'This isn't the country I grew up in. No one speaks a word of English ...,' (Shirley Bassey)

Daily Mail ^ | December 22, 2007 | NICHOLAS PYKE

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Shirley Bassey rarely does "behind the scenes". In fact, she rarely does interviews of any kind, preferring to let her prodigious voice and that painstakingly cultivated air of glamour do the talking.

So it is a little disappointing to find she is not glugging the pink Cristal champagne rumoured to sustain her day to day. She is making do instead with a single cup of fresh mint tea.

Neither is she wearing a show-stopping creation from Julien Macdonald or Vivienne Westwood. And, when we meet, she most certainly does not offer to sing.

She is very much off duty, sporting the comfy jumper, fur beret and shades of a woman who takes recuperation seriously. Dame Shirley has been on the razz.

--snip--

"This isn't England any more - at least it is not the country I remember growing up in," she says. "You don't hear English spoken here. You read about terrible things - not just drugs but all the killings.

"When you live in a safe place like Monte Carlo, you can walk home at any time of the night and you don't have to worry. I don't feel at risk there. If I drive myself, I can leave the car doors unlocked. I wouldn't do that in London."

[Scythian]

I won’t comment or I’ll have my head ripped off ... Oh what the heck. The problem lies with law enforcement and the local police department level, there, I said it, flame on ....

[Clemenza]

Before anyone cries "racist" (not on usually on this site, but you never know), let it be pointed out the Ms. Bassey is half-Jamaican (ie black) and half-Welsh.

GOLD-FIN-GAH!!!

[martin_fierro]

Yo la pegaría. Dos veces.

[NonValueAdded]

Well, Diamonds are Forever.

[Tax-chick]

Muy vieja. Buenas joyas, ya.

[Nea Wood]

I know how you feel, Ms. Bassey. I can say the same about my country.

[BenLurkin]

Meanwhile in L.A......

[Rick.Donaldson]

Everting irie, mon!

[VOA]

“’This isn’t the country I grew up in. No one speaks a word of English ...,’
(Shirley Bassey) “

If the quote hadn’t been attributed in the headline...
I’d have guess it was from some poor soul in one of the small towns
of the USA over-run by illegals.

[expatpat]

My theory :

It's the revenge of the Scots for William Wallace and Robert Bruce. The Scots took over the Labor Party, much like the French Canadians took over the Liberals in Canada, and they have worked hard to remove the English flavor of Britain.

[Balding_Eagle]

Goldfinger!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crn5ephc4UM

[Edgar3]

Feliz Kwanza!

[weegee]

There are plenty of British citizens who’ve come to realize that there is no England now.

Not only has the sun set on the British “empire” (this happened after WWII), the national identity is gone.

[weegee]

Felix Unger?

[VOA]

Well, perhaps speaking for the guys of the leading edge of the
baby-boom generation, my judgement is that Ms. Bassey is
NOT GUILTY!!!

I'd almost feel like channeling Billy Crystal channeling Fernando
Lamas in order to say that Ms. Bassey looks "Marvelous!",
at least in the post 4 photo!

[Edgar3]

Oui! Gee...

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Luv her voice...

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Would you believe I had no idea until today that she was British?

Dummie me . . .