Chaka Khan covers Shirley Bassey`s James Bond themes on new CD

Chaka Khan has covered Shirley Bassey's famous James Bond songs "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds Are Forever" on her latest CD - reports ZWire.

Harlem native Chaka Khan has never possessed the most striking voice in the recording biz, but she has always had a great knack for phrasing. It was her sly lead vocals with the 1970s R&B group Rufus that made gigantic hits of such light and likable fare as “Tell Me Something Good” and the underrated 1974 hit, “Sweet Thing,” which WABC midday disc jockey Ron Lundy used to always scream out at the song’s close in his Mississippi accent to his female listeners, “You sweet thang you!”

After enjoying success as a solo artist in the 1980s, Khan left the business to concentrate on raising a family. “Classikhan” is her first album in ages, and with the backing of the London Symphony Orchestra, she pays tribute to some of her idols. While the bouncy “Big Spender,” written by Cy Coleman (who passed away a few weeks ago), was more geared to singers with stronger vocal chops as Shirley Bassey and Peggy Lee, Khan acquits herself fairly well here. She is more at ease in Peggy Lee territory singing Lee’s 1969 comeback hit about life’s disillusions, “Is That All There Is,” and is even better on Bassey’s best-remembered “James Bond” themes, “Goldfinger” and “Diamonds Are Forever.” She also turns in a fine version of Lena Horne’s “Stormy Weather.” On the debit side, she should have stayed away from the old 1967 Lulu hit, “To Sir With Love,” and have left Patsy Cline’s “Crazy” for future “American Idol” contestants.

Thanks to `Ken` for the alert.

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