# What's your favorite James Bond theme song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 11, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612 "2007-01-11T21:53:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/1 "2007-01-11T21:53:30Z")
Mine would be, in order: 1. _Goldeneye_ - I love everything about this song. The way the opening string line begins while the scene of the exploding facility is still going (element of surprise), the brass crescendos, Tina Turner’s sultry but aggressive voice, and the overall mysterious tone of the song. I’m not just saying this because the movie was the definitive Bond film of my generation, I actually think the song is really well done. 2. _Octopussy_ - this is one of the more obscure Bond themes, and I’m sure a lot of people didn’t like it, but I like this one because it’s different. It’s mostly major, instead of minor (like most of the other Bond songs) which is unique, and it’s a more subdued and non-threatening song. As a standalone song, I wouldn’t like it, but it fits with the movie because Octopussy’s character is less evil and sinister, and I feel like the female voice in the Bond movie’s theme should fit the women in the movie. 3. _Live And Let Die_ - unique because of the male vocals (I think McCartney did a good job) and the multi-sectioned structure of the song. It begins with the soft piano part, then the action-packed part, then the funky bridge section (where the lyrics go, _you’ve got to give the other man a hand_, but everyone, including me, thinks they say _give the other fella hell._ Then back to the action music, then a reprise of the original piano part, and then more action. It’s one of the more radical Bond themes, actually, in terms of its structure. I’ll add that I did not like Chris Cornell’s singing on _You Know My Name_ for _Casino Royale_ - I thought his distinctly American grunge style voice was ill-fitting for a Bond movie - but I liked the instrumentals on it. What are some of your favorites? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/2 "2007-01-11T21:59:33Z")
Madonna’;s for **Die Another Day** Okay, not really. I’ve been partial to Nancy Sinatra’s **You Only Live Twice** since I first heard it. It was the first Bond movie I saw. I also like Sheena Easton’s for **For Your Eyes Only**. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/3 "2007-01-11T21:59:53Z")
Heh, you’re #1 is one of my most hated Bond songs. The aforementioned “Live and Let Die” is my favorite, but “The World is Not Enough” is a great song to a craptastic movie. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/4 "2007-01-11T22:20:31Z")
C’mon, none of them are as good as _Goldfinger_ ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/5 "2007-01-11T22:20:55Z")
**Live and Let Die** is my favorite, followed by **The Man With The Golden Gun** ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/6 "2007-01-11T22:22:27Z")
_Goldfinger_, no question about it. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/7 "2007-01-11T22:22:58Z")
I really like “A View to a Kill” But that’s probably because I am an 80s child. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/8 "2007-01-11T22:23:38Z")
Another **Live and Let Die** vote. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/9 "2007-01-11T22:24:37Z")
There are other Bond theme songs besides “Goldfinger”??? ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/10 "2007-01-11T22:28:45Z")
“Diamonds Are Forever” is fun to sing in the shower, but I gotta go with “Goldfinger.” And “From Russia With Love” as a runner-up, because it’s so overblown. And if you want to count it, “Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” is the pits. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/11 "2007-01-11T22:29:33Z")
I’ll say The World is Not Enough, but admit that my opinion may be biased by the video that Garbage made… Shirley Manson in a slinky red dress… mmm… ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/12 "2007-01-11T22:33:01Z")
Barring Monty Normal/John Barry’s original James Bond theme from selection (which headlines _Dr. No_ but occurs iconically in every EON-produced film) the theme to _On Her Majesty’s Secret Service_, Louis Armstrong’s “We Have All The Time In The World” (though not sung over the opening credits) is my stand-alone favorite, with Shirley Bassey’s trio of “Goldfinger”, “Diamonds Are Forever”, and “Moonraker” as collectively being the second-best. “Live And Let Die” rocks (and is the best thing McCartney and Wings ever did…far and away better than his drug-addled reign of purveyor of “silly little love songs”), and while I’m not a fan of the genre, _a-ha_’s Europop theme to _The Living Daylights_ and Duran Duran’s “A View To A Kill” are excellent themes. I was serioulsy disappointed by Tina Turner’s theme to _Goldeneye_; I love Tina’s days with Ike and was expecting a modern Bassey-esque theme, and instead got a disposable pop melody. I can’t say I even remember the theme songs to other Brosnan-era films, which are as forgettable as the movies themselves. I know that Sheryl Crow sang one of them and found it tolerable but I can’t even remember which movie (_Tomorrow Never Dies_, maybe) much less the lyrics. Nancy Sinatra almost redeemed herself with “You Only Lived Twice”, though I doubt royalties paid for what it cost her father to set up her recording career. I started out really hating the theme to the recent _Casino Royale_, but I like the way David Arnold worked it into the incidentials (I can’t say much about his work on previous Bond films, but he did some excellent melding of traditional big band Barry-esque themes with some evocatively minimalist electronic stuff this go-around), but Cornell’s “You Know My Name” has kind of grown on me; it’s still not my favorite, and I think it would haven better sang by someone who didn’t screech like a death-metal karaoke version of Tom Jones, but I don’t cringe reflexively when hearing it now. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/13 "2007-01-11T22:33:09Z")
Carly Simon, all the way! The Spy Who Loved Me. Then Sheena Easton: For Your Eyes Only. Live and Let Die was fun because it wasn’t some woman singing a come on song. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/14 "2007-01-11T22:39:24Z")
Thunderball by Tom Jones. But I’ve got a little thing for Sir Jones. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/15 "2007-01-11T22:45:06Z")
**On Her Majesty’s Secret Service** (instrumental), John Barry, composer- A better Bond theme than Norman’s, at least to me. Pixar used this theme to comedic effect in the original trailer for _The Incredibles_. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/16 "2007-01-11T23:00:22Z")
Lulu’s _The Man With the Golden Gun_ is my number one fave, followed closely by _From Russia, With Love_ and _The Living Daylights_ ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/17 "2007-01-11T23:08:46Z")
In no particular order: _Live and Let Die_ _Nobody Does it Better_ _A View to a Kill_ _Goldfinger_ The worst: _All Time High_ _For Your Eyes Only_ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/18 "2007-01-12T00:07:50Z")
**want2know** , I respectfully disagree with many of your choices, but if you don’t include Madonna;s contribution among the worst Bond themes, then you either haven’t seen the movie, or haven’t heard the music. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/19 "2007-01-12T01:14:47Z")
I’ve always been amazed by the affection for _Live and Let Die_, which is about as stupid a song as I can think of–barely any lyrics (and what few there are are nothing to be proud of) and tonal/melodic shifts that try to be cool and “rockin’” but are simply clumsy and L-A-M-E. My vote for the worst (tied with Madonna’s only because her song is interminably longer as well as being awful). _L&LD_ also distinguishes itself by having some terrible visuals in the opening credits, too. Best of all time: **Goldfinger** Best Roger Moore song: **The Spy Who Loved Me** Best Pierce Brosnan song: **The World Is Not Enough** (though none are particular good) I also really liked _Casino Royale_’s song a lot, but I can’t really count “We Have All the Time…” because it’s not in the opening credits. ---
**Author:** ![LANmom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c89c15/32.png) [@LANmom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LANmom)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612/20 "2007-01-12T01:18:59Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] C’mon, none of them are as good as _Goldfinger_ [/QUOTE] Totally agree!!Goldfinger! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-james-bond-theme-song/387612.md?page=2)