James Bond themes maintain a particular place in the legacy of movie soundtracks, and among the greats of contemporary fashionable music, together with Louis Armstrong, Tom Jones, and Paul McCartney, have contributed among the greatest Bond songs of all time.
Since 1962, greater than 20 Bond themes have supplied chart successes for the artists concerned, and two of the newest Bond Franchise songs – “Skyfall” by Adele and Sam Smith’s “Writing’s On The Wall” – have even each claimed the Academy Award for Greatest Unique Music.
Right here’s our choose of the 15 greatest Bond songs of all time. Although some favorites miss out – together with “The Man With The Golden Gun” (Lulu), “All Time High” (Rita Coolidge for Octopussy), “The Living Daylights” (a-ha), “Another Way To Die” (Alicia Keys and Jack White for Quantum of Solace), “Die Another Day” (Madonna), “The World Is Not Enough” (Rubbish) and “You Know My Name” (Chris Cornell for On line casino Royale) – there are many hits to get pleasure from earlier than the subsequent 007 film is launched.
“From Russia With Love” (Matt Monro, 1963)
Matt Monro was one of many huge singing stars of the 60s – with hits resembling “My Sort Of Woman’ – and his Bond track, written by Lionel Bart (of Oliver! fame) and organized and composed by the celebrated John Barry, spent 13 weeks within the UK charts. Monro’s track is performed throughout the movie (as supply music on a radio) and over the tip titles of Sean Connery’s second outing as 007.
“Goldfinger” (Shirley Bassey, 1964)
Shirley Bassey gave a robust supply of a track written by John Barry, Anthony Newley, and Leslie Bricusse, when she sang about “the man with the Midas touch.” She mentioned the track gave her “goosebumps” when she first heard it. The plush orchestration and rasping horn sounds helped make “Goldfinger” a cabaret showstopper for Bassey for the remainder of her profession.
“Thunderball” (Tom Jones, 1964)
Tom Jones was introduced in to sing John Barry’s “Thunderball” after it was used to switch the primary alternative of a track referred to as “Mr. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.” The Welsh singer’s powerhouse vocals had been excellent for the grandiose verses and refrain of “Thunderball.” He hit such a excessive notice on the finish that he supposedly fainted within the recording sales space. “I closed my eyes and I held the note for so long when I opened my eyes the room was spinning,” Jones mentioned.
“You Only Live Twice” (Nancy Sinatra, 1967)
John Barry wished Aretha Franklin to sing “You Only Live Twice,” whereas producer Albert Broccoli eyed Frank Sinatra as the brand new 007 vocalist. They ultimately compromised by utilizing Nancy Sinatra, who delivered a silky model of the track.
“We Have All The Time In The World” (Louis Armstrong, 1969)
John Barry personally visited jazz maestro Louis Armstrong to ask him to document “We Have All The Time In The World,” and the composer mentioned that, for him, it sat on the head of the perfect Bond songs. It was utilized in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the one movie starring George Lazenby as Bond. Armstrong, who was 67 on the time, delivered a stirring, sentimental model of a track that was successful once more in 1994 when it was re-released following its use in a Guinness advert.
“Diamonds Are Forever” (Shirley Bassey, 1971)
“Diamonds Are Forever,” co-written by Barry and Don Black, has clean singing from Shirley Bassey in her second Bond outing, together with sinister harp arpeggios and bursts of dynamic trumpet taking part in. The music appeared to seize the glamorous, harmful world of being a global spy. Bassey would return for another Bond track, singing “Moonraker” in 1979.
“Live And Let Die” (Paul McCartney & Wings, 1973)
“Live And Let Die” was written by Paul and Linda McCartney and have become the primary huge hit for his or her band Wings. The track, written for the movie that starred Roger Moore as Bond, re-united McCartney and Beatles producer Sir George Martin, who was accountable for the intelligent orchestration. The primary of the Bond themes that might declare to be a rock track, “Live And Let Die” options some nice guitar from Henry McCullough.
“Nobody Does It Better” (Carly Simon, 1977)
“Nobody Does It Better,” the candy ballad for The Spy Who Liked Me, fitted effectively with the romantic storyline regarding Bond (Roger Moore) and Soviet agent Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) throughout the 70s Chilly Battle. Simon, who had successful with “You’re So Vain,” delivered a robust model of a playful, tongue-in-cheek love track.
“For Your Eyes Only” (Sheena Easton, 1981)
Sheena Easton was an up-and-coming singer who had just lately had a No.1 hit in America with “Morning Train” when she was picked to sing the theme for one more Roger Moore movie. Her gentle, romantic supply suited Invoice Conti and Mike Leeson’s lyrics, and the Scottish singer was filmed performing the track throughout its opening titles.
“A View To A Kill” (Duran Duran, 1985)
“A View To A Kill,” by English new wave band Duran Duran, was probably the most commercially profitable of all of the James Bond theme songs, reaching No.1 in America and being nominated for a Golden Globe for Greatest Unique Music. The track was written by the band and John Barry and was recorded with a 60-piece orchestra.
“License To Kill” (Gladys Knight, 1989)
There’s greater than a contact of the 80s energy ballad about “License To Kill,” which was written for the Bond movie of the identical title starring Timothy Dalton in the principle position. Gladys Knight sings assuredly over a sound that mixes horns and cymbals with the drum programming, percussion, Moog bass, and synthesizers that had been fashionable on the time.
“GoldenEye” (Tina Turner, 1995)
Tina Turner’s soulful, highly effective voice fitted effectively within the Shirley Bassey custom of Bond themes, and the composers of GoldenEye – Bono and The Edge from U2 – stayed near the normal John Barry 007 sound with the most effective Bond songs of the trendy period.
“Tomorrow Never Dies” (Sheryl Crow, 1997)
Sheryl Crow got here out on high in a aggressive battle to sing the theme for a Bond movie starring Pierce Brosnan as 007. Crow had grown up as a Bond fan and mentioned she cherished “the campness, the double entendres, and sexual innuendos” within the movies. Her track was nominated for a Golden Globe.
“Skyfall” (Adele, 2012)
Adele received an Oscar for her acclaimed model of “Skyfall” for the Daniel Craig Bond film. The orchestral pop track, written by Adele and producer Paul Epworth, is taken into account the most effective Bond songs of all. “From the opening bars I knew immediately it was good,” mentioned Craig. “Then the voice kicked in and it was exactly what I’d wanted from the beginning. It just got better and better because it fitted the movie perfectly.”
“Writing’s On The Wall” (Sam Smith, 2015)
Radiohead had been initially requested to compose the Bond theme track for Spectre, however when their composition was rejected, Sam Smith ably stepped in. Sam Smith was solely 23 once they co-wrote “Writing’s On The Wall.” The only grew to become the primary of the Bond themes to achieve No.1 one within the UK singles chart. The track’s co-writer, Jimmy Napes, performs the fragile piano behind Smith’s lush singing.
“No Time to Die” (Billie Eilish, 2020)
Launched almost two years earlier than the movie of the identical title, Billie Eilish’s “No Time To Die” was nonetheless a smash hit. It hit No. 1 within the UK and earned Eilish a Grammy Award for Greatest Music Written for Visible Media. The tune was a collaboration with Hans Zimmer and Johnny Marr, however the star right here is undoubtedly Eilish, who reveals off her unbelievable singing voice all through. – Sam Armstrong
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