You Ain't Heard Nothing Yet

Written by Michael Alexander.

This song has been released on live videos only, a studio recording of this song does not exist. The first release was 1985 the video You Ain't Heard Nothing Yet. It is also on the 1993 video Shirley Bassey live in Cardiff.

Shirley Bassey has performed this song in more concerts and shows, which have sadly not been released. A great rendition was that 1985 at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games Gala.

I'm not so sure who was participated in the writing of the song, because on one of my videos the song is credited to "B.G. De Sylva, Al Jolson and Gus Kahn". Al Jolson and other artists have also recorded a song with the same title, but I'm not sure if it was the same song, because Shirley Bassey introduced her version on live concerts with the words that her musical director Michael Alexander has written the song for her. Maybe he took the older song and re-wrote the words for her, or he made a new musical arrangement for it? Tell me please if you know more, or if you know Al Jolson's version of the song.

Al Jolson was one of Shirley Bassey's earliest musical influences. She recalled:

"He was my brother's favourite and Jolson's records were the only ones we ever listened to as kids. I think that I have probably developed some of his showmanship because I loved that kind of arrogance when he told his audience, 'You Ain't Heard Nothing Yet'. You have to be rather egoistical to say that, and that is what I liked about Al Jolson."

Al Jolson was a great entertainer born 1885 in Lithuania as Asa Yoelson. He quickly established himself as Broadway's leading star at the beginning of the 20th century. "Jolson was America's first superstar, years before the phrase was ever coined." He was a high-energy performer, singing impassioned, dancing, and joking.
Al Jolson was always convinced that he'll become a big star. At a time when his salary was only $75 a week he said: "Why should I save money? I'm the greatest entertainer in the world. Some day I'll be a millionaire. Watch and see if I'm not right."
His place in popular history was assured when he starred in the first successful talking picture, The Jazz Singer, in 1927 (see also here). His tireless efforts performing for American troops during World War II won him a whole new audience who had never seen him perform in his halcyon days. When the film biography of his life became a major hit twenty years later, Jolson's popularity leapt to legendary status, making no one doubt his title of "The World's Greatest Entertainer". He died 1950 in San Francisco.
Find detailed information about Al Jolson at The Blackface with a Grand Opera Voice.
 

Lyrics:

There were times when live seems so empty to me
But things are changing, now I'm free as a bird
You ain't heard nothing yet

There were times when I felt live running away
But that's to easy, so now I'm here to stay
You ain't heard nothing yet

If you think I'll never sing another song

Never shed another tear
Then wait, you could be wrong

If you think, I'll never break another heart

This is now my brandnew start

And I'll prove you wrong

I've known it all along

There were times (when) I wished I'm (or: I was) somebody else
Someone who'd do better, now I don't care
You ain't heard nothing yet

All my life I've known that I wasn't alone
(That) Luck 's on my side
Baby (so) how carry on
You ain't heard nothing yet

If you think I'll never sing another song

Never shed another tear
Then wait, you could be wrong

If you think, I'll never break another heart

This is now my brandnew start

And I'll prove you wrong

I've known it all along

If you think I'll never sing another song

Never shed another tear
Then wait, you could be wrong

If you think, I'll never break another heart

This is now my brandnew start

And I'll prove you wrong

I've known it all along

But baby
You ain't heard nothing yet
(transcribed by Roman <scribbler@gmx.net>)