# What's the best Bond theme song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 2, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885 "2010-08-02T13:48:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/1 "2010-08-02T13:48:15Z")
Inspired by [this thread that I just posted](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12754237#post12754237). When all is said and done, I’d have to go with [“You Only Live Twice”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEyJ_bFhTzk). ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/2 "2010-08-02T14:50:03Z")
Die Another Day for me, although I realise that’s not a popular opinion. Diamonds Are Forever, Live And Let Die, A View To A Kill and We Have All The Time In The World are my other favourites. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/3 "2010-08-02T14:55:17Z")
Tough choice, but I went with _Live and Let Die_. \*Thunderball \*and \*Goldfinger \*would be my next picks. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/4 "2010-08-02T15:01:46Z")
You forgot Never Say Never Again, and the 1967 Casino Royale (Awful movie, but Burt Bacharach’s [theme music](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O5aA83GfYc)has many admirers) The best has to be Dr No, which has become the James Bond theme for all the following movies. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/5 "2010-08-02T15:43:07Z")
> [@multimediac17](#): > > Die Another Day for me, although I realise that’s not a popular opinion. It’s certainly not, but I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why. I think it’s a catchy li’l tune, and there are certainly far, far worse Bond theme songs to choose from (Sheryl Crow or Garbage, anyone?) ---
**Author:** ![multimediac17](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/839c29/32.png) [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/6 "2010-08-02T15:56:01Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > > [@multimediac17](#): > > > > Die Another Day for me, although I realise that’s not a popular opinion. > > It’s certainly not, but I can’t, for the life of me, figure out why. I think it’s a catchy li’l tune, and there are certainly far, far worse Bond theme songs to choose from (Sheryl Crow or Garbage, anyone?) I think it’s just too far from what people would expect from a Bond theme, and also Madonna was going through a rough patch in her career at the time, not to mention that Die Another Day is roundly regarded as one of the worst Bond films (at least I’ve always had that impression). It just all stacked up against the song which is a shame because it is honestly a fantastic production and very adventurous. Madonna could have done a big ballad or something a bit safer, like the movie themes she did in the early nineties, but I think she was quite brave. The music video was out-of-this-world amazing too. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/7 "2010-08-02T16:00:15Z")
> [@multimediac17](#): > > not to mention that Die Another Day is roundly regarded as one of the worst Bond films (at least I’ve always had that impression). Oh, you’ve definitely got the right impression. I was going to say that Madonna’s theme song was one of the very few good things about the movie (it certainly isn’t Halle Berry’s laughable (as usual) performance). ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/8 "2010-08-02T16:03:11Z")
I see “Goldfinger” and “Live and Let Die” are currently tied for the lead. “Goldfinger” should have the honor. “Goldfinger” is a kick-ass song in it’s own right, but also actually relates directly to the story/movie, describing the title character. “Live and Let Die,” on the other hand, is a catchy enough tune but only addresses the general concept of “live and let die,” and does not really relate specifically to the story/movie. Plus it has that godawful line “in which we live in.” For all his talent, McCartney should have taken the honorable route and killed himself for coming up with that travesty. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/9 "2010-08-02T16:06:02Z")
A View To A Kill, is my favorite. It’s such a campy song, it puts me in the mood to watch a Bond film. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/10 "2010-08-02T16:17:02Z")
I also went for _Live and Let Die_ as I couldn’t vote for the 1967 _Casino Royale_. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/11 "2010-08-02T16:37:40Z")
Goldfinger is the example of everything I associate with Bond movies, right down to the theme song ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/12 "2010-08-02T16:40:25Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Plus it has that godawful line “in which we live in.” “in which we’re livin.” You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/13 "2010-08-02T16:47:19Z")
Another vote for _Goldfinger_. I love that song, and I love Shirley Bassey’s voice. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/14 "2010-08-02T16:50:48Z")
Another vote for Goldfinger. The rest of the Shirley Bassey numbers are right up there. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/15 "2010-08-02T16:54:35Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > > [@Gary\_T](#): > > > > Plus it has that godawful line “in which we live in.” > > “in which we’re livin.” You’re welcome. Apparently this has been much discussed on the web, including [here on the Dope](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/archive/index.php/t-293690.html), where **Misnomer** wrote: “According to the liner notes from McCartney’s All The Best! album, the lyrics are: But if this ever-changing world in which we live in…” ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/16 "2010-08-02T17:09:40Z")
Then again, maybe I spoke too soon. The next post in the thread I linked above, by **rfgdxm** , links to [this](http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.beatles/msg/d77a65296ca81e6b?pli=1) which says: \*Those are certainly the published lyrics to “Live and Let Die”. The published lyrics to “Hi Hi Hi” also say “body gun” instead of what Paul insists the lyrics are/were - “polygon”. There are quite a few examples of the published (i.e. copyrighted) lyrics being incorrect as per the writer. “Live and Let Die”, if you listen to the song (both the recorded and any one of several live versions), is another example of the published lyrics being incorrect. He clearly sings and has sung “ever changing world in which we’re living”. \* I can’t say he clearly sings that to my ear (if it was clear, there wouldn’t be all this discussion about it). I can’t make a compelling case either way at this point. Now I have to live with the distressing possibility that there’s one less thing to make merciless fun of in this ever-changing world in which… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/17 "2010-08-02T17:20:27Z")
Okay, I just carefully listened to the studio version and a live version by McCartney. I think he’s saying “we live in” for two reasons. One, there’s somewhat of a “long E” sound to it, where I think “we’re” would sound more like “whirr” than like “weer.” Two, the amount of time devoted to that syllable sounds a bit too short for “we’re,” which takes a few microseconds longer to say than “we.” Can’t prove it, but I think the evidence points to “we live in.” ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/18 "2010-08-02T17:31:13Z")
This is a pretty tough question – I went with \*Goldfinger \*too, although I could choose any of about four others on a different day. I recently downloaded an MP3 album with all of the themes (up through _You Know My Name_ from \*Casino Royale \*-- which is in my list of top five); it’s an interesting experience to listen to them in chronological order. You get a sense of how musical tastes have changed in the last (nearly) five decades (going from lush strings in the mid-60s to softer sounds in the 70s [_Live and Let Die_ excepted], to 80s synth-pop, to the modern and louder styles of Garbage and Chris Cornell), but they all sound like “a Bond song.” The songs themselves definitely cue images from the movies, which have changed in tenor and tone as well. Some of the older themes, like _We Have All the Time in the World_ and _You Only Live Twice_, didn’t used to appeal to me, but they’ve certainly grown on me since downloading the album. _Die Another Die_, although it’s relatively new, has definitely grown on me as well. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/19 "2010-08-02T23:40:01Z")
I’m the only one who’s picked Lulu’s “The Man with the Golden Gun”, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/20 "2010-08-02T23:46:27Z")
Apparently nobody else is in love with Tom Jones. D: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885.md?page=2)