The news that Sam Smith will perform the theme to the new Bond film, Spectre, got us thinking. What are the best and worst Bond themes, and will the classics ever be topped?
Here we’ve ranked all the themes from the 22 “official” Bond films made by Eon Productions. We’ve tried to stick with just the opening themes, so you won’t find Louis Armstrong’s We Have All The Time In The World on the list (from the end credits to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service).
We’ve also missed out the original Bond score from Dr No, because it’s gone beyond being a mere “Bond theme” to actually being Bond itself.
Our ranking took in the views of a number of 007 fans – and some people who weren’t even that keen on the MI6 agent. Three criteria were voted on per song: the quality of the standalone song, its longevity in popular culture, and it’s “Bond-ness”.
For that last criteria we were really looking for tunes that conjured up images of fast cars, white Persian cats, tuxedos under wetsuits, and the occasional piranha tank.
Here’s the list, from bottom to top.
22. All Time High, 1983
Rita Coolidge
Sorry Rita, this is now officially an all time low.
21. For Your Eyes Only, 1981
Sheena Easton
We wish it had been for his ears only as well.
20. Moonraker, 1979
Shirley Bassey
A sad – but thankfully forgotten – end to Shirl’s Bond theme singing career.
19. Die Another Day, 2002
Madonna
Penned at the height of Madonna’s “gratingly discordant electro nonsense” phase, there’s really no reason for Die Another Day to live on.
18. The Living Daylights, 1987
A-ha
As stand alone synth extravaganzas, people have a fondness for the 80s Bond tunes. Although in this ranking they’ll always get marked down for being more “80s” than “Bond”.
17. From Russia With Love, 1963
Matt Monro
Although from the classic Connery era of Bond tunes, Monro’s offering established the long held tradition of people wanting more than a soppy ballad for a Bond tune.
16. Another Way To Die, 2008
Jack White & Alicia Keys
Hitching itself to the indie/R&B vibes of the late Noughties, Another Way To Die will probably be as unfairly forgotten as the film it was from – Quantum of Solace – will be unfairly remembered. Everyone needs to forget Quantum of Solace.
15. The Man With The Golden Gun, 1974
Lulu
This is probably the most rollicking song ever written for a Bond film. Unfortunately you need a little bit more than rollicking.
14. View To A Kill, 1985
Duran Duran
Surely the quintessential 80s Bond theme. Duran Duran may not have finished very high up the list, but they were really just competing against A-ha anyway.
13. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, 1969
John Barry Orchestra
No words?! The fact that didn’t stop OHMSS finishing middle of the pack is testament to what a cracking orchestral piece it truly is.
12. You Know My Name, 2006
Chris Cornell
Ushering in the Daniel Craig era with this full-bloodied, slightly-tortured theme, Cornell set the pace for a very different type of Bond.
11. Tomorrow Never Dies, 1997
Sheryl Crow
We should be eternally thankful that Bond themes in the poptastic 90s were never given to the likes of the Spice Girls, Take That, or (imagine it) Aqua. Sheryl Crow did a solid job here.
10. You Only Live Twice, 1967
Nancy Sinatra
The high-profile samples of this song throughout the decades (Millennium by Robbie Williams, anyone?) have given this rather gentle Bond theme longevity.
9. The World Is Not Enough, 1999
Garbage
Garbage were never an obvious choice to do a Bond theme, but they actually turned out one of the most “Bond-y” tunes in recent years. And with a title as bombastic as “The World Is Not Enough”, they kind of needed to.
8. Licence To Kill, 1989
Gladys Knight
All together now! “I’VE GOT A LICENCE TO KILL, ANYONE WHO TRIES TO TEAR US APAAARRRTT!”
7. Thunderball, 1965
Tom Jones
Proof that all you need to do is repeat the film title in a booming soul-singer voice and Bond fans will lap it up.
6. Nobody Does It Better, 1977
Carly Simon
The exception that breaks all the rules. Nobody Does It Better couldn’t be less like a Bond theme if it tried – but it’s just a damn good song, which is why it’s in at number six.
5. Live And Let Die, 1973
Paul McCartney & Wings
As lots of people’s favourite Bond theme (and a few people’s favourite Paul McCartney song ever), fifth possibly seems a little low for Live And Let Die. But the remaining four tunes are just that little bit more “Bond”.
4. Goldeneye, 1995
Tina Turner
After almost two decades in the Bond theme wilderness (with the dire late-70s themes and synth-tastic 80s offerings), Tina brought powerful soul vocals and lots of brass back to the franchise. Plus her shouty crescendo is much more bearable than Tom Jones on Thunderball.
3. Skyfall, 2012
Adele
As soon as it was released, it was clear Adele’s Bond offering was going to be a classic. The only thing that probably kept it off the top spot was its obvious imitation of a certain Ms Bassey’s 1960s numbers.
2. Goldfinger, 1964
Shirley Bassey
It was surely always between Shirl’s first two Bond themes – and Goldfinger was only just beaten into second place. It’s a classic in every sense of the word, and the song itself conjures up so many unforgettable moments from probably the most iconic Bond film.
Oddjob’s bowler hat, the classic DB5, that laser inching towards Bond’s goolies, and the golden girl herself – all of them dance before your mind’s eye as you listen to Bassey blast those vocals.
1. Diamonds Are Forever, 1971
Shirley Bassey
Here it is – the best Bond theme ever penned and belted out by (who else?) Shirley Bassey. It’s got all the hallmarks of the classic Connery era: big brass, epic soul vocals, and decades’-worth of staying power.
But there’s a greater depth to Diamonds Are Forever than something like Goldfinger. There’s a sexiness to it, and Bassey sings like a woman wronged (which, let’s be fair, most women in Bond films are). It’s moody, it builds up, it switches tone. And, if nothing else, it was a great ad for the diamond industry.
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