The Rodgers And Hammerstein classic, ‘There Is Nothing Like A Dame’ was written to be sung by four male voices. We think it’s high time that was rewritten, as three Dames of the Realm, Dame Vera Lynn, Dame Shirley Bassey, Dame Helen Mirren – and Olivia Colman CBE – are pitted against each other in a chart battle like no other, this November!
Move over the Spice Girls as Britain’s greatest Dames go head to head, releasing outstanding collections in the same week!
Dame Helen Mirren, and Olivia Colman CBE, have lent their vocals to two diverse, and contemporary albums. Dame Helen joins Fearne Cotton, in narrating the track, ‘Lockdown Kittens Dancing’, for Fearne’s ‘Happy Place’ album, which is set for release on October 30. The quirky and poetic delight has found a ready place in Fearne’s curated collection, which also includes contributions from Sam Fender, Emeli Sande, and Lissie, among others. ‘Lockdown Kittens Dancing’ also features Fearne Cotton herself, as well as Amelia Warner.
One of the UK’s most celebrated orchestral families, the Kanneh Masons, are the rising stars of the stage and screen. Their album, ‘Carnival’, is set for release via Decca Records on November 6, and features Olivia Colman CBE, narrating the story, ‘Carnival Of The Animals’, which was written and co-narrated by Michael Morpurgo, best known for his book, ‘Warhorse’.
Likewise on November 6, The Welsh Lady of Song, Dame Shirley Bassey, releases her grand finale album, ‘I Owe It All To You’. It’s hard to imagine that Dame Shirley is 83 years young, and has been making music for over 50 years, including the soundtrack to ‘Goldfinger’ back in 1964, and a further two Bond themes, ‘Diamonds Are Forever’, and ‘Moonraker’. These days Dame Shirley lives in Monaco, and is revered as one of the most glamorous Dames of modern times.
Last, but certainly not least, Dame Vera Lynn, The Forces’ Sweetheart, will also release her posthumous album, ‘Keep Smiling Through’, on November 6, featuring some of her last recordings. Dying in June this year, a few months after her 103rd birthday, Dame Vera’s legacy of raising community spirits lives on, as care homes around the UK pay tribute to her on Remembrance Sunday, in association with The Smiling Sessions. They will virtually sing along together, while in isolation, her classic, and still very pertinent, ‘We’ll Meet Again’.
So who will take the Crown as Queen Of The Dames? Watch this space!
