007 theme songs often attempted to navigate shifts in the culture at large more than the films themselves did. (Although in the last 20 years or so, the Bond adventures have become a bit less sexist, more diverse and started to question the power structures secret agents serve.) What insights can a journey through almost 60 years of Bond theme tunes offer? To structure this journey, this article partakes in the parlor game of ranked lists.
Eligible are the 25 canonical films produced by Eon (essentially, the Broccoli family).
The two excluded titles: Never Say Never Again, the 1983 rogue 007 film with a game Sean Connery, yet another iteration of the Thunderball plot and none of the Eon franchise hallmarks (meaning no John Barry, no gun barrel graphics…) was saddled with a tacky, forgettable theme song written by Michel Legrand and Alan & Marilyn Bergman (a far cry from the trio’s all-timer “Windmills of Your Mind” from 1967’s The Thomas Crown Affair or the acclaimed Yentl soundtrack, also from 1983). It was sung by Lani Hall after Bonnie Tyler turned it down (she didn’t really like the song).
The 1967 spoof Casino Royale (not to be confused with 2006’s official entry of the same name) was a trainwreck steered by five directors (including John Huston). But its soundtrack composed by Burt Bacharach and featuring Herb Alpert (who later married none other than Lani Hall and contributed a trumpet solo to the Never Say Never Again theme…) was a different story. A triumph of recording technique, the soundtrack album became an audiophile test record. Alpert’s jaunty instrumental theme was a top 10 hit and Dusty Springfield’s languid performance of the Bacharach and Hal David penned “The Look of Love” is regarded as a classic.
Note: the embedded videos include official music videos of the songs, the actual film title sequences or song appearance in the movie, supercuts of the movies or static images, when nothing else was available.
How would you rank the Bond theme tunes? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
25 . “Another Way to Die” performed by Jack White and Alicia Keys – from Quantum of Solace (2008)
Written by Jack White
This song from the second, generally lowest-ranked Daniel Craig outing is unlistenable. Jack White and Alicia Keys do not gel as the collaboration showcases neither White’s punchy alt.rock catchiness nor Keys’ smooth, elegant R&B. The Craig 007 era themes would eventually bat 1,000 - more about that later…
Alternate version: First choice Amy Winehouse was not well enough to deliver a song. A new tune for the ever-reliable Shirley Bassey wasn’t finished on time.
24. “The Man with the Golden Gun” performed by Lulu – from The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Music by John Barry, lyrics by Don Black
This almost comically bad, annoyingly bouncy ditty introduced one of the Roger Moore era’s lesser flicks. Notable for tacky lyrics about guns, shooting… you get the idea. (Mae West called. She wants her double-entendres back.) Fave couplet: “His eye may be on you or me. Who will he bang? We shall see. Oh yeah!”
Alternate version: A flimsy, rackety song of the same name by Alice Cooper which was even less suitable.
23. “Writing's on The Wall” performed by Sam Smith – from Spectre (2015)
Written by Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes
Shockingly, only the second Bond tune to win a Best Original Song Oscar and the first to top the UK charts. The song has Barry-esque strings and orchestral sweep which build to a… lackluster chorus. Smith’s overwrought vocals don’t help.
Alternate version: The producers turned down submissions by Lana Del Rey and Radiohead (gorgeous, yet deemed too dark and not an original song which would have disqualified it for an Oscar nomination). Rejecting Radiohead’s “Man of War” (released in 2017 as “Spectre”) was a hard call for director Sam Mendes.
22. “Tomorrow Never Dies” performed by Sheryl Crow – from Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Written by Sheryl Crow and Mitchell Froom
Not terrible, but rather forgettable entry from US singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow. Her songs like “Every Day Is a Winding Road” were used to much greater effect in Steven Soderbergh’s Erin Brockovich in 2000.
Alternate versions: The Tomorrow Never Dies soundtrack is almost as notable for the submitted songs that weren’t used, by Pulp, Saint Etienne, The Cardigans, Marc Almond, Duran Duran and Danish indie band Swan Lee, among others. k.d. lang’s “Surrender”, arguably a better theme song choice, made it to the end credits.
21. “You Know My Name” performed by Chris Cornell – from Casino Royale (2006)
Written by Chris Cornell and David Arnold
On paper, it sounded like a great idea: introducing the new, grittier Daniel Craig 007 with a song by grunge icon Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave). Sadly, Cornell, who was initially surprised that he was invited to contribute to a Bond soundtrack, never really made this his own.
20. “Thunderball” performed by Tom Jones – from Thunderball (1965)
Written by John Barry and Don Black
This is likely a contentious opinion, as 1960s 007 themes are generally well regarded. Tom Jones’ vocals are suitably dramatic, but the tune is a bit flatfooted compared to “Goldfinger”, “From Russia with Love” and “You Only Live Twice” – more thud than thunder. This might be why “Thunderball” seems to be the least covered and referenced theme of the golden age.
Alternate version: Johnny Cash, with a rousing tune more appropriate for a spaghetti western than a spy flick.
19. “The World Is Not Enough” performed by Garbage – from The World Is Not Enough (1999)
Music by David Arnold, lyrics by Don Black
What a disappointment. The choice of modern rock dream team Garbage - grunge producer extraordinaire Butch Vig, deliciously sardonic Scottish frontwoman Shirley Manson and other musos equally adept at alt.rock and electronica - was promising. Sadly, the result doesn’t go much beyond swelling orchestra and repetition of the film title. (The lyrics do uniquely foreground the villain’s point of view.) In Garbage’s defense, the song was written by others, Bond theme veteran Don Black and 1990s/2000s 007 musical director David Arnold. If Garbage had been involved in the songwriting, as other leftfield choices like Paul McCartney, Madonna, Billie Eilish and Duran Duran were, perhaps something more interesting might have resulted.
Alternate versions: Eurythmics’ comeback single “I Saved the World Today” was originally submitted as a Bond tune but rejected. Lennox was no slouch in the soundtrack hit department with the closing theme of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Oscar winner “Into the West”. Also “Only Myself to Blame” a moody, jazzy track by Scott Walker which at least made it onto the soundtrack album.
18. “A View to a Kill” performed by Duran Duran – from A View To Kill (1985)
Written by Duran Duran and John Barry
The first Bond theme to top the US charts, it was also a no. 1 hit in Spain, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Belgium and Sweden, no. 2 in the UK and went top 10 in most of the rest of the world. Bernard Edwards’ (formerly of Chic) then state of the art production, with staccato synths and gated drums, sounds a bit dated today, yet the song remains a sucessful union of the premier British pop culture exports of the 1960s and 1980s.
17. “Moonraker” performed by Shirley Bassey – from Moonraker (1979)
Music by John Barry, lyrics by Hal David
As always, Shirley Bassey’s voice wraps the listener in a luscious, velvety sonic cascade and the melody is actually quite lovely. “Moonraker” was the last hurrah of the old school Bond themes, before the films’ producers reached out to new generations of pop and rock artists, with varying degrees of success. The song ranks this low mostly because later successful and/or noteworthy themes placed higher.
16. “The Living Daylights” performed by a-ha – from The Living Daylights (1987)
Written by Pål Waaktaar and John Barry
Already during the latter Roger Moore years, the Broccoli organization reached out to pop stars such as Sheena Easton and Duran Duran (see no. 18) to rejuvenate the Bond themes. To usher in the new Timothy Dalton era, chart-topping Norwegian synthpop band a-ha was paired with reigning musical director John Barry. Morten Harket’s angsty tenor meshes rather well with the sweeping orchestral arrangement. But allegedly, the collaboration between a-ha guitarist Waaktaar and Barry was anything but harmonious. (The band has even released an alternative version of the song.) Personal dissonances aside, “The Living Daylights” went top 10 in most of Europe and is more revered than the accompanying film. Barry’s final completed composition for the Bond franchise.
Alternate version: “This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave” by Pet Shop Boys. The perfectly decent synthpop track ended up a better fit, in a reworked version, with the band’s album Behaviour (1990) than in a Bond film.
15. “For Your Eyes Only” performed by Sheena Easton – from For Your Eyes Only (1981)
Written by Bill Conti and Mick Leeson
Scottish songstress Sheena Easton netted the third Best Original Song Oscar nomination for a Bond theme tune. Wisely, Bill Conti, the film’s score composer, collaborated with Mick Leeson, a frequent Easton songwriter, to create a song that made good use of her vocal talents. While not quite as catchy as other Easton hits like “Morning Train (9 to 5)”, “Telefone”, “Strut” or the Prince-penned “Sugar Walls”, “For Your Eyes Only” is still a solid 007 opener.
Alternate version: A track of the same name by Blondie. An exciting option in theory, but the song itself uses spy theme tropes such as twangy guitars and dramatic vocals to little effect.
14. “All Time High” performed by Rita Coolidge – from Octopussy (1983)
Music by John Barry, lyrics by Tim Rice
Never understood why this catchy Adult Contemporary ballad is often ranked among the worst Bond songs. It might lack the panache or swagger of other 007 themes, but Rita Coolidge’s sultry vocals build to a soaring, addictive chorus. Perhaps its inclusion in a relatively unloved Bond film, the patchy production history or the choice of Coolidge, not exactly hip at the time, didn’t enhance the song’s reputation. (British retro chanteuse Mari Wilson was nixed due to her non-existent US profile, and then red-hot Laura Branigan somehow didn’t pan out.) Nevertheless, “All Time High” did okay on the Billboard Hot 100, even better on the Adult Contemporary chart and was Coolidge’s first hit in continental Europe. The song also sidestepped the challenge of how to include the innuendo-laden parent film’s title in the lyrics, sticking instead to a “we”-narrative of a couple’s transcendental romantic connection.
13. “From Russia with Love” performed by Matt Munro – from From Russia with Love (1963)
Written by Lionel Bart
This golden age theme, written by the composer of hit musical Oliver! and sung by Britain’s top crooner, has fallen a bit in rankings as strong newer Bond title songs were released. It’s noteworthy that, unlike other 007 theme songs which usually accompany the opening credits, the vocal version is first heard briefly as diegetic music on the radio, then played in its entirety as the final scene with James Bond and Tatiana Romanova (Daniela Bianchi) on a romantic boat ride in Venice leads into the end credits. Over the opening credits, an instrumental, cha-cha version segues into Monty Norman’s “James Bond Theme”.
12. “GoldenEye” performed by Tina Turner – from GoldenEye (1995)
Written by Bono and The Edge
The franchise reboot with new, post-Cold War Bond Pierce Brosnan kicked off with a title song that successfully updated the high drama of classic Bond scores for the new era, courtesy of U2’s frontman and guitarist, no neophytes to atmospheric soundtracks. Tina Turner ably assumes Shirley Bassey’s mantle, but where Bassey was bold, booming, dramatic, Turner is cool, predatory, unpredictable. Nellee Hooper’s production adds a triphop (a genre influenced also by spy thriller soundtracks) vibe.
Alternate version: a song of the same name by Swedish Eurodance act Ace of Base which the band’s label withdrew because it had little faith in the reboot’s success…
11. “Licence to Kill” performed by Gladys Knight – from Licence to Kill (1989)
Written by Narada Michael Walden, Jeffrey Cohen and Walter Afanasieff
With much of Licence to Kill set in the United States (Florida, to be exact), a warm, towering soul ballad sung by Gladys Knight was an astute choice. It became one of the most acclaimed Bond themes. After quoting the two-note horn intro from “Goldfinger”, the song grooves along at a leisurely yet majestic pace until the showstopping climax and satisfying conclusion. Only quibble: the lyrics don’t really transcend the frequent use of the film titles’ weapon and killing imagery as a metaphor for sex and love.
Alternate version: A rumored bluesy instrumental by Eric Clapton and original "James Bond Theme" guitarist Vic Flick, who originated the iconic twangy riff.
10. “Die Another Day” performed by Madonna – from Die Another Day (2002)
Written by Madonna, Michel Colombier and Mirwais Ahmadzaï
For most of the 2000s, Madonna was in her anglophile Guy Ritchie phase. So it’s no shocker she was eager to participate in the Bond franchise. She does double duty in Die Another Day with a cameo appearance and the title song. Both were reviled at the time of release. In all fairness, the cameo is short and painless, and since Madonna played a cartoonish semi-villainess, there wasn’t much to screw up. As for the song, it deserves a reappraisal, especially now that Madonna’s late 1990s/early 2000s electronica period is experiencing renewed interest.
“Die Another Day”, despite bad reviews a worldwide hit, blends orchestral strings courtesy of French soundtrack composer Michel Colombier (quoting the string opening of “Papa Don’t Preach”) with Madonna’s epiphany that “James Bond needs to go techno”. The result: a skittish, squelchy 124 BPM synthscape with Madonna’s autotuned vocals. Although this hybrid was likely the result of the film’s producers being underwhelmed by a pure techno approach, it works.The song is a dancefloor filler (admittedly not a priority for a Bond theme) and fitting soundscape for Daniel Kleinman’s creepy title sequence, which eschews the stylized graphic approaches of earlier films for a nightmarish blend of live action torture scenes with 3D animation images of scorpions and frozen, liquid or burning human forms. The first-person lyrics reflect a state of mind (Bond’s?) both fragile and defiant. (Many Bond song lyrics talk about the man himself or the respective villain in the third-person or a potential lover addresses Bond directly as “you”. )
Anna Swanson of the “Film School Rejects” blog said it best: “You don’t have to love Madonna’s theme, but it’s clear she did come here to shake up the system. Mission accomplished.”
9. “Skyfall” performed by Adele – from Skyfall (2012)
Written by Adele and Paul Epworth
Neo-soul diva Adele has successfully updated a jazz- and folk-inflected R&B sound for the new millennium, projecting a more confident, self-determined femininity than her forebears like Dusty Springfield or Whitney Houston. (Aretha Franklin was a likely role model both musically and in terms of self-determination.)
As Adele went supernova, she became first choice to contribute the theme for Skyfall, as the producers felt Adele would hark back to the Shirley Bassey golden age – with the bonus of songwriting skills. The film’s director Sam Mendes, on the other hand, suggested Adele use “Nobody Does It Better”, the theme from 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me (more later) as inspiration for a “personal song”.
Alternate version: Indie band Muse submitted its prog-like song "Supremacy", but there was no contest.
8. “Diamonds Are Forever” performed by Shirley Bassey – from Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
Music by John Barry, lyrics by Don Black
After George Lazenby’s fraught and less than universally beloved stint as 007 (in retrospect, his performance has been reappraised and the film ranked as one of, or even the best in the franchise), United Artists enticed Sean Connery back with a then generous 1.25 million dollar paycheck (which Connery used to launch the Scottish International Educational Trust charity) and by bankrolling two other films of his choice. To assure everyone that things were back to business as usual, Shirley Bassey was invited to sing the theme tune, in which diamonds are more than just a girl’s best friend. Unlike the wildly successful but slapdash and cringey (sexist, homophobic - checks a lot of boxes…) parent film, this sparkling jewel of a song and Bassey’s knock it out of the park performance “luster on.”
7. “You Only Live Twice” performed by Nancy Sinatra – from You Only Live Twice (1967)
Music by John Barry, lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Nancy Sinatra (second choice after Daddy Frank declined) gives a committed performance to the haunting, “Asian” flavored tune (the film is set largely in Japan). You Only Live Twice is regarded as a lesser Bond picture, its cultural insensitivity a main problem: Connery is in yellowface most of the time (the plot motivation is flimsy) and clichés about Japanese culture abound. The exotica soundtrack is less controversial as this genre foregrounds its hybridity and ersatzness. And the song has endured, as cover versions by Soft Cell, Björk, Coldplay, Natacha Atlas, even Shirley Bassey attest. Robbie Williams sampled the swirling string intro for his 1998 hit “Millennium”.
6. “No Time to Die” performed by Billie Eilish – from No Time to Die (2021)
Written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell
No Time to Die ends the Daniel Craig era on a dark, melancholy note. Bond gets the job done, defeating this film’s supervillain (Lyutsifer Safin played by Rami Malek) and saving the world from an attack by biotechnical weapons. However, the film’s emotional core is less Bond’s conflict with bad guys than his tormented love affair with enigmatic scientist Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux, returning after originating the role in Spectre, which underscores her significance in 007’s world). We’ve seen Bond this lovelorn only in two earlier films, Casino Royale and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, which No Time to Die references on multiple occasions, notably through the use of the bittersweet love theme “We Have All the Time in the World”, sung by Louis Armstrong (more about that later).
Billie Eilish’s aching song (co-written with her regular collaborator, brother Finneas) is about betrayal, hurt and disillusionment. Their opening song practically carries on where the 25 minute pre-title sequence left off (Bond thinks Madeleine set him up for an attack he barely survives; subsequently, they part ostensibly for good at an Italian village train station). Like few other Bond themes, it casts a gloomy shadow over the entire film. Since an unexpected death shattered On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, we dread that someone in Bond’s innermost circle will not survive this film, neither. Spoiler alert: It turns out that Bond sacrifices himself to save Madeleine and her daughter, who is likely also his.
Eilish and O’Connell netted a sixth Best Song Oscar nomination and third successive win for the franchise. It would have been a poignant conclusion to over 60 years of Bond on screen, but a reboot is in the works…
5. “Live and Let Die” performed by Paul McCartney and Wings – from Live and Let Die (1973)
Written by Paul and Linda McCartney
Bond and Beatles: Britain’s most lucrative cultural exports. By strange coincidence, the first Bond film Dr. No and the Beatles’ debut single “Love Me Do” were both released on October 5, 1962. The twain met on other occasion - notably when Beatle producer/arranger George Martin produced “Goldfinger”. Yet neither the Bond people ever approached the Beatles about contributing a theme song nor vice versa.
By 1970, The Beatles were no more. Around 1972, when the first Roger Moore Bond film Live and Let Die was in pre-production, regular 007 composer John Barry became unavailable, for both scheduling and personal reasons. Co-producer Harry Saltzman invited Paul McCartney to compose the next Bond theme. McCartney read Ian Fleming’s novel (the film script was not yet finished) and delivered a song, with playful lyrics that actually made sense of the film title, unlike some Bond tunes in which the titles were shoehorned in with little rhyme or reason (looking at you, “So he strikes, like Thunderball”).
When Saltzman mentioned Shirley Bassey or Thelma Houston was slated to sing, producer George Martin (who would compose and produce the rest of the film score) pointed out by contractual obligation, Paul McCartney sings, end of story. Saltzman acquiesced. McCartney (and his band Wings) performed “Live and Let Die” as a rock mini symphony (with a splash of reggae, echoing the story’s Caribbean setting and McCartney’s own fascination with reggae, ska and calypso), heralding a new era, just as Roger Moore’s more easygoing style did.
“Live and Let Die” was the first Bond theme nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar and a huge worldwide hit. It also broke the 007 theme mold and opened up new possibilities.
4. “Nobody Does It Better” performed by Carly Simon – from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager
By the mid-1970s, the Bond franchise was at a crossroads. The critical and relative box office failure of The Man with the Golden Gun necessitated a re-think. Then longtime co-producer Harry Saltzman was forced to sell his share, making Albert Broccoli the sole producer. Finally, John Barry was unavailable due to tax reasons. Enter Marvin Hamlisch, multiple Academy Award winning composer of such classic film themes as “The Way We Were” (which beat “Live and Let Die” in the 1973 Best Song Oscar race) and adaptations of Scott Joplin’s piano rags for Best Picture winner The Sting. Hamlisch and frequent collaborator, lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, opted for a radical approach, like Paul McCartney did almost half a decade earlier. “Nobody Does It Better” was the first theme not named after its parent film (although “the spy who loved me” appears in one of the verses). The lyrics foreground the female pleasure 007 brings, not his number of conquests. The arrangement is for piano and orchestra, in the mode of the power ballad which gained currency in the singer-songwriter, soft rock dominated 70s. And nobody does that better than Carly Simon, whose sassy, sensuous vocals led the song to several weeks in the top 5 and an Oscar nomination, the second for the franchise.
3. “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service Theme” written and performed by John Barry – from On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
Sean Connery seemed on autopilot in You Only Live Twice, and it was clear that this 007 adventure would be his (erstwhile) last. The adaptation of the novel On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (aka OHMSS) had been postponed a few times (once due to a warm winter with little snow in Switzerland, awkward for a story in an Alpine setting). Then an adaptation of The Man with the Golden Gun fell through when original Bond frontrunner and newly re-shortlisted Roger Moore renewed his contract as TV sleuth Simon Templar (in The Saint) and designated location Cambodia became too politically volatile. So OHMSS was dusted off and greenlit. From an international longlist of over 400 actors (Terence Stamp and Oliver Reed were shortlisted), Australian model and commercial actor George Lazenby was cast. A relative unknown with suitable physical attributes and dry humor (albeit more good-natured than Connery), Lazenby’s otherness worked in his favor. His 007 persona meshed rather well with a story that focused on interpersonal relationships rather than gadgets and chases (although there are a few breathtaking set pieces). A few flirtations aside (often to gather intel), Bond has one sole love interest, the troubled Contessa Teresa “Tracy” di Vincenzo (played by Diana Rigg, revered stage actress and TV’s iconic secret agent Emma Peel, adding some star power). Bond and Tracy’s initially transactional relationship (Bond saves Tracy’s life and is then hired by Tracy’s worried crime boss father – played by L’Avventura star Gabriele Ferzetti – to keep her out of trouble) blossoms into deep love. The film seemingly ends happily with a wedding, but this is sadly not the last word…
The producers wanted to usher in a new Bond era while upholding franchise traditions. Music played a key role here. John Barry returned as score composer. For the first time since Dr. No, the main theme was an instrumental (maybe the longest yet film title was a mouthful to sing?), accompanying a title sequence that incorporates footage of Bond girls and villains from every preceding film. Blending traditional orchestral arrangements with subtle use of the Moog synthesizer, the OHMSS theme is an adrenaline rush that evokes highspeed chases and averting danger at every turn. It’s one of Barry’s most thrilling soundtrack compositions.
OHMSS is the rare 007 outing to have a co-theme, the wistful “We Have All the Time in the World”, music by Barry, lyrics by Hal David and sung by Louis Armstrong. It accompanies an atypical romantic montage showing Bond and Tracy intensifying their relationship and instrumental phrases appear intermittently as a love theme of sorts. The title reveals itself as tragically ironic at film’s end. In the final (for the time being?) Bond film No Time to Die, “We Have All the Time in the World” is quoted twice and played in its entirety during the end credits, to evoke a similar sense of tragic romance.
The song has since become a staple of weddings (its lush romanticism apparently drowning out the inherent irony) and has been covered by acts from crooner Vic Damone to shoegaze-noise pioneers My Bloody Valentine.
2. “James Bond Theme” performed by the John Barry Seven and Orchestra – from Dr. No (1962)
Written by Monty Norman
The musical motherlode every subsequent Bond soundtrack returns to. Snatches of it play over the gun barrel intro before the pre-credits sequence (except in Casino Royale), in various arrangements echoing the locales, at different speeds or adapting to the times, including a disco version arranged by Marvin Hamlisch
for The Spy Who Loved Me (released at the height of disco’s popularity). It’s woven into the score – to signal Bond’s first entrance, to cue action sequences and even used diegetically as a snake charmer’s tune. Several theme songs quote it, notably “Goldfinger”, "A View to a Kill", “GoldenEye” and “Skyfall”. It occasionally accompanies the end credits, most often in the Craig-era films – the notable exception being No Time to Die, which instead uses the tragically ironic “We Have All the Time in the World” (see On Her Majesty’s Secret Service)
to convey closure.
Authorship of the “James Bond Theme” has long been disputed, which both Norman and Barry laying claim. Eventually, Norman was granted sole credit. But Barry went on to become the franchise’s signature composer, scoring 11 films over 24 years and 4 Bond actors as well leaving his mark on all subsequent soundtracks.
Over 70 cover versions in a variety of genres ranging from symphonic renditions, jazz (Count Basie), easy listening, ska (The Skatalites, The Selecter and others), electronica (Moby) to Balkan brass bands (Fanfare Ciocărlia) and death metal (Cannibal Corpse) along with various postmodern deconstructions by Barry Adamson, Art of Noise and John Zorn and references in genres like triphop, attest to the “James Bond Theme’s” lasting influence.
1. “Goldfinger” performed by Shirley Bassey – from Goldfinger (1964)
Music by John Barry, lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley
Although co-producer Harry Saltzman originally hated “Goldfinger” (as he later did “Diamonds Are Forever”), it has become the most heralded Bond theme song and set the musical parameters of the franchise. It was the first vocal performance to open a Bond film (Matt Munro singing “From Russia With Love” was first heard over the end credits). It was the first of three theme songs sung by Shirley Bassey (and became her signature tune); Bassey was the only artist to perform multiple Bond themes. And it marked the birth of the James Bond theme song as a pop cultural event in its own right.
Since “Goldfinger”, the choice of theme song performer has become as highly anticipated as the parent film itself, and tunes that didn’t make the cut have been leaked to great curiosity. Throughout the 1960s, the crème de la crème of adult pop lent their pipes to the Bond adventures. Since the 1970s, more rock acts and pop stars appealing to a younger demographic have been invited to contribute, also as songwriters. Often, there is a correlation between critical and/or commercial success of parent film and song as “Goldfinger”, “Nobody Does It Better” and “Skyfall” show, while “You Only Live Twice”, “A View To A Kill” and the maligned but successful “Die Another Day” overshadowed their less stellar parent films. “You Know My Name” was divisive but didn’t significantly tarnish the reputation of Casino Royale.
Six decades of 007 themes make an eclectic playlist featuring many major artists of this time period. Sometimes the pairings were the franchise’s awkward attempts to stay relevant. More often, the result of the 007+pop/rock star X equation was greater than the sum of its parts.