1993 (Shirley Bassey is interviewed by Alan Titchmarsh on the Pebble Mill at One Talk Show) - Part 2 of 3

In this clip Shirley performs the song, Starlight Express from her 'Shirley Bassey Sings Andrew Lloyd Webber' CD.

Shirley Bassey is always entertaining during talk show interviews, especially when she feels comfortable with the host. During this three part interview Shirley discusses a wide variety of topics, and she is candid about the subjects discussed which gives the viewer a better understanding of the personal side of the superstar, Shirley Bassey.

ABOUT the Musical, Starlight Expresss:
Starlight Express is a rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music), Richard Stilgoe (lyrics) and Arlene Phillips (choreography), with later revisions by Don Black (lyrics) and David Yazbek (music and lyrics for the 2nd US tour). The story follows a child's dream in which his toy train set comes to life; famously the actors perform wearing roller skates. It is one of the longest running musicals in West End history with 7,461 performances, but the Broadway production only ran for 761 performances. It is the most popular musical show in Germany.

Lloyd Webber was interested in developing the idea of a musical about trains further, and conceived what he described as "a Cinderella story" in which Rusty stands for Cinderella, and Greaseball and Electra, the stepsisters. The Starlight Express itself fills the role of the fairy godmother.

Starlight Express musical, also directed by Trevor Nunn, is similar in its theatrical concept to Cats in that it also features dancers in costume representing non-human characters. However, unlike Cats, the music is mostly in the realm of disco and pop with one or two pastiche songs such as the Country and Western styled

The plot features around a group of toy railway trains, portrayed by actors on roller-skates, who come to life inside the mind of a small boy. The characters race to become the 'fastest engine in the world', and in the end, the underdog, Rusty, triumphs, winning the race and the heart of a beautiful observation car.

During several interviews Shirley gave about this song she had said, "I think he (Webber) is going to have a mild heart attack, because of all the liberties we took with the arrangement.' But, she had no worries....Webber actually liked Shirley's upbeat/jazz arrangement of the song.

LYRICS:
When your good nights have been said
And you're lying in bed
With the covers pulled up tight
And though you count every sheep
You get the feeling that sleep
Is going to stay away tonight.
That's when you hear it coming
That is when you hear the humming of the
The Midnight Train.....hear again,
Can't explain the midnight train
The Midnight train!

Starlight Express, You must confess...
Are you real, yes or no?
Starlight Express, answer me yes.
I don't want you to go.

Want you to take me away
And bring me back before daylight
And in the time between
Want you to take me to everywhere
But don't abandon me there
Just want to say I've been.
I believe in you completely
Though I may be dreaming sweetly of the
midnight train, here again, can't explain
The midnight Train,
The midnight train!

Starlight Express, you must confess...
Are you real, yes or no
Starlight Express, answer me yes
I don't want you to go...

Starlight Express, answer me yes,
I don't want you to go.

Starlight Express, You must confess..
Are you real, yes or no?
Starlight Express, answer me yes.
I don't want you to go.....

Starlight Express, You Must confess..
Are you real, yes or no?
Starlight Express, answer me yes
I don't want you to go....

(Last Chorus Maybe Repeated again As Shirley decides)

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