Rating The Bond Themes

[MichaelZWilliamson]

The Monty Norman Bond and 007 themes—Dr no
These are the standard by which all others are judged. They’re intriguing, brassy, cosmopolitan-jet set 60s, and set the bar quite high. When you hear that music, you know you’re going to encounter a man of serious standing and character.

From Russia With Love
It was a love song, but fit the theme of the movie, and was used and marketed successfully within. It also inspired an appropriately mysterious air.

Goldfinger
Shirley Bassey for the win. Add the howling horns and it’s memorable, recognizable and dark.

Thunderball
Another trademark tune, and the forced awkwardness and tautness of the vocals is deliberate and excellent. Through this whole timeframe, the songs were unique and avant garde.

You Only Live Twice
Not a great song. It takes the brutal roughness of the movie’s quote, and the gaijin attempt at haiku from the book, and makes them…cheezily romantic. It starts off elegantly and warm, then just gets boring.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Instrumental, with drive and power. It’s part rock, part orchestra, seasoned with electronic, and all Bond.

Diamonds Are Forever
Shirley Bassey again, and a misandrystic song to counter Bond’s misogyny. It works well. It expresses greed, selfishness and power. A perfect appetizer for this film.

Live and Let Die
A serious rock contender, still getting radio play. Powerful, dissonant and without any romantic overtones…of course, they wasted it on a blaxploitation, occult Moore film.

The Man With The Golden Gun
The lyrics are bit trite and rushed, and the composer admits that. Still, Lulu delivers an amazing performance. Exciting and driving.

Nobody Does It Better—The Spy Who Loved Me
Love songs generally don’t work, but this is one of the exceptions. Carly Simon sings sultry tribute to the man himself. Baby, he’s the best. Wonderfully reincarnated to pay tribute to Desmond Llewelyn after his tragic loss.

Moonraker
When Shirley Bassey can’t save your theme music from sucking, you’ve hit rock bottom and started to dig. Of course, that was appropriate for the film.

For Your Eyes Only
A love song again, but Sheena Easton’s haunting ethereal voice makes it interesting and vivid.

All Time High--Octopussy
Never has so much talent been wasted for so little. Blech.

A View To A Kill
Some phenomenal musical technique, and a well above average song. A shame the movie couldn’t live up to the tease.

The Living Daylights
One of the 80s’ better songs, used to good effect. Captures the loneliness Bond must feel, and the struggles he has to remain himself, and alive.

Licence To Kill
A love song. You’d think they’d have learned by now.

Goldeneye
Tina Turner delivers an inspiring, husky performance that just drips exotic, sexy treachery. Middling high on the list.

Tomorrow Never Dies
Dark, bluesy, gripping and punctuated with sharp highs and strings. However, it’s uneven musically. It works well with the opening credits, but not as a standalone.

The World Is Not Enough
Garbage’s name is quite ironic, as their music, and this theme, are absolutely not. Shirley Manson delivers a great, greedy, megalomaniacal soliloquy…but is it for the villain, or Bond?

Die Another Day
The lyrics are appropriate, but so-so, and the too-clever vocoder and gate filtering doesn’t make this a good song. Definitely low on the list.

You Know My Name—Casino Royale
Chris Cornell delivers the goods. A song that reintroduces Bond, throws out the threat and danger as a dare, and powers the whole way through. Definitely a high-rating piece, and one to judge the others by.

Another Way To Die—Quantum of Solace
Pretentious emo-pop fits this movie perfectly. You’ll be ready to hurl by the time it’s done. You can’t say you weren’t warned.

[Kristatos]

Welcome, Michael. Excellent first post!

[katied]

Michael, you've got great taste. Especially on AVTAK. At the time it came out I was a big Duran Duran fan and I was excited about seeing the movie,because they were doing the theme. The movie left me a bit underwhelmed, but the theme was great!

[MichaelZWilliamson]

They managed to make Christopher Walken boring. I will never forgive them for that.

[Dr. No]

They managed to make Christopher Walken boring. I will never forgive them for that.

Welcome to the forum Michael

I love Walken, rented the Run Down because he was the bad guy. Kind of odd that they could take a guy who would become an iconic bad guy for a generation, and a hell of a dancer too, to not use him properly.

[katied]

I love Walken, rented the Run Down because he was the bad guy. Kind of odd that they could take a guy who would become an iconic bad guy for a generation, and a hell of a dancer too, to not use him properly.

That movie wasn't very good.Had potential,but was half a**ed,at best.

[carl stromberg]

Welcome Michael!

I love All Time High.

[katied]

Nobody Does It Better has been covered by a bunch of British bands-I know Radiohead have played it at gigs in the past-Haven't heard it myself but everyone says it's really good(I may be a bit biased as I'm a Radiohead fan!)

[Kristatos]

Should this be the next elimination game now that the cars one has finished?

[Dr. No]

Sounds good to me it

[English Agent]

Sounds good to me it

Yep....we should have a Bond title song/tune elimination competition.

First to go is that tune........err screech from QOS, by Jack White and that Alicia (whatever her surname is).

The film was bad enough, but that title song was so wrong, so inappropriate, and so goddam awful, that it is probably one of the worst songs for a film ever, since films were conceived.
Can you imagine buying a Bond soundtrack CD in the future, and listening to all the early wonderfull tunes.....and then suddenly hear that cat screeching song.

What makes it worse is that some artist did actually come up with a pretty good song for QOS, which sounded Bondian and fitted into the film, but alas, the filmakers picked the wrong song AGAIN.

EA

[Kristatos]

What makes it worse is that some artist did actually come up with a pretty good song for QOS, which sounded Bondian and fitted into the film, but alas, the filmakers picked the wrong song AGAIN.

EA

Are you referring to that Swedish band or to the song David Arnold wrote for Dame Shirley?

[English Agent]

What makes it worse is that some artist did actually come up with a pretty good song for QOS, which sounded Bondian and fitted into the film, but alas, the filmakers picked the wrong song AGAIN.

EA

Are you referring to that Swedish band or to the song David Arnold wrote for Dame Shirley?

Can't remember off hand Kris.....i think sometime ago BJ posted a link to 'You Tube' for the alternative QOS theme....what ever it was,
i thought it was pretty good.

EA

[Dr. No]

What makes it worse is that some artist did actually come up with a pretty good song for QOS, which sounded Bondian and fitted into the film, but alas, the filmakers picked the wrong song AGAIN.

EA

Are you referring to that Swedish band or to the song David Arnold wrote for Dame Shirley?

Can't remember off hand Kris.....i think sometime ago BJ posted a link to 'You Tube' for the alternative QOS theme....what ever it was,
i thought it was pretty good.

EA

I think that is it, way better than AWTD.

[Sir Smyth]

I think the thought process of each film was to acquire that era's iconic performer, then do the song. Sadly, by the time we reached the new millenium, not much left. By DAD, we had nothing, and Madonna wasn't busy.

By Bond 23, we'll have Lady Gaga.

Sadder still, the themes to the video games capture the essence of a Bond theme better than the last three films. "Nearly Civilized" would have better suited ANY of the last three.

And FWIW, "License to Kill" always has a soft spot in my heart.

[MichaelZWilliamson]

LtK was a good song...just not very Bond.

[FormerBondFan]

LtK was a good song...just not very Bond.

LTK sound almost very Lethal Weapon IMO.

[commander0077again]

YOLT is one my favorites, not a 'cheesy love song' although I understand some may think it so, so that's OK. The opening riff is classic. It captures Fleming's chapter title One Golden Day perfectly. Any song with the lyrics You only live twice is already a winner. YOLT has classic scenes, two with Kissy: the first when Bond sees her for the first time, and the second when the ama girls are glistening in the sunset and Connery for once seems to be enjoying himself. Check out Raymond Benson's From Japan with Love, and his visit with Kissy (Mia Hama).... this was a few years ago when she was in her 60s, and she is still very attractive. I'm sure the YOLT theme was playing in his head when he met her at her home. "Kissy" and her daughter helped serve the meal. She said Connery was a real gentleman, like a brother.

" .... so pay the price. Make one dream come true ...."

[The Saint 007]

A View To A Kill is my favourite Bond title song, and For Your Eyes Only is my second favourite. But other than Die Another Day, You Know My Name, and Another Way To Die, I pretty much like all the Bond title songs.

[Dr. No]

A View To A Kill is my favourite Bond title song, and For Your Eyes Only is my second favourite. But other than Die Another Day, You Know My Name, and Another Way To Die, I pretty much like all the Bond title songs.

Die Another Day was catchy and the last one to hit the pop list. Not going to say its great.