tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post3139626810347256883..comments2024-03-26T05:01:57.793-07:00Comments on DREAMS ARE WHAT LE CINEMA IS FOR...: SHOOT 'EM UP BANG BANG: 15 TOP FAVORITE JAMES BOND THEME SONGSKen Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-31179817179261349732023-08-03T06:27:50.748-07:002023-08-03T06:27:50.748-07:00Yes! I'm certain it would have been better th...Yes! I'm certain it would have been better than what Will Smith and Kevin Kline delivered.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-59265275981740717232023-07-31T16:36:53.275-07:002023-07-31T16:36:53.275-07:00The unused Johnny Cash "Thunderball" the...The unused Johnny Cash "Thunderball" theme makes me imagine a parallel universe where Robert Conrad and Ross Martin made the jump to the big screen with a Wild Wild West movie.Nequamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10829037166873574240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-82840386279001566022020-12-21T19:28:38.842-08:002020-12-21T19:28:38.842-08:00Another man saved by Pussy Galore! That's a gr...Another man saved by Pussy Galore! That's a great story, and indeed, that it would have been criminal not to have given you a role after that.<br />GOLDFINGER definitely tops the chart as THE Bond anthem to end Bond anthems. Of late (thinking of the latest for the as-yet-released COVID-era Bond, it's hard to think who or what they're aiming for with the songs today.<br />And I'm with you when t comes to Denise Richards' value as a Bong Girl.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-80719132524153231152020-12-20T19:05:49.078-08:002020-12-20T19:05:49.078-08:00In the early 90's I tried out for a musical at...In the early 90's I tried out for a musical at a local community theatre. The director was an Englishwoman who had been living and working in the states for a few years. She was introduced as a veteran who spent years at the Old Vic and choreographed a number of important British stars including Honor Blackman. Dead pause. "Doesn't anyone here know who Honor Blackman is?" I yelled out "She was Pussy Galore!" I got one of the leads. For that and many other reasons, GOLDFINGER remains my favorite Bond movie and theme song, everything else is kind of a pale copy. I think the only reason to watch Bond movies is if you enjoy watching people fall out of airplanes without parachutes and to find out who the Bond girl is. Ursula Andress, Diana Rigg, Carole Bouquet, Sophie Marceau, Eva Green...there have been some incredible ones. Everybody except Denise Richards.Kipnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-89873277217202779932020-09-15T09:50:06.542-07:002020-09-15T09:50:06.542-07:00I hadn't realized I'd never seen the Shery...I hadn't realized I'd never seen the Sheryl Crow music video. And yes, that elongating thing is kind of funny to look at now.<br />I think you're essentially right about Crow even though giving her props for even hitting those high notes. Her voice IS a bit on the thin side for this kind of material. I felt like every time she got to that big note it was a finger-crossing moment on my part. In the end I like the song enough, like you, to wish it were sung by someone else. Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-30383949636546985352020-09-13T18:29:07.883-07:002020-09-13T18:29:07.883-07:00Well, I have to shut my mouth. I just found a clip...Well, I have to shut my mouth. I just found a clip on YouTube of Ms Crow singing it live in 2005 and nailing the main high note every single time. Impressive. I still wish it was someone else singing it though!petlodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271851273533301436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-9035643810477187932020-09-13T18:19:56.079-07:002020-09-13T18:19:56.079-07:00The lang switch is made all the more annoying, for...The lang switch is made all the more annoying, for as much as I like Tomorrow Never Dies as a song I feel Sheryl Crow was a poor choice of vocalist. With her reed-thin voice, I feel like she is straining to hit those high notes. To top it off the video with her made extra-slender by stretching the visuals (shades of Miss Abdul's "Promise Of A New Day", anyone?) while supposedly standing on giant puffy lips is unintentionally hilarious.<br /><br />I don't really love "License To Kill" that much-it's pretty dull outside of the backing vocals. Gladys is in pretty fabulous form though.<br /><br />Glad to hear I'm not missing anything with Miss Eilish. The teens can have her. Zzzzzzz.<br /><br />As much as I don't like Mr White and Ms Keys, I'm so pleased I could give you another excuse to get some goosebumps! petlodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271851273533301436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-43337871138697356342020-09-11T05:02:24.477-07:002020-09-11T05:02:24.477-07:00Hello, Pete
Pleased to hear you enjoy the Bond fil...Hello, Pete<br />Pleased to hear you enjoy the Bond film themes, as well. That k.d. lang song really IS splendid, isn't it? The exploration into alternate songs, commissioned songs, and discarded songs for Bond films is an eye-opening glimpse into how much talent and effort often goes into creating things that ultimately stay locked up in corporate vaults until they appear as DVD extras or filler for special CD releases.<br />Of course, I love all your choices of Bond favorites, your keen dislike of Jack White giving me a bit of a smile because almost no one likes this Bond song, yet in re-listening to it before responding here, the song gave me goosebumps at one point! It's so fab!<br /><br />And we get another vote for Gladys Knight's "License to Kill"! I really love her vocal performance on that record. If anything stands in the way it being a favorite is I find it sort of a boring song, but those whispered "to kill" parts are persuasive. <br />And I guess I'm too old for Billie Eilish, too. I gave that song a couple of listens and I still find her voice (and the song) annoying as hell.<br />Thank you so much for adding to this Bond music favorites list! As always, 'twas a pleasure.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-46347147886546563362020-09-11T04:12:37.183-07:002020-09-11T04:12:37.183-07:00Such terrific choices and amusing reasons!Such terrific choices and amusing reasons!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-1814609818824731312020-09-10T00:20:06.762-07:002020-09-10T00:20:06.762-07:00Hi Ken-
As a bigger fan of the Bond themes than th...Hi Ken-<br />As a bigger fan of the Bond themes than the films they represent, I very much appreciate this post...especially since I learned about the unused or put aside songs. <br /><br />The k.d. lang song is amazing! Shame on the producers for relegating that to the end credits...it's just as good as the Garbage theme that followed. (Shout out for mentioning that video clip as well, I'd missed that gem back in the day as well. Brilliant.)<br /><br />My personal favorites are You Only Live Twice (I'm a big John Barry fan and find it one of his lovelier creations; Ms. Sinatra is a plus) and Nobody Does It Better (that opening piano chord! Ms. Simon's also a plus). I played the crap out of A View to a Kill and Live And Let Die on 45 singles back when I little. Of the latter Bond themes I probably like Garbage's the best, but that's now been replaced by Ms. lang.<br /><br />I really dislike Jack White, so he sadly negates just how fab Ms. Keys is. I can't listen to that one. Why wasn't she offered a solo Bond song?<br /><br />And lastly, a special shout out to Ms. Knight's License To Kill, if only for my favorite aspect: the whispered "...to KILL" backing vocals. Those always make me chuckle.<br /><br />Have you listened to No Time To Die? I haven't, I'm too old for Billie Eilish. I find her dull.<br />Petepetlodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271851273533301436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-14184404398402853382020-04-24T01:00:37.022-07:002020-04-24T01:00:37.022-07:00my favorite bond song is gladys knight's licen...my favorite bond song is gladys knight's license to kill. god that performance is gladys at her best. her voice was made for the over the top production of a bond theme song.<br /><br />my second favorite bond song is tom jones' thunderball. i can't help but think tom is singing about himself.<br /><br />and lulu does a wonderful job with the golden gun that takes it far above bubble gum for me. *he has a powerful weapon. he charges a million a shot...one golden shot means another poor victim has come to a glittering end.* if die i must, may i come to a glittering end.petercox97https://www.blogger.com/profile/05818754297522029991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-40765072588875861922018-02-09T17:29:48.909-08:002018-02-09T17:29:48.909-08:00P.S. to S.M.
Glad you enjoy the humorous vocal ver...P.S. to S.M.<br />Glad you enjoy the humorous vocal version of the 1967 CASINO ROYALE theme, too!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-44800623814198588852018-02-09T17:28:37.277-08:002018-02-09T17:28:37.277-08:00Hi S.M.,
YES! I love those two themes you linked, ...Hi S.M.,<br />YES! I love those two themes you linked, especially the Bassey vocal. When I was researching this post, YouTube and its suggested links thing proved a marvelous resource for unearthing rejected James Bond theme songs. It proved so eye-opening, as almost all the rejected songs are pretty marvelous in their own right, just not what the producers wanted. I found a lot of new music thanks to this post, You've provided me with two more. Thanks!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-15678582374008851032018-02-06T18:33:15.407-08:002018-02-06T18:33:15.407-08:00Sorry I'm just now getting to this but first o...Sorry I'm just now getting to this but first of all thanks for posting that Mike Redway version of Casino Royale I never knew that version existed and it's better than the one just in the film. I've always liked it and thought it was a pretty funny. Glad to see that I'm not alone. But if I had to pick two favorite Bond theme songs I have a few but I want to mention two that weren't used as main themes. First is kd lang's Surrender which is heard on the end credits of Tomorrow Never Comes. It's a scorcher and lang belts out of the park like Shirley Bassey at her peak. Originally it was supposed to the the opening credit song but the producers rejected it for Crow's totally forgettable song. And speaking of Bassey has anyone heard her song for Quantum of Solace No Good About Goodbye which was rejected for the forgettable Keys/White song. Granted she doesn't have the voice she had fifty years ago but she brings such feeling to the song and it plays like John Barry at his peak. Listen to both of them and tell me if I'm wrong <br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D94UwdRuPyY <br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z8OKU48xMwS.M.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11331755560372072733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-57065911326705385362016-08-28T22:25:17.795-07:002016-08-28T22:25:17.795-07:00Ha!! OK...I think we have a winner! That's a ...Ha!! OK...I think we have a winner! That's a hilariously vivid criticism. I'm going to have to check out the entire review if that's a taste of it. I'm glad you clocked in with the ultimate assessment of a song I'm still waiting to hear is someone's favorite. Thanks!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-82108253477455396362016-08-27T08:48:28.799-07:002016-08-27T08:48:28.799-07:00Hi Ken, I've just been prompted by a friend to...Hi Ken, I've just been prompted by a friend to look back on some Bond reviews I did and I just had to share something I wrote about Die Another Day at the time with you...<br /><br />Die Another Day, as a theme tune, is something that is marginally better than listening to Oddjob fart into a wet football sock for three whole minutes.Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14569732807130090838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-82680612890865618172016-08-01T15:12:51.254-07:002016-08-01T15:12:51.254-07:00Hi Wille
So much better late than never, where you...Hi Wille<br />So much better late than never, where you're concerned!Especially if you gave a listen to many of the songs you didn't know. <br />Yes, as much as I tend to be stuck in the 70s and 60s, pop culture wise, I do find those contemporary Bond songs I like to be so engaging! The explanation, perhaps, is to be found intheir theatricality. All the songs I like are overwrought to an almost cinematic degree (like musical versions of Douglas Sirk movies), so they kind of fit my "style" without really fitting my style.<br />You picked many terrific ones, and I like that Nancy Sinatra's "You Only Live Twice" has shown up so often in these comments. I think your choice of songs is consistant with what I would have guessed. I especially like that you are a fan of Blondie's "The Hunter" album. Me too!<br />And alas, Madonna makes the top of the bottom again.<br />Of, course, your comments made me laugh!<br />Thank you your adding you favorites to this fun list, Wille. It feels complete!<br />Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-83278433413272831692016-08-01T05:34:15.950-07:002016-08-01T05:34:15.950-07:00Dear Ken, my comments to your post about Bond them...Dear Ken, my comments to your post about Bond themes is quite late. The idea for of listing your favourites is brilliant and it took some time to listen through the songs and think of the ones I enjoy the most. I love all the Bond movies up until “A View to a Kill” (Grace is the only good element in it!). The ones that followed never held my interest and I’ve hardly seen any of the ones that came after the lapse in the early 90s, all though I agree that Daniel Craig is quite dreamy! The songs from these later Bonds are quite dreary in my opinion and this time I have to disagree with you about which ones are the best!<br /><br />Shall I just say that our opinions diverge when it comes to some of your later choices. I find the themes for “Golden Eye”, “The World is not Enough”, “Casino Royale” (2006), “Tomorrow Never Dies” are quite tedious. On the other hand, I too love “Casino Royale” (1967), “Goldfinger”, “The Man with the Golden Gun” (even though many don’t and I don’t know why), “Diamonds are Forever”, “Live and Let Die” and “Moonraker”. I guess my heart is stuck in the 60’s and 70’s!<br /><br /> “The Spy Who Loved Me” by Carly Simon and “You Only Live Twice” by Nancy Sinatra are my favourites. These two give me goose bumps! Rita Coolidge’s “All Time High” and Lani Hall’s “Never Say Never Again” are not good songs but I keep returning to them. They´re odd and certainly no classics but strangely I like them…<br /><br />It was great to hear the more unknown songs that you listed. The K.D. Lang song is better than Sheryl Crow’s (who doesn’t have the voice for a Bond song). Ann-Margret’s song is fantastic!!! Wow! Chrissie Hynde’s is very good and underrated and classy. Thanks for mentioning those!<br /><br />I LOVE the Blondie song. It chilled me when I bought “the Hunter” album in 1982. It’s so moving and dreamlike. I played it all the time then. Maybe it was deemed too down beat for the Bond film producers. It should have been the one they used! Sheena’s song is good but it got played to death on radio, like you said.<br /><br />Add me to the list of those who think Madonna’s “Die another Day” is the very worst movie song ever. Just tuneless and terrible. What was she thinking? Was she trying to be “controversial” or could she just not think of as melody for her song?<br />-Wille<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-5116070775757103102016-07-09T13:24:22.673-07:002016-07-09T13:24:22.673-07:00Hi Chris
Glad you liked the post!And thanks for co...Hi Chris<br />Glad you liked the post!And thanks for contributing your fave picks. I'm enamored of almost all the Bond title sequences even when I'm not crazy about the songs themselves. <br />of course, I'm happy to hear you like Bassey, as well. I've only seen her once (back in the 80s at the Greek Theater), but I remember being blown away by the power of her voice heard live. Wow! <br />So cool learning what Bond songs still endure with people! Thanks so mcuh, ChrisKen Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-32678403557106338712016-07-09T05:24:18.906-07:002016-07-09T05:24:18.906-07:00Loved this post, Ken. My three faves are, in order...Loved this post, Ken. My three faves are, in order: "Nobody Does It Better" (the FIRST Bond movie I ever saw, and I was mesmerized by the credits with the nude female silhouettes...I still see it in my mind's eye and it remains a most-frequently-played song on my iPhone playlists)..."Goldfinger" (saw Shirley Bassey in concert in South Beach in 1997 and she was UNforgettably amazing...)...and McCartney's "Live and Let Die" (despite the weird ungrammatical lyric "in this world in which we live in") which is unlike any of the other songs. Many of the others sound a lot like each other!<br />So much fun, Ken, you spice up our lives with your amazing ways!!<br />-Chris angelman66https://www.blogger.com/profile/16471674180789592940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-46929275004718437832016-07-08T03:21:05.908-07:002016-07-08T03:21:05.908-07:00Chalk up another vote for "A View To A Kill&q...Chalk up another vote for "A View To A Kill"!<br />And I know what you mean about the movie being weak. It's funny, I know Tanya Roberts was in it, but I can't remember her very well. Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-78158731138729250942016-07-07T20:21:43.597-07:002016-07-07T20:21:43.597-07:00Hi Chick in the Middle
Gratified to hear from anot...Hi Chick in the Middle<br />Gratified to hear from another Pretenders fan! Chrissie Hynde just has one of those voices that makes any song work (I feel similarly about k.d. lang). The first time I heard "Where Has Everybody Gone?" was when I was looking up Bond songs on YouTube for this piece. I loved it on first listen.<br />Thank you for adding to the list!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-84642284832713116752016-07-07T15:59:48.099-07:002016-07-07T15:59:48.099-07:00At last, "If There Was a Man" is on one ...At last, "If There Was a Man" is on one of these lists! Though I should give special mention to "Where Has Everybody Gone?", also by the Pretenders :)Chynna Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01857709217067584091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-40615175178293204942016-07-07T14:09:03.639-07:002016-07-07T14:09:03.639-07:00Hi Quiggy
Both are your choices are chalking up to...Hi Quiggy<br />Both are your choices are chalking up to be lead contenders in the favorites listed in the comments section. You of course get double points for liking Lulu's contribution!<br />And I'm with you regarding Steve Smith's song. I saw the film on DVD and had to hit "mute" during the credits.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-26456092420056656822016-07-07T05:46:07.995-07:002016-07-07T05:46:07.995-07:00I am a big fan of Bond, myself. I have only one B...I am a big fan of Bond, myself. I have only one Bond entry on my blog, though. A View to a Kill, along with Live and Let Die would rank as my favorite songs, but I also liked Lulu's intro song on The Man with the Golden Gun. (anything but that wimpy Steve Smith one from Spectre).Quiggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com