The West Lothian X-Factor vocal phenomenon is not the first singer to tackle Stephen Sondheim's Send In The Clowns without appearing to understand the lyrics, and I'm sure she will not be the last (Sinatra's version is less than essential), but its inclusion on her collection of show tunes – a fourth long player and aimed squarely at the Yule market – at least means a handy royalty bonus to a talented composer.
Which is not to decry Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse, but few folk go around whistling This Is The Moment from Jekyll and Hyde, although more may well now her duet version with Donnie Osmond closes this album.
It opens with a rather odd interpretation of Somewhere Over The Rainbow, includes an As Long As He Needs Me (from Oliver!) that illustrates quite how good Shirley Bassey is, and takes in all the expected Les Mis, Fame and Phantom (duet with Michael Crawford) stops along the way that many people may expect.
It wouldn't be my choice of tunes, but then she isn't my choice of singer – however, much of it was recorded at the new Gorbals Sound studio where Paul Buchanan and BMX Bandits made their most recent work, so it did contribute to the Scottish economy.
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