"there ain't nothing like a dame"

Shirley Veronica Bassey was born in the Tiger Bay section of Cardiff, on January 8, 1937, the youngest of her parents' seven children. Her mother was originally from Yorkshire, and her father was a Nigerian seaman. 
 
When Shirley was still a baby, her mother relocated the family to Splott, a working-class neighborhood in Cardiff. Shirley's obvious mixed-race heritage, there, made her stand out.
 
In 1952, Shirley left school to  work in an Enamelware factory. She also at the same time, sang in pubs. When she was 16, Shirley made her professional debut appearing in a touring revue titled "Memories of Al Jolson". When the agent Mike Sullivan heard Shirley singing, he was impressed enough with her powerfully expressive voice to begin managing her career.
 
It was at this time that Shirley started to adopt the cleavage-baring tops and gowns that would later become her signature look.
 
Shirley's first major hit was "The Banana Boat Song" her worldwide popularity took off however, when she sang "Goldfinger" for the 1964 James Bond movie of the same name. Shirley also sang the theme songs for two other Bond films, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker.
 
The Bond songs, along with her interpretations of numbers like "Big Spender" and "I Am What I Am," made Shirley's career the unmitigated success it later became. Although she has a reputation (some say "well-earned") as a diva, Shirley continues to be lauded for her unforgettable voice, and for her sex appeal.
 
Her surprise performance of "Goldfinger" at the 85th Annual Academy Awards in 2013, commemorating 50 years of James Bond films, brought the house down. Shirley, by the way, received a two minute standing ovation following her performance that evening, more than any other performer. 
 
- and now you know way more than you wanted to regarding my favorite Dame! -
 
(And above all else; I love and adore her like no other! God, she still fulfills my Dreams)
 
The photos were taken earlier, this morning, on our last visit to the neighborhood Safeway and it's 'parking lot flower garden'