Best Bond Theme Song

[YmoBeThere]

Should there be a thread for the best James Bond theme song? I do think Adele's Skyfall effort was pretty good. But does it top Shirley Bassey's efforts?

[BattierD12]

Should there be a thread for the best James Bond theme song? I do think Adele's Skyfall effort was pretty good. But does it top Shirley Bassey's efforts?

My top 5 songs:

1. Live and Let Die - I can't explain why, but this is my favorite
2. Goldfinger - probably the quintessential Bond song, the one that began the trend (From Russia With Love only had the song during the end credits)
3. A View to a Kill - the movie left a lot to be desired, but Duran Duran hit this one out of the park
4. Skyfall - harkens back to the classic Bond song feel
5. You Only Live Twice - there's just something really soothing about this

If you include the orchestral intros, the opening for On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one of John Barry's best works. The use of it throughout the score was done perfectly.
Honorable mention: Thunderball, You Know My Name (Casino Royale), GoldenEye, The World is Not Enough

[Reisen]

I like Adele, and was psyched when I found out she was doing the theme for Skyfall, but it's not even top 10. Not a disaster, but nowhere as good as I was hoping for.

[throatybeard]

1. Live and Let Die - I can't explain why, but this is my favorite

Likewise. It's magnificently hilarious.

[Reisen]

My top 10, in random order:

- Generic Bond Theme Song
- The Living Daylights
- View to a Kill
- Live and Let Die
- Goldfinger
- Thunderball
- Nobody Does it Better (The Spy Who Loved Me)
- For Your Eyes Only
- Die Another Day
- You Know My Name (Casino Royale)

[Tommac]

For me my favorite is Live And Let Die distantly followed by For Your Eyes Only.

[Lord Ash]

Goldfinger.

/thread

[lotusland]

"The Spy Who Loved Me" for me and it's not even close. It was even better when used as the background for Walter Payton highlights on NFL Today in 70's and 80's

[davekay1971]

"The Spy who Loved Me." I find it to be the best song just to listen to of all the bond themes.

"Goldfinger", however, is the most classic Bond theme song, imho. Not only is it paired to the best Bond film, it seems to encapsulate what makes for a Bond movie theme song: just kind of weird and cheezy and a little melodramatic.

The most striking thing about the title songs for the Bond movies is how consistently crappy they are. Artists like Adele and Paul McCartney turn in work that, while not awful, just isn't up to their level. Crap purveyors like Madonna and Duran Duran turn in garbage, rather than their usual mediocre fare.

The instrumental Bond theme is classic and awesome, although I'd love to see a talented musician do a modernization, like U2 did with the Mission Impossible theme song for the first movie. Not that the Bond theme needs a modernization, but it would be cool to see what someone with talent could do with it.

[DevilWearsPrada]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqdqAAzjgDE

Live and Let Die !!!!!!! It's the Best Bond theme! So Powerful!