Skyfall and other Bond theme tunes

[clarion]

Just heard Skyfall on the radio again.  You're right.  It's derivative - all the elements that 'are supposed to be' there for a Bond theme.  I think that the themes should be kept a bit retro, but not fossilised.

[LEE]

Just my opinion

#1 - Theme from OHMSS (menacing and driving rythm.)
#2 - Diamonds are forever (100% Bassey but nicely restrained)
#3 - Thunderball (100% Jones and 100% Bond lyrics)
#4 - Goldfinger (100% Bassey but way over the top)
#5 - Theme from Dr No. (It's THE Bond theme, what became the leitmotif through all the films.  It's up there with the Dr Who theme for evoking memories .  Maybe it's something to do with Doctors)

They span the first (classic?) 10 years of Bond

I don't like any of the contemporary themes. 

If you choose a contemporary piece then you risk having The Monkees, or Freddie and the Dreamers, instead of Shirley Bassey or Tom Jones. (See A-Ha)

Only great voices need apply (Which is why Adele is a good choice, I think it will stand the test of time, many good ones are derivative to a greater or lesser extend....you just can't beat a good old "WAAAAHHHH WAAHHHH" brass section or some sweeping violins )

[mrcharly-YHT]

But do you still drink whisky?

Bond of course preferred whiskey in the books.

Nice story btw!

Quite right. All the fuss about martini is bollocks.

He also drank lager in the books - Red Stripe when in Jamaica.  Yes, it's named, omg, product placement <facepalm>

I heard interview with DC last night - when asked about the significance of the films and relevance to live, he said (I paraphrase)
"It's fantasy . . . spies and assassins . . . anyone looking for deep meaning risks disappearing up their own arsehole."

He came across as being a real laugh.

[bobb]

He also drank lager in the books - Red Stripe when in Jamaica.

He didn't like it though. He only drank it to fit in...

[Cudzoziemiec]

I can't bring "The Man with the Golden Gun" to mind right now, but the very idea of Lulu singing a Bond theme seems wrong.

I shall have to go on a Bond-listening spree now.

[bobb]

TMWTGG is no worse than some of the others. Plus it has an amusing, out of place, over enthusiastic guitar part buried in the mix...

[geraldc]

TMWTGG at least has double entendres in the lyrics. Lulu is quality compared to some that followed.

Sheena Easton is up there with the least deserving Bond singers.

[red marley]

The trouble with that Lulu song is that her voice just sounds feeble and throaty compared to Shirley's that she appears to be trying to imitate.

For some top Bond covers, I would recommend Natacha Atlas' gorgeous You Only Live Twice  (my favourite Bond theme) and From Russia With Love.

[LEE]

TMWTGG at least has double entendres in the lyrics. Lulu is quality compared to some that followed.

Sheena Easton is up there with the least deserving Bond singers.

Sheena Easton falls into the category "extremely contemporary artist".

Apart from "A-Ha" I don't think there was a more fleeting moment of fame than Sheena (she did duet with Prince).

I'd have put George Michael down for a Bond theme.  He's got a great voice and he's stood the test of time.  It's not like he can claim Bond is too camp for his image.

[Fab Foodie]

You know my name - Chris Cornell

(Casino Royale)

Great, especially the way it weaves through the film like a proper overture.

[LEE]

You know my name - Chris Cornell

(Casino Royale)

Great, especially the way it weaves through the film like a proper overture.

But ask anyone in the street to hum it?

[Fab Foodie]

You know my name - Chris Cornell

(Casino Royale)

Great, especially the way it weaves through the film like a proper overture.

But ask anyone in the street to hum it?

Doesn't make it a bad tune ...

[madcow]

Think you are a bit harsh on Sheena Easton as she had 2 top ten records in close order and made No. 1 in the USA. Her chart success was limited but she lasted longer than some of the recent X-Factor bozos.

My choice

1. From Russia with Love-Matt Monro's voice clinches it and it ties in with the plot. Although the original theme was an instrumental version.
2. You only live twice- Is that a Rolf Harris Stylophone ?
3. Nobody does it better-I remember coming back into UK after 6 weeks in Iceland (pre-internet, Bond hype etc.) and I heard this record on the car radio coming home. Stood out from all the dross on radio that day, still does.

[docsquid]

Skyfall theme. Lovely bit of writing. Good song. Really recalls the proper Bond themes of the past. But Adele is no Shirley Bassey. Her performance is very weak, even for her, on this song. No light and shade at all in her voice.  It needed somebody to belt it out and she just potters her way through it with no emotion at all in her performance.

So good song, shame about the singer, hope somebody good does a cover of it. And I normally like Adele. But this is really not her best.

[LEE]

Skyfall theme. Lovely bit of writing. Good song. Really recalls the proper Bond themes of the past. But Adele is no Shirley Bassey. Her performance is very weak, even for her, on this song. No light and shade at all in her voice.  It needed somebody to belt it out and she just potters her way through it with no emotion at all in her performance.

So good song, shame about the singer, hope somebody good does a cover of it. And I normally like Adele. But this is really not her best.

I heard rumours about it being written for Amy Winehouse.  Now there's a shame.

EDIT.  She co-wrote it so maybe not.

[Charlotte]

Just heard Skyfall on the radio again.  You're right.  It's derivative - all the elements that 'are supposed to be' there for a Bond theme.

Maybe - but you've only just heard it and it's new to you.

See, I like pretty much all of the Bond themes.  Of course you can't beat a bit of Burly Chassis for sheer vocal power, but they've all got a little bit of magic in them, I think.

Living Daylights, All Time High, View To A Kill - even Die Another Day.  I don't care - they're marvellously of their time and still worth listening to on the bike

[bobb]

they're marvellously of their time and still worth listening to on the bike

I used to have a tape of the all the Bond themes when I was 17. I used to listen to it when driving around in my mothers MkII Cavalier (Bond had to go under cover sometimes you know) I was driving through town one day and the theme came on. I was suddenly aware of being followed by SMERSH. The traffic ahead had stopped as a bus was in the way. The first "DER DER DA DERRRR!" came in, so I slammed it into first, went round all the cars in front and squeezed past the bus to make my escape. The gap wasn't really wide enough, but that never put Bond off so I carried on - scrapping the passenger side wing mirror down the length of the bus. The driver (who I was pretty sure was a SMERSH operative) started shouting stuff, so before he could kill me, I turned down a side street leaving my pursuers in a cloud of tyre smoke.

I had some explaining to do when I got home - like why the nearside mirror was dangling off the side of the car and I had to keep my head down for weeks. Every time I saw the number 32 bus with a thick black scrape down its side I was reminded of my lucky escape...

[redshift]

Apart from the originals, I heartily recommend the David Arnold James Bond project 'Shaken and Stirred' which includes a doozy of a version of Diamonds Are Forever sung by David McAlmont.

Also, the Propellerheads...

[gene hunt]

Moonraker, Living Daylights or View to a kill were my favs.

50/50 on Skyfall tbh

[rogerzilla]

Moonraker, Living Daylights or View to a kill were my favs.

50/50 on Skyfall tbh

Philistine!

[Von Broad]

You Only Live Twice  (my favourite Bond theme)

Yes, mine too [Easy to forget that Nancy Sinatra sung the original.]
I also loved the film. Taking pleasure the Japanesse way 

For a classically-sounding John Barry Bond theme you need those plenty of those good old-fashioned false relations going on, mixed in with a few minor 9ths and some high strings, and you've cracked it. Knowing that is the easy bit. Writing a good one? That's not quite so easy!

[Haven't heard Skyfall yet]

[LEE]

Moonraker, Living Daylights or View to a kill were my favs.

50/50 on Skyfall tbh

You're on your own in that particular Venn diagram I suspect.

[rogerzilla]

I didn't think the Skyfall theme was that striking, but I suppose I was watching the blood and the tombstones at the time.

[gene hunt]

Moonraker, Living Daylights or View to a kill were my favs.

50/50 on Skyfall tbh

You're on your own in that particular Venn diagram I suspect.

I was talking about theme music, in terms of the films Goldfinger is still I think the best.

[LEE]

Moonraker, Living Daylights or View to a kill were my favs.

50/50 on Skyfall tbh

You're on your own in that particular Venn diagram I suspect.

I was talking about theme music, in terms of the films Goldfinger is still I think the best.

I wouldn't argue that it wasn't, despite my own selection.

Goldfinger sort of defines the Bond genre and almost every Bond stereotype is based on it.

Of course it did have the most beautiful of co-stars

(click to show/hide)

Why can't Ford just make this body again and stick it on top of Mondeo running gear?

Shurley Mish Moneypenny they'd be queuing up around the block to buy