As Long as He Needs Me

Shirley Bassey

About As Long as He Needs Me

"As Long as He Needs Me" is a torch song sung by the character of Nancy in the 1960 musical Oliver! and written by Lionel Bart. Georgia Brown, who was the first actress to play Nancy, introduced the song. It is a love ballad expressing Nancy's love for her criminal boyfriend Bill Sikes despite his mistreatment of her. In the film adaptation of the musical, it was sung by Shani Wallis. A reprise of this song towards the end of the show expresses Nancy's affection for young Oliver Twist, implying that she now feels that the child also needs her. This reprise was omitted from the film version. Its popularity grew by virtue of renditions by several popular singers, including Shirley Bassey who reached number two for 5 weeks on the United Kingdom charts with the song. Bassey's recording became one of the highest sellers of 1960 staying on the UK charts for 30 weeks. The song has also been sung as "As Long as She Needs Me", when sung by a male singer. In 1963 Sammy Davis Jr. recorded the song, reaching #19 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. 


Year:
2000
2:59
61 

Lyrics currently unavailable…


Shirley Bassey

Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey, DBE (born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the mid-1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century". In the US, in particular, she is best known for recording the theme songs to the James Bond films Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), and Moonraker (1979). more »

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10 facts about this song

Music Composition
"As Long as He Needs Me" is a song from the 1960 musical "Oliver!" The music and lyrics were created by Lionel Bart.
Broadway Debut
It was originally sung by Georgia Brown, who played Nancy in the first ever Broadway production of "Oliver!".
Chart Performance
Georgia Brown’s version of the song reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart in October 1960.
Shirley Bassey Version
A cover version released by Shirley Bassey in 1960 didn't chart in the UK, but was included on her album "As Long As He Needs Me".
Critical Acclaim
The song has been praised for its depth and emotion, demonstrating the complex and tragic character of Nancy in the stage show.
Frequent Misinterpretation
It is often mistakenly thought to be a romantic love song. However, in context, it is about Nancy's maternal feelings for the child character, Oliver.
Film Adaptation
The song was also included in the 1968 film adaptation of "Oliver!" where it was performed by Shani Wallis as Nancy.
Grammy Nominations
The original Broadway cast recording, featuring "As Long as He Needs Me" sung by Georgia Brown, was nominated for a Grammy award in 1963.
Other Versions
It has been recorded by many artists, including Barbra Streisand, Linda Ronstadt, and Russell Watson.
Notable Performances
Celebrities including Susannah McCorkle and Idina Menzel have performed "As Long as He Needs Me" at concerts and benefits.

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