# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/21 "2010-08-03T00:04:19Z")
Blarg. Voted Goldeneye, meant to pick Goldfinger. Ah well, I like that one too. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/22 "2010-08-03T00:58:53Z")
> [@multimediac17](#): > > 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. I never got the hate for this song either. I like it. Still, there’s a bunch I like better. I voted for Goldfinger. But Live and Let Die, The Spy Who Loved Me or Diamonds Are Forever could be my vote on another day. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/23 "2010-08-03T01:19:24Z")
Only ones that are good are: 1. World is Not Enough - By far the best and where my vote is 2. All Time High - The real name of the Octopussy song 3. Diamonds are Forever That’s about it, really. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/24 "2010-08-03T01:47:03Z")
Almost voted for _Live and Let Die_, but the fact is, I’m a huge fan of _You know My Name_, the theme song for _Casino Royale_ (the Craig remake, not the original with Sellers, of course). I especially like how the theme ties in with the Bond leitmotif throughout the movie, but in a relatively downplayed way, never letting the Bond theme break free by itself until the very end of the movie: _The name’s Bond. James Bond._ I’m a music geek, what can I say? 😃 For the life of me, I just can’t remember if the them for Live and Let Die ever actually integrated into the movie’s soundtrack, or if it just played at the beginning and end of the film. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/25 "2010-08-03T02:05:13Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > When all is said and done, I’d have to go with [“You Only Live Twice”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEyJ_bFhTzk). I’m kind of with you on this. It’s a lot more subtle–and “exotic” in that hokey 60s kind of way. And that’s what’s most enduring about the original Bond and Bond scenarios, which so quickly became self-parody in the later films. “Live and Let Die” is just too spastic–a McCartney pastiche that only gets more annoying with overplay. However, “Goldfinger” and “Thunderball” are more true to the Ian Flemming concept of the Evil Genius antagonist: "Such a cold finger, Beckons you to enter his web of sin… …BUT DON’T GO IN!!!" ---
**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 3, 2010, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/26 "2010-08-03T02:14:30Z")
He’ll welcome you into his lair Like the nobleman welcomes his guest With free dental care and a stock plan that helps you invest! But beware of his generous pensions And three weeks paid vacation each year And on Fridays the lunch room serves hot dogs and burgers and beer! He loves German beer! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/27 "2010-08-03T02:41:53Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > Goldfinger is the example of everything I associate with Bond movies, right down to the theme song The poll should be prefaced in some way. I agree that it’s the best “bond sound” but Live and Let Die is something I could play as a separate song. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/28 "2010-08-03T04:58:37Z")
My first impulse was for the instrumental “OHMSS” theme, but on second thought went with “You Only Live Twice,” mostly because it has lyrics (nicely sung by Nancy Sinatra). Supposedly, among the subculture of die-hard Bond fans (the sorts who attend conventions and such), the consensus is that OHMSS has the best soundtrack, even though John Barry later characterized it as being ridiculously “overwritten,” whatever he meant by that exactly (I remember him saying that in a radio interview with Terry Gross on her “Fresh Air” program on NPR about ten years ago or so). ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/29 "2010-08-03T05:08:54Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > For the life of me, I just can’t remember if the them for Live and Let Die ever actually integrated into the movie’s soundtrack, or if it just played at the beginning and end of the film. The fast instrumental bit shows up once or twice, and there’s [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKySjWISjBA&feature=related) (4:13 ff). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/30 "2010-08-03T05:23:27Z")
Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, We Have All The Time In The World, A View to A Kill and Goldeneye are the best. I picked Goldfinger. Auric Goldfinger. My personal favorite Bond film is The Man With The Golden Gun solely because of the way Scramonga’s hubris does him in. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/31 "2010-08-03T05:36:25Z")
_A View To A Kill_ was the only “Bond song” to go to #1. I voted for “For Your Eyes Only,” as I love Sheena Easton. Though Carly Simon’s “The Spy Who Loved Me,” is a close second. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/32 "2010-08-03T09:45:50Z")
I’m surprised, in other polls I have seen on this The Spy Who Loved Me is usually right up there with Goldfinger. But for me it’s You Only Live Twice. I do like a bit of John Barry, and that’s one of my favourites of his. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/33 "2010-08-03T09:49:41Z")
Goldfinger, however I think Thunderball has the best overall movie score. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/34 "2010-08-03T10:57:17Z")
If you care to, post your top five. Mine is: [ol] [li]“You Only Live Twice”[/li][li]“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”[/li][li]“Goldfinger”[/li][li]“A View to a Kill”[/li][li]“Thunderball”[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/35 "2010-08-03T11:38:06Z")
I’m a big fan of the Bond movies and their soundtracks and though therefore I feel I’m being disloyal to John Barry by picking one of the very few he didn’t write, I picked Carly Simon singing the theme tune to _The Spy Who Loved Me_. I just love that piano introduction! Especially in the context of the film, coming in right after that jaw dropping parachute stunt. Close second for me would be John Barry’s terrifically exciting instrumental theme tune to OHMSS. I also love _Goldfinger_ as having the theme tune that most sells what the Bond franchise is really about. I also think that if I was judging the Bond scores as a whole, the Goldfinger score is best overall. ETA: In order of one to five, they’d go: [ol] [li]The Spy Who loved Me[/li][li]OHMSS[/li][li]Goldfinger[/li][li]Live And Let Die[/li][li]Octopussy[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/36 "2010-08-03T11:48:41Z")
[Goldeneye](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkBYVNrjjIs&feature=PlayList&p=EA15CCAF893DCD65&index=17). Oh, yeah. Although the [Casino Royale](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiwxzAZrBR0) opening is wicked cool, too. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/37 "2010-08-03T13:26:57Z")
Speaking of **Casino Royale** , it was pretty dickish for Chris Cornell to not give permission for “You Know My Name” to be used on the soundtrack album. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/38 "2010-08-03T13:58:30Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > Speaking of **Casino Royale** , it was pretty dickish for Chris Cornell to not give permission for “You Know My Name” to be used on the soundtrack album. I agree! ---
**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 3, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/39 "2010-08-03T14:29:47Z")
Because \*Goldfinger \*is doing so well in the poll, I thought I’d chime back in with another observation: Shirley Bassey has sung a Bond theme song not once, not twice, but thrice (_Diamonds Are Forever_ and _Moonraker_). No other performer has more than one song (and I don’t see that changing). ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885/40 "2010-08-03T14:38:30Z")
I can’t help but wonder if “Nobody Does it Better” from _The Spy Who Loved Me_ would have fared better in the poll if you’d given the song titles instead of the movie titles. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-bond-theme-song/548885.md?page=3)