the sigh
No good about goodbye

There's only so much you can give
Only through forgets to live
And easy thing to say
The pass will go away now
How long does a heart stay broken?
How long if the pain's unspoken?
No solace in a kiss
No comfort in the sigh
No good about goodbye
My heart is no good at pretending
It knows that the hurts never ending
No solace in a kiss
No comfort in the sigh
No good about goodbye

I'll never be yours so come to your senses
Before you make your move think of the consequences

How long does a heart stay broken?
How long if the pain's unspoken?
No solace in a kiss
No comfort in the sigh
No good about goodbye
My heart is no good at pretending
It knows that the hurts never ending
No solace in a kiss
No comfort in the sigh
No good about goodbye

No good about goodbye
No good about goodbye.

Special Thanks to Pieter and Astrid from the Shirley Bassey blog and all those who have provided wonderful pictures of Shirley!

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