Our Top 10 James Bond Songs

Over the decades, some of the biggest artists in the world have lent their voices to the 007 series, crafting unforgettable tunes that have become just as legendary as the films themselves.

Our music team recently worked with our lovely client, Olebar Brown, to provide them with the perfect soundtrack for their 007 collection. It got us thinking - what are our top 10 (and 1 bonus) Bond songs?

‍

"Goldfinger" – Shirley Bassey (Goldfinger, 1964).

‍The quintessential Bond song, with dramatic horns and Bassey’s powerhouse vocals.

This song was produced by George Martin, who was dubbed the 5th member of the Beatles because of his involvement with their original albums. Goldfinger was Bassey’s only top 10 US hit, but it formed the long-standing relationship between Bond and Abbey Road.

‍

‍"Live and Let Die" – Paul McCartney & Wings (Live and Let Die, 1973).

‍A rock-orchestral masterpiece that perfectly fits Bond’s action-packed style.

The contrast between the classic 70s love song sections and the beefier, energetic rock-orchestral sections make this theme particularly important. These musical contrasts highlight the dichotomy of the Bond character - rugged and brutal/romantic and passionate.

‍

"Nobody Does It Better" – Carly Simon (The Spy Who Loved Me, 1977).

‍A heartfelt and smooth ballad, one of the most iconic Bond love themes.

We think this one is possibly the most interesting theme on the list - it’s a proper 70s love ballad. Some of the sweeping string moments hint towards classic ‘Bond’ themes, but are subtle and never fully materialise - just beautiful harmonic progressions, full orchestration, and a velvety melody.

‍

"Skyfall" – Adele (Skyfall, 2012).‍

A return to classic Bond grandeur, with Adele’s haunting vocals and a sweeping orchestral arrangement.

Skyfall is one of the most iconic modern Bond themes. It’s classic Bond in every respect from the harmonic ideas, the orchestration, and a darker tone that is particularly associated with the Daniel Craig films.

It feels like a nice accompaniment to the ‘vintage’ touches in the film, such as the Aston Martin DB5 that comes out towards the end. We even get the classic ‘Bond’ chord at the end of the song (minor major 9 (mMaj9)).

‍

"A View to a Kill" – Duran Duran (A View to a Kill, 1985).‍

The only Bond theme to hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts, full of ‘80s synth and rock energy.

Duran Duran’s track has a very different textural world to other Bond themes; harsh, synthetic, aggressive, which while isn’t the traditional Bond sound, does work well.  It does definitely feel of an era though, like a time window into the Bond world of the 80s.

‍

"You Know My Name" – Chris Cornell (Casino Royale, 2006).

‍A powerful, gritty rock anthem that redefined Bond for the Daniel Craig era.

Daniel Craig’s most iconic film was coupled with an equally iconic theme that encapsulates that undiluted 00s feel. The Hard Rock textures in this song communicate absolute ruggedness and masculinity, which is definitely a dominant theme in the film.

‍

"Diamonds Are Forever" – Shirley Bassey (Diamonds Are Forever, 1971).‍

Another Bassey classic, dripping in elegance and mystery.

The harps and spacious reverb in this track create a mystique, while the horns root the track as a classic Bond theme - it’s a great theme, with musical ideas pointing towards romance, duty, violence - all at the heart of the Bond character.

Whilst the Paul McCartney & Wings theme communicated this dichotomy of character through the stark sections, this Bassey theme does the same thing in potentially a more blended and seamless way.

‍

"GoldenEye" – Tina Turner (GoldenEye, 1995).

‍Penned by Bono & The Edge, Turner’s sultry performance gives this song a timeless, seductive feel.

This is one of the more suspenseful themes on the list created by the low level drum beat and juxtaposing horn stabs.

There’s lots of dissonance, which helps to build a feeling of suspense. We also get the famous oscillating chromatic melody ‘Bond theme’ in the middle - a nice touch.

‍

"Thunderball" – Tom Jones (Thunderball, 1965).‍

A bombastic, over-the-top vocal performance that perfectly matches the film’s espionage drama.

Everything from the extravagant orchestration, powerful vocal projection, and broad approach to including all the musical tropes of a Bond theme make this theme a classic, by virtue of it being so recognisably Bond.

‍

"We Have All the Time in the World" – Louis Armstrong (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969).‍

Technically not the main theme, but a touching ballad with deep emotional resonance in the Bond saga.

Besides perhaps Goldfinger, this is potentially the most iconic of the lot.

It’s an emotional and romantic love song that suits the Bond character so well. The famous violin theme in the verses ensures there is just an edge of espionage/darkness rather than it feeling too sweet. We hear this violin theme in the track Matera (at 37 seconds) by Hans Zimmer from the No Time to Die (2021) score which is an interesting musical reference.

The original Louis Armstrong recording was actually also used at the end of the most recent No Time to Die film, which makes it feel all the more deeply connected to the Bond franchise.

‍

Our bonus: “Spectre” - Radiohead (Spectre, 2015).

We had to include this on the list as a bonus. The verses have an introspective feel, while the instrumental chorus with its wide, powerful, strin- section glissandi is extremely anthemic. 

It has all the makings of a perfect bond theme in terms of tone and musical ideas. The rhythmic choices are typical Radiohead, but producers chose Sam Smith’s theme for the final theme.