- Her surprise performance of "Goldfinger" at the 85th Annual Academy Awards, commemorating 50 years of James Bond films, brought the house down. Bassey received a two minute standing ovation following her performance, more than any other performer that evening.
- Her son, Mark, is her niece's biological son. She and her second husband adopted him in 1971. She also has two daughters with fathers she refuses to name. She has four grandsons through her surviving daughter Sharon.
- Daughter Samantha was born in 1963. She drowned in 1985, after falling into the River Avon from The Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol. Bassey has always maintained that her daughter did not commit suicide.
- Her father was Nigerian; she never knew him. Her mother came from New Marske, North Yorkshire.
- Her favorite songs are "Fever" by Peggy Lee, "The Wonder of You" by Elvis Presley, "Back to Black" by Amy Winehouse, "Have I Told You Lately" by Rod Stewart, "Night Fever" by The Bee Gees, "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Frank Sinatra, "We Don't Need Another Hero" by Tina Turner, "The Man That Got Away" by Judy Garland and "All By Myself" by Céline Dion.
- She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1994 Queen's New Years Honours List and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2000 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to entertainment.
- Sang the theme songs for three of the James Bond movies -- more than any other performer. Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Moonraker (1979). "Goldfinger" reached the #8 position on the Billboard Top 40 chart in February 1965.
- Had a charity auction at Christies in 2003. "Dame Shirley Bassey: 50 Years of Glittering Gowns" raised £250,000 (US$500,000) for the Dame Shirley Bassey Scholarship at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, and the Noah's Ark Appeal. Swarovski purchased a number of significant lots to display them at Crystal Worlds Museum in Austria.
- She returned to the UK top 40 with Propellerheads on the hit single "History Repeating" in 1997 after an absence from the UK singles chart for 24 years.
- Winner, in 1977, of BRIT award for Best British Female Solo Artist of the previous 25 years (1977 awards commemorated the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth).
- She recorded the single "There's No Place Like London" written by Lynsey de Paul and Gerard Kenny.
- The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama announced the naming of the Shirley Bassey Studio, celebrating Bassey's long-standing support for young Welsh singers studying at the music school. (November 2016)
- She was awarded Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour by French President Jacques Chirac in 2003 for her services to music. The award signifies her popularity and importance in the culture of France.
- She was awarded Grand Officer of the Order of Saint Charles by Prince Albert II of Monaco in 2023 for her services to Music. She was awarded Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in the 2024 King's New Years Honours List for her services to Music.
- When she was age 16, she departed from her hometown of Cardiff to head into show business. However, she's unable to read music despite her length of time into show business.
- Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Tom Jones are the only two Welsh music artists to have sung title songs from the James Bond series of movies, as of 2007.
- She has lost her Welsh accent but goes back to this when she becomes excited, angry or went back home to see her mother.
- She auctioned off the contents of her London flat, with proceeds going to charity. She currently resides in Monaco. (June 2005)
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