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October 31, 2020 8:44 pm  #1


James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

The death of Sean Connery at age 90 got me to thinking of just how many hits the James Bond franchise has generated since it began in earnest in the 60s. Here's just a few:
 
Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey
Live & Let Die – Paul McCartney & Wings
Nobody Does It Better – Carly Simon
You Only Live Twice – Nancy Sinatra
A View To A Kill – Duran Duran
Skyfall –Adele
 
And that’s just a partial list. I always found it interesting how much a part of those films the intro music became. Getting to sing a James Bond film tune became something of a special honor, almost like making it to the Super Bowl. You weren’t always guaranteed a big hit, but it sure didn’t hurt to have that exposure.
 
Every James Bond theme ever and where they charted 
(from Officialcharts.com

YEAR  TITLE                                 ARTIST                                          CHART PEAK    WEEKS IN TOP 100

1963    From Russia With Love                  Matt Monro                                20                      13

1963   James Bond Theme                        John Barry Orchestra                13                       11

1964   Goldfinger                                       Shirley Bassey                           21                         9

1965 Thunderball                                      Tom Jones                                  35                         4

1967 You Only Live Twice                         Nancy Sinatra                             11                        19

1969 We Have All The Time in the World  Louis Armstrong                          3 (in 1994)         19

1971 Diamonds are Forever                      Shirley Bassey                           38                         6

1973 Live and Let Die                                Paul McCartney & Wings             9                       14

1975 The Man With The Golden Gun        Lulu                                             n/a                       0

1977 Nobody Does It Better                      Carly Simon                                   7                      12

1979 Moonraker                                         Shirley Bassey                            n/a                       0

1981 For Your Eyes Only                           Sheena Easton                               8                     13

1983 All Time High                                     Rita Coolidge                                75                       5

1985 A View To A Kill                                 Duran Duran                                   2                      16

1987 The Living Daylights                          A-ha                                                5                        9

1989 License To Kill                                   Gladys Knight                                  6                      11

1995 Golden Eye                                       Tina Turner                                     10                       9

1997 Tomorrow Never Dies                        Sheryl Crow                                   12                       9

1999 The World Is Not Enough                 Garbage                                          11                      10

2002 Die Another Day                               Madonna                                           3                      17

2006 You Know My Name                         Chris Cornell                                     7                      19

2008 Another Way To Die                          Alicia Keys & Jack White                  9                      14

2012 Skyfall                                               Adele                                                 2                      32

2015 Writing's On The Wall                       Sam Smith                                       11                        7

2020 No Time To Die                                 Billie Eilish                                         1                     TBC

 

November 1, 2020 7:02 am  #2


Re: James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

I always liked the end of the video for Duran Duran's 'A View To A Kill', when a sultry brunette asks the band's lead singer "Aren't you...?", and he responds "Bon, Simon Le Bon". Pretty clever, I think.

Last edited by Roman (November 1, 2020 7:02 am)

 

November 1, 2020 7:54 am  #3


Re: James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

Roman wrote:

I always liked the end of the video for Duran Duran's 'A View To A Kill', when a sultry brunette asks the band's lead singer "Aren't you...?", and he responds "Bon, Simon Le Bon". Pretty clever, I think.

Yes! Yes!  Great ending!

 

November 1, 2020 7:55 am  #4


Re: James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

I think out of all mentioned I have to pick "Live and Let Die" as my favorite. 

"Nobody Does It Better" would be #2.

 

November 1, 2020 9:06 am  #5


Re: James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

It's me Karen wrote:

I think out of all mentioned I have to pick "Live and Let Die" as my favorite. 

"Nobody Does It Better" would be #2.

Yeah, I would agree. Those are the best of all of them to me. In fact, I liked the theme songs better than the movies!

     Thread Starter
 

November 4, 2020 2:29 am  #6


Re: James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

For fear of being admonished because I know Nancy Sinatra is not high on many people's list of the Top artists of all time, I really like "You Only Live Twice."

 

November 4, 2020 6:13 am  #7


Re: James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

Little Rich wrote:

For fear of being admonished because I know Nancy Sinatra is not high on many people's list of the Top artists of all time, I really like "You Only Live Twice."

Seriously, that would have been my third choice.

 

November 4, 2020 11:51 am  #8


Re: James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

Little Rich wrote:

For fear of being admonished because I know Nancy Sinatra is not high on many people's list of the Top artists of all time, I really like "You Only Live Twice."

I went to diner with a co-worker and his wife.  For some reason, Nancy Sinatra’s name came up.  He said he had only ever heard two songs by her, These Boots Are Made For Walkin' and, as he put it, that one she did with her dad (Something Stupid).  I told him that wasn’t true and he went off for several minutes claiming I was wrong and I always did this stuff, ending his rant with “Just how in the hell would you know what I’ve heard and what I haven’t”.  I reminded him he was a James Bond fan and she did the theme to You Only Live Twice.  He replied he hated it when I was right.
 
I’d bet that he had also heard Some Velvet Morning, Jackson, How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?, and Sugar Town, but I decided not to push it.
 

 

November 5, 2020 6:06 am  #9


Re: James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

Taz wrote:

Little Rich wrote:

For fear of being admonished because I know Nancy Sinatra is not high on many people's list of the Top artists of all time, I really like "You Only Live Twice."

I went to diner with a co-worker and his wife.  For some reason, Nancy Sinatra’s name came up.  He said he had only ever heard two songs by her, These Boots Are Made For Walkin' and, as he put it, that one she did with her dad (Something Stupid).  I told him that wasn’t true and he went off for several minutes claiming I was wrong and I always did this stuff, ending his rant with “Just how in the hell would you know what I’ve heard and what I haven’t”.  I reminded him he was a James Bond fan and she did the theme to You Only Live Twice.  He replied he hated it when I was right.
 
I’d bet that he had also heard Some Velvet Morning, Jackson, How Does That Grab You, Darlin'?, and Sugar Town, but I decided not to push it.
 

I loved the heck out of "Sugar Town" and "Something Stupid".

 

November 5, 2020 12:19 pm  #10


Re: James Bond Themes That Became Huge Hits

Since Nancy Sinatra entered this discussion, I'll mention my favorite that she did.  It only reached #49 in Billboard since it was the flip side of "Sugartown".  It has managed to attract over 10 million views on YouTube, it's her duet with Lee Hazelwood, "Summer Wine".  It was a "must listen" whenever it showed up in my car radio back in '67.

 

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