On 8 January 2017, Dame Shirley Bassey, one of the greatest performers – and voices – of her generation, will be eighty. This is her unique story, told at first-hand by her greatest fan. Since she signed her first professional contract at the age of sixteen, Shirley Bassey has become one of the most prestigious singers of her time. Her work has inspired and influenced many, and will continue to do so for generations to come. Diamonds Are Forever is the fascinating story of Shirley Bassey told from the perspective of one of her greatest fans. Mary Long first met the star in 1963 while a teenager, and since then has encountered her hundreds of times. In doing so, she has developed a unique insight into the life and career of one of our most iconic singers. The author’s warm personal story recounts her heroine’s journey to becoming one of the all-time greats of the British music industry, performing at such events as the Oscars and the Royal Variety Show. She also holds the record for singing the most title songs for James Bond films, with three: ‘Goldfinger’, ‘Diamonds Are Forever’ and ‘Moonraker’. Published to mark Dame Shirley’s eightieth birthday, Diamonds Are Forever looks back on the life of this incredible artist whose music has touched so many. It is an essential buy not only for her countless thousands of fans worldwide, but also for anyone who admires and enjoys her music.

Featuring all the essential songs from all 24 films, James Bond: The Ultimate Collection is the most comprehensive compendium of those timeless, distinctive and stylish tunes about everyone's favourite spy ever compiled. These 26 all-time greats of film music are all arranged in Piano and Voice, with Guitar chord boxes and lyrics, so that when it comes to playing the best from your favourite films, nobody will do it better. This book also features dedicated pages for each film, offering photographs, information about Bond's gadgets, cars and trysts, and notes about the music. It's perhaps the highest honour for a musician to work on the Bond theme and with this book you'll be following in some big footsteps: From huge voices like Shirley Bassey or to world-conquering songwriters like Louis Armstrong or Paul McCartney. Song List: - The James Bond Theme (Dr. No) - From Russia with Love (From Russia with Love) - 007 Theme (From Russia with Love) - Goldfinger (Goldfinger) - Thunderball (Thunderball) - You Only Live Twice (You Only Live Twice) - On Her Majesty's Secret Service (On Her Majesty's Secret Service) - We Have All The Time In The World (On Her Majesty's Secret Service) - Diamonds Are Forever (Diamonds Are Forever) - Live and Let Die (Live and Let Die) - The Man with the Golden Gun (The Man with the Golden Gun) - Nobody Does It Better (The Spy Who Loved Me) - Moonraker (Moonraker) - For Your Eyes Only (For Your Eyes Only) - All Time High (Octopussy) - A View to a Kill (A View to a Kill) - The Living Daylights (The Living Daylights) - Licence to Kill (Licence to Kill) - GoldenEye (GoldenEye) - Tomorrow Never Dies (Tomorrow Never Dies) - The World Is Not Enough (The World Is Not Enough) - Die Another Day (Die Another Day) - You Know My Name (Casino Royale) - Another Way To Die (Quantum of Solace) - Skyfall (Skyfall) - Writings On The Wall [Sam Smith]

Would you Adam and Eve it? Over a hundred years after it was first heard on the streets of Ye Olde London Towne, Cockney rhyming slang is still going strong, and this book contains the most comprehensive and entertaining guide yet. Presented in an easy-to-read A to Z format, it explains the meaning of hundreds of terms, from old favourites such as apples and pears (stairs) and plates of meat (feet) to the more obscure band of hope (soap) and cuts and scratches (matches) through to modern classics such as Anthea Turner (earner) and Ashley Cole (own goal), as well as providing fascinating background info and curious Cockney facts throughout. Also included are a series of language tests so that readers can brush up on their newfound knowledge on their way to becoming a true Cockney Geezer. All in all, The Ultimate Cockney Geezer's Guide to Rhyming Slang is well worth your bread and honey to have a butcher's.

This autobiography spans five decades of Bassey's career, from her beginnings in Cardiff where she supplemented her weekly wage working in a sausage-making factory by accepting singing engagements, to her more recent successes and collaborations in the world of music.