James Bond 007 Movie Music
	By Erik Aadahl, with contributions by Christopher Nowicki & Cedric Stalpers edited by Kimberly Last

With an estimated half of the world population having seen James Bond films, the James Bond theme (written by Monty Norman) is perhaps the best known tune in film history, ranked with "Star Wars" and "Gone with the Wind." In its 37-year history, the James Bond series has been nominated for the Academy Awards' Oscar 8 times. Of these 8 nominations, 4 were for film scoring or the title songs ("Live and Let Die" -- best original song; "The Spy who Loved Me" -- best musical scoring, best original song; and "For Your Eyes Only" -- best original song).

The Composers

There have been 8 composers throughout the series. Most of them -- Monty Norman, George Martin, Marvin Hamlisch, Bill Conti, Michael Kamen and Eric Serra -- wrote 1 score each. David Arnold has penned 3. But the most prolific and acclaimed of the series' composers, however, is undoubtedly John Barry, with 11 Bond scores under his belt. Barry was born in York, England, in 1933 with the unique pleasure of having Bond's initials, J.B. He has composed over 80 scores for a huge range of films, such as Dances with Wolves and Out of Africa. Seven of his films have been nominated for Oscars; 5 have won. John Barry is currently ranked as one of the most talented and sought-after (and thus expensive) film composers in the world.

The Singers

A unique tradition of the Bond films has been their title songs. After 1963's "From Russia With Love" performed by Matt Monro, subsequent Bond films featured vocals for the beginning credit sequences (with the exception of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"). A wide range of singers and groups have performed the title songs: Tom Jones, Nancy Sinatra, Sir Paul McCartney, Lulu, Carly Simon, Sheena Easton, Rita Coolidge, Duran Duran, a-ha, Gladys Knight, Tina Turner, Sheryl Crow, Garbage, and Madonna (while others, such as Louis Armstrong, The Pretenders, Tim Feehan, k.d. lang and Scott Walker, have performed non-title songs).
The most prolific of the Bond singers is Shirley Bassey, who sang "Goldfinger," "Diamonds are Forever," and "Moonraker." With a great deal of background in performing Broadway songs, Bassey's brassy and powerful voice gives these songs an inspiring energy. This remarkable exuberance is especially noticeable in the ending words of her songs, normally sustained for astonishing lengths of time ("Goldfinger" -- the sustained "he loves only GOLD..."; "Diamonds" -- the sustained "forever, and EVAH..."; "Moonraker" -- the sustained "you'll love ME..."). In homage to Bassey, Tina Turner used the same lung-bursting style in the title song of GoldenEye, as did k.d. lang in the Tomorrow Never Dies end credits.

The Soundtracks

Dr. No

Date: 1962
Composer: Monty Norman; orchestrations by John Barry
Label number: EMI CDP-7-96210-2
Comments:Dr. No introduced the original James Bond Theme, composed by Monty Norman, into film score antiquity. This theme, though conceived of by Norman, was re-arranged and orchestrated by John Barry (who would later take over as chief Bond composer). Norman's film scoring credits are rather sparse, with such disrespected titles as The Day the Earth Caught Fire and House of Fright. Nevertheless, he can be credited with introducing one of film history's most famous themes to the silver screen, of which variations appear in every Bond film. It must also be mentioned that though the original theme is considered "traditional" by today's standards, it was on jazz's cutting-edge in 1962. Complementing Dr. No's scenic locale -- the islands of the Caribbean -- was a heavy dose of related music, from a Calypso version of "Three Blind Mice" to the unforgettable "Underneath the Mango Tree" sung by Sean Connery (whose singing skills were fine-tuned in Disney's 1959 production Darby O'Gill and the Little People).
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From Russia With Love

Date: 1963
Composer: John Barry
Label number: EMI CDP-7-95344-2
Comments: Opening to the tune of Norman's James Bond Theme, From Russia with Love isthe first Bond film to credit from John Barry's energetic composition skills. The title song (appearing in a scene where Bond is called in to the office while "entertaining" a female friend and later in the ending credits) was composed by Lionel Bart ("Oliver!") and performed by Matt Munro, with a unique orchestral style replete with Russian shaker bells. Barry also introduces his "007" theme (the "James Bond Theme" title having already been taken by Norman), an amalgam of brass and percussive instruments. This theme appears in several subsequent Barry-composed Bond scores, though since it becomes somewhat dated, is not used again after 1979's "Moonraker". Barry also begins his tradition of making orchestral arrangements of the title song and reworking it into a love theme. For example, the "From Russia with Love" theme is used nicely in Istanbul when Tatiana and Bond "bond".

Goldfinger

Date: 1964
Composer: John Barry
Label number: EMI CDP-7-95345-2
Comments: With blaring trumpets, screeching strings and a resounding voice, the "Goldfinger" title song performed by Shirley Bassey explodes with energy, making this the most famous song of the series. John Barry learns to fully incorporate the "James Bond Theme" in his orchestral arrangements, a strategy he will use in all of his scores. The pre-credits sequence, in which Bond destroys a heroin production facility, uses this revamped orchestral theme very effectively. Though by today's standards some elements of the score are a bit campy (e.g. the introduction in Miami), Goldfinger's music establishes the flavor that Barry will use until Moonraker. Notably absent is the Laser Beam music, which was later released on Limited Edition 30th Anniversary Best Of James Bond set.
The last track is an instrumental of what was originally slated to be the title song, "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." The track has no vocals but was recorded by both Dionne Warwick and Shirley Bassey. Both are also available on the 30th Anniversary Limited Edition set, which also has an additional 21 minutes of music from the film, including most of the climatic music from the end.

You Only Live Twice

Date: 1967
Composer: John Barry
Label number: EMI CDP 7 90626 2 DIDX 3460
Comments: With "You Only Live Twice," John Barry takes his music in a more romantic direction. The sweeping title song, sung by Nancy Sinatra, is arranged into a beautiful orchestral piece used throughout the film. A few action scenes, such as the car chase through Tokyo, the "Little Nellie" aerial battle, and the climactic volcano finale (a la Ken Adams) referred to earlier arrangements of both the original "James Bond Theme" and "007."

Casino Royale

Date: 1967
Label: Latest release on Varese Sarabande
Composer Burt Bacharach
Comments: An inspiration for (and cameo actor in) Mike Myers' Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, the so-60s soundtrack to this non-Eon Bond film features Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass performing the "Casino Royale Theme." The most famous tune is the Bacharach classic "The Look of Love" (not to be confused with the '80s ABC song of the same title), performed by Dusty Springfield.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Date: 1969
Composer: John Barry
Label number: EMI CDP 7 90618 2 DIDX 3461
Comments: The introduction's title sequence, rather than use Louis Armstrong's "We Have All The Time in The World," used synthesized elements to give the opening a rather unique feeling. Barry's love theme variation of Armstrong's song, however, is easily the best romantic theme of the series, featuring beautiful strings and Barry's first consistent use of the flute. Some of the more electronic pieces (e.g. the avalanche and bobsled chase) seem rather awkward, though they are more than rescued by Barry's excellent orchestrations throughout the rest of the film.

Diamonds Are Forever

Date: 1971
Composer: John Barry
Label number: EMI CDP-7-96209-2
Comments: In celebration of Sean Connery's return to Bond after George Lazenby's stint, Shirley Bassey came back with the title song "Diamonds are Forever," an interesting blend of traditional Barry orchestral elements and '70s funk (the use of guitar "wah-wahs" and funky percussion grooves). The rest of the score is somewhat undistinguished; Barry takes no creative chances and relapses into his comfortable standard.

Live and Let Die

Date: 1973
Composer: George Martin
Label number: CDP 7 90629 2
Comments: In 1973, "Live and Let Die" earned the Bond series its first music-related Oscar nomination for "Best Original Song," performed by Sir Paul McCartney & Wings. Sir George Martin, previously the producer for the Beatles, updated the film's score to the funky level of "Charlie's Angels" and the like. His arrangement of the "James Bond Theme" (track 13) is not too dated or particularly offensive, and gives excellent pace to the film. Much of the score, however, reverts to lounge music smut which is all too evident in the "Fillet of Soul" restaurant scene.

The Man With the Golden Gun

Date: 1974
Composer: John Barry
Label number: CDP 7 90619 2 DIDX 3465
Comments: With one of the worst Bond films of the series comes one of Barry's worst scores. There is little energy or enthusiasm in Barry's arrangements and subsequently, as with "Diamonds are Forever," he falls into a rut. Some of the soundtrack's better pieces include the Thailand canal chase and the "Fun house" hunt, which demonstrate fresh writing on Barry's part. The title song by Lulu is relatively impressive, with a brash style and some of the best lyrics of the series.

The Spy Who Loved Me

Date: 1977
Composer: Marvin Hamlisch
Label number: CDP-7-96211-2
Comments: After a 3-year hiatus, Bond returned in 1977 with a different director (Lewis Gilbert), a bigger budget and highly esteemed composer, Marvin Hamlisch. Hamlisch is to this day extremely respected as a musician and writer, having been nominated for Oscars 11 times (beating Barry by 4 nominations) and winning 3 (short of Barry by 2). He's written such great scores as "The Sting," "The Way We Were," "A Chorus Line" and "Ordinary People," and was no doubt chosen by the producers for his ability to write romantic themes (this film's title having "love" in it). His score has its good elements -- a wonderful title song, "Nobody Does It Better", by Carly Simon, and a beautiful guitar instrumental of the same piece, both of which won Oscar nominations (best original song and score). Many Bond aficionados, however, dislike his modernizations of the traditional Bond theme, notably "Bond 77" (guitar "wah-wahs" in full '70s style) and "Ride to Atlantis" (bubbly synthesizer sound).

Moonraker

Date: 1979
Composer: John Barry
Label number: CDP 7 90620 2
Comments: John Barry returns with "Moonraker," an impressive score to an unimpressive movie. The film also features Shirley Bassey for her third Bond outing with an inspired title song (which is reprised in disco style for the closing credits). Though much of the score is rather campy ("Bond arrives in Rio," track 7, is the worst offender), Barry delivers a stunning romance arrangement of the title song, up there with the romance themes to "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," "Octopussy" and "A View to a Kill." Barry's scoring seems a bit languid during the space scenes (much like the underwater scenes in Thunderball), again due to the slow pace of zero-gravity and not his fault.

For Your Eyes Only

Date: 1981
Composer: Bill Conti
Label number: MCA-CD 1109/4967-2
Availability: This CD was a limited edition release of the score to both For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy. Up till this release, FYEO had never been released on CD.
Comments: With the promotion of John Glen to director came a more serious style to For Your Eyes Only, which contrasted with the buoyant disco-style of Bill Conti's score. Conti had previously been nominated with his hit score to Rocky and would later earn an Oscar for The Right Stuff. And much like the score to Rocky, Conti made heavy use of trumpets and bass, giving the film a very dated feel. One such example was the music to the Alps ski chase, later made famous as the theme to Robin Leach's Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. His composition of the title song "For Your Eyes Only," however, was inspired and would later earn an Academy nomination. The song's romantic arrangement -- with deep strings and horns for the scenes between Bond and Melina in Greece -- is among the most touching scenes of the series.

Octopussy

Date: 1983
Composer: John Barry
Label number: MCA-CD 1109/4967-2 and A&M 394 967-2, reissued on Rykodisc 10705
Availability: The A&M release is nearly impossible to find because of a product recall and failure to re-release. The going rate for this version is up to $250. The MCA version is much easier to obtain.
Comments: John Barry returns in full force with the score to Octopussy, crafting perhaps one of the series' best soundtracks. Barry makes heavy use of the orchestral "James Bond Theme," a wonderful mix of light strings, brush percussion, and brass (and an excellent orchestral update of Norman's theme). Nearly all of the music in the film's many action, suspense and romance sequences is magnificent. For the first time he makes heavy use of tympanies for suspense scenes (loading the A-bomb onto the train), and arranges a beautiful love theme from the title song "All Time High," sung by Rita Coolidge (lyrics by Tim Rice).
Note on 1997 reissue: It contains 3 "bonus tracks" which are dialogue from the film (Moneypenny introducing Penelope Smallbone, Bond's introduction at the backgammon table and Q's explanation of the acid pen). It is an enhanced CD that contains the trailer for the movie as well...and for once, a Bond sountrack comes with liner notes. The fold-out contains: Notes on the film production, a brief history of the series, a brief history of John Barry's career and Bond association and a note explaining that the CD is a re-release. There are some nice photographs on the foldout, the theatrical poster, the original A&M album cover and the new cover which is taken off the MGM/UA video packaging.

Never Say Never Again

Date: 1983
Composer: Michael Legrand
Label number: Silva America SSD 1017
Comments: This is an excellent example of a well-produced soundtracks. Most, if not all, of the music used in the film as well as music not used in the film are on this CD. The score is not like any other Bond Film since this was not a UA/MGM film and therefore, they had no rights to use the James Bond Theme. This score has big band, disco, and orchestral elements in it. The title song was recorded by Lani Hall. Although not a typical Bond score, many people seem to hate it, but it tends to grow on you with time. [C.N.]

A View To A Kill

Date: 1985
Composer: John Barry
Label number: TOCP-6768, TOCP-8813
Availability: The CD is a Japanese import, just recently reissued, and not hideously expensive.
Comments:"A View to a Kill" features the only Bond title song (by Duran Duran) ever to make it to #1 on U.S. music charts. Included are a number of exciting action pieces by John Barry (who just returned from Oscar success with Out of Africa the previous year), using blaring trumpets, sharp tremolo strings and distortion guitar. Barry also uses "Octopussy's" new Bond theme, featured on track 3 ("May Day Jumps"). Most noteworthy, though, is the beautiful love theme -- again a variation of the title song. This theme, next to "On Her Majesty's Secret Service," is my favorite of the series -- an exquisite piece with fluglehorn and flute with low strings. Barry's score is easily the best element of the film.

The Living Daylights

Date: 1987
Composer: John Barry
Label number: Warner Bros. 9 25616-2
Availability: Re-released 1998 by Rykodisc
Comments: In a mild departure from his traditional style, John Barry updates Bond (now Timothy Dalton) with a different percussive style. Most of the action tracks feature electronic percussion, giving a remarkable pace and energy to the film. Examples worthy of mention are the fight between Bond and Necros in the Hercules cargo plane and the Aston Martin "Ice Chase." Though Barry did the orchestrations for the title song, "Living Daylights" by a-ha, he decides to use themes from The Pretenders ("Where Has Everybody Gone?" and "If I Had a Man") for his orchestral arrangements. The first piece is used for a number of action sequences, and the second for a nice romance theme, "Kara." Indeed, this blend of 2 bands, electronic percussion and John Barry's fantastic style make "Living Daylights" one of the best -- and most coveted -- soundtracks of the series.

Licence to Kill

Date: 1989
Composer: Michael Kamen
Label number: MCA MCAD-6307
Comments: Following a slew of action film successes, Michael Kamen was recruited to write the score to Licence to Kill. He had previously been behind the orchestrations from Pink Floyd's "The Wall," and had written such action film smash scores as Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, for which he received an Oscar nomination. His score is an interesting blend of traditional elements (such as the classic guitar introduction in the gun-barrel sequence) and a new approach with Latin guitar. Such guitar work is best heard in the beautiful piece "Pam" which leaves nothing to be desired. And some of his action pieces, such as one segment of "Licence Revoked" (track 10) is inspired writing on par with John Barry. Gladys Knight sings the high evocative title song, while Patti LaBelle sings the popular ending credits song "If You Asked Me To," which was redone by Celine Dion in 1992.

GoldenEye

Date: 1995
Composer: Eric Serra; orchestral arrangements by John Altman and Eric Serra
Label number: Virgin 8-41048; [single: Virgin Records V25F-38524; British 5-track: UK: CDR007 1001]
Comments: In an effort to update Bond for the '90s, the producers of GoldenEye decided to take a decidedly modern turn with the music, hiring Eric Serra to write a heavily electronic score -- one of the least liked of the series. Tina Turner performs the title song, written by U2's Bono and The Edge, in a style very reminiscent of Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger." The rest of the soundtrack is unengaging, rife with deep hums and synthetic percussion. Monty Norman's theme is mangled on track 10, though the piece was not used its respective scene (the St. Petersburg tank chase) and was replaced with an explosive orchestral piece -- the best from the movie -- written by arranger John Altman. Nevertheless, Serra's orchestral love theme (tracks 4 and 12) and The Severnaya Suite (track 6) redeem the score with a Barry-esque style, beautifully utilizing strings and flute.
Note on the single: The US CD single has 4 tracks, the original single and 3 re-mixes: A/C, Club and Urban, which samples from the Gap Band. The British version features a 5th track, [4th re-mix], the Urban A/C mix.

Tomorrow Never Dies

Date: 1997. A "composer's cut" was released in January 2000 with extra tracks.
Composer: David Arnold; orchestrations by Nicholas Dodd
Comments: A must for any Bond fan. Responding to audience backlash against Serra's highly synthesized score to GoldenEye, the Bond producers recruited David Arnold (Stargate, Last Of The Dogmen, Independence Day) for "Bond 18". What has resulted is easily one of the best Bond scores ever to be recorded. Barry's high-octane James Bond theme, notably absent from the 2 predecessors, is back in full brass force and perhaps even one-ups Barry's intense '60s big band style. "White Knight" (track 2) and "Company Car" (track 4) will thrill hard-core Bond fans with huge orchestral compositions. "Paris and Bond" (track 6) introduces an incredible romantic theme. Sheryl Crow's dissonant lounge-style title song is disappointing, though its Dick Tracy feel is interesting. k.d. lang's "Surrender" (track 14), however, is a spectacular orchestral piece (reprised throughout the soundtrack), drawing back to the days of Shirley Bassey. The lyrics were written by Don Black, who also wrote lyrics for "Thunderball", "Diamonds are Forever" and "The Man with the Golden Gun". And for those fans who always wanted the smooth electronic Bond theme from the GoldenEye trailer, Arnold does a beautiful arrangement at the end of "Backseat Driver" (track 13). For a more intense electronic Bond theme, techno-artist Moby finishes the soundtrack with a cool club mix.
Expanded edition:
In this age of director's cut films, we now have a hybrid: composer's cut soundtracks. The immensely popular David Arnold has released an expanded edition of Tomorrow Never Dies featuring 7 new tracks of unreleased material. A&M released the original soundtrack before Arnold had scored the final 1/3 of the film, essentially ending the soundtrack before the Thai helicopter chase. In this expanded edition you'll find that chase and music in a similar vein to the rest of the soundtrack. Especially noteworthy is the beautiful "Kowloon Bay" (track 15) and the amazing epic finale of "All In A Day's Work" (track 18). On track 19 is an 11-minute interview with Arnold, hosted by Variety's Jon Burlingame, discussing Arnold's experiences with the most successful franchise in film history.
See the Tomorrow Never Dies soundtrack page

The World is Not Enough

Date: 1999
Composer: David Arnold; orchestrations by Nicholas Dodd
Comments: With TWINE, John Barry loses his title as the only composer to have scored more than 1 Bond film (Arnold:2, Barry:11). Arnold again meshes the huge John Barry-esque string and trumpet orchestrals with electronic percussion from Les Arnold (who participated in Arnold's brilliant Shaken and Stirred project). Fans who enjoyed TND s "Propellerheads"-styled BMW sequence will love Arnold's inspired action pieces, especially the incredible "Come In 007, Your Time Is Up" (track 3) featuring the timeless guitar solo. Fellow Brit Shirley Manson ("Garbage") teamed up with Arnold for the title song, reminiscent of Sheryl Crow's blunder. Where k.d. lang's stab at epic Bond music triumphed, Manson's pop-attempt is only lukewarm, yet may grow on audiences. Don Black penned lyrics for the title song and track 19's "Only Myself to Blame," performed by 60's singer Scott Walker in an embarrassing Vegas cocktail lounge drawl not included in the movie. The non-vocal version is "Casino" (track 7), but a full orchestral arrangement is also included in "Elektra's Theme" (track 9), a stunningly beautiful rendition. Arnold neatly folds the exotic into this score: notably the Arabic qanan string zither in the smooth "Body Double" (track 10), and the lovely vocals in "Welcome to Baku" (track 6) by Natacha Atlas (who is featured in Shaken and Stirred).

Die Another Day

[Reviewed by Cedric Stalpers]
Date: 2002
Composer: David Arnold
Comments: Compared with earlier 007 scores, the title song is a shade too trendy, techno and contemporary for a Bond film. Although the opening strings of the song are Bondian, Madonna's electronically distorted voice nearly was a turn-off and lacked the colour, soul and wide cinematic impact of earlier themes, sounding "canned" and harsh instead wide and melodic. Although it did not distract from the images on the screen, it won't become an evergreen like "Licence to Kill" or "Live and Let Die" either.
The 2nd track is a very modern arrangement of the Bond theme by Oakenfold, based on David Arnold's earlier arrangement of the 40-year-old theme. The pace is good, it's not too techno and is better than Moby's earlier arrangement. Arnold's music can be heard from the 3rd track ("On the beach"), which opens with a heroic, strong and involving arrangement of the Bond theme. It is the best musical start for a Bond movie in a long time. and the catchiest 19 seconds of film music I have heard this year. David Arnold has succeeded in creating more different moods and melodies than in his earlier scores, and therefore this one is more interesting. Untill DAD, Arnold lagged a few steps behind John Barry in the more romantic department, but now he has nearly caught up with the maestro in that field, judging by his music for the scenes with Jinx. From the sunny salsa of "Welcome to Cuba", to the two-barrelled beats in "Hovercraft Chase", back to the calm charm of "Going down together," it is a pleasure to listen to.
The heights of Arnold's score coincides with the best parts of the movie (opening sequence, the scenes in Cadiz). The music loses its melody at the same point as when the plot spins on its axis and the special effects department takes over. The scratching sounds and electronic effects are more manifest than in The World Is Not Enough. When the movie loses its melody to technology, so does the score. On the whole, Arnold's music is not as involving and the musical palette is not as diverse as Joel McNeely's score for The Avengers or Terminal Velocity and it lacks the Oscar potential of Jerry Goldsmith's Basic Instinct, but David Arnold has definitely grown into his role. If he keeps the techno influences at bay next time, he might catch up with predecessor John Barry.
See the Die Another Day soundtrack page

Is the absence of music a bad thing? There are a number of notable instances in which the absence of musiccontributed to the success of certain Bond scenes. Following are a few(certainly not all) noteworthy examples: 001) From Russia With Love: Bond, who is on foot, is chased by a machine-gunning helicopter. Only the sound of the jarring guns and the roaring helicopter rotors can be heard. The scene is reminiscent of Hitchcock's North by Northwest, made 4 years earlier, and featuring the same sound-design strategy. 002) Goldfinger: The climactic fight between Bond and Oddjob inside FortKnox's gold depository is made all the more tense by an absence of music.Echoing footsteps and resounding punches give the scene all the noise it needs. 003) On Her Majesty's Secret Service: The overwhelming roar of Grand Prixracing engines replaces music in a scene where Bond evades Blofeld's men inSwitzerland. 004) The Spy Who Loved Me: While in Cairo, Bond meets Sandor whenattempting to find Fekkesh. They run up a flight of steps and fight on therooftop overlooking the city. Breathing and blows replace music very nicely,adding to both realism and the surprise factor of the struggle. 005) Moonraker: In one of the film's better choreographed fights, Bondbattles Chang in a Venice museum. Instead of music, sounds of shatteringglass and clashing weapons form a beautiful symphony of sound effects. 006) Octopussy: The film's climactic aerial ending features Bond hanging onto a flying Beechcraft 18 biplane for dear life. The thundering of engines and howl of wind make the scene particularly effective, apt substitutes for music. 007) GoldenEye: While in St. Petersburg, Bond is confronted by Xenia Onatopp in a hotel sauna. The two battle amid Xenia's shrieks of ecstasy, Bond's anguished groans and the sounds of hand-to-hand (or more appropriately body-to-body) combat. The lack of music adds considerably to the scene's tension and excitement.