Singers of James Bond Theme Songs
Shirley Bassey: GOLDFINGER- The song was so iconic that she returned to sing the theme for ‘Diamonds are forever’, eight years later in 1973 and ‘Moonraker’ once more, in 1979. ‘Goldfinger’ by far the most popular and for all it was, a dramatic influence on all Bond themes going forward. It would be the top-charting track of the series’ early days. Bassey is a Welsh singer and best known for her career longevity and powerful voice.
Paul McCartney & Wings: LIVE AND LET DIE- The 1973 film was the first to bring in the new Bond actor Roger Moore and with him, a shift in theme, setting and a dash of rock. The track was a hit and ended up nominated for ‘Academy Award for Best Original song’. It would the second Bond theme to do so after the song ‘The Look of Love’, which was featured in the Bond parody ‘Casino Royale’.
Carly Simon: THE SPY WHO LOVED ME- It was composed by EGOT-winner Marvin Hamlisch who, coincidentally wrote the song that beat out ‘Live and Let Die’ for the Oscar. This song was nominated for an Oscar and a Grammy, but it would end up losing on both accounts. Carly Simon wouldn’t shy away from future soundtrack work either; she would create music for ‘Working Girl’, winning a Oscar, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe for that in 1989.
Sheena Easton: FOR YOUR EYES ONLY- For this Roger Moore outing, the filmmakers relied on eventful Oscar-winner Bill Conti the create the theme tune, though he originally wrote It for Donna Summer, it was inevitably given over to Sheena Easton who would also cameo in the same film in the opening credits and would eventually go on to a massively successful decade in the music industry.
Duran Duran: A VIEW TO A KILL- The first James Bond film to hit number one in United States. It was one of the later hits of 1980s rock band Duran Duran original line up. The last film in Roger Moore era, it was one of lesser regarded film in the series, but the theme song was, adversely, one of the most successful. Composer John Berry, responsible for this track, would come by for ‘The Living Daylights’.
Tina Turner: GOLDENEYE- Kicked off the Bronson Era of James Bond films and with this popular iteration came the Tina Turner-sung title track. Similar to ‘Goldfinger’ in its bombast and dramatic turn, this track came at a big time in Turner’s career, right after the release of her biographical film ‘What’s Love Got to Do with it’. Interestingly, much like other Bond Films, this movie received number of potential backup songs from the artists of the era.
Rock Band Garbage: THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH- This sweeping track that wasn’t easily placed next to Garbage’s popular hits in the 1990s though it fit well in the canon of Bond themes. Composer David Arnold, who had a hand in music of this film and its predecessor, attached singer Shirley Manson to the project because he likened her to a real-life Bond girl.
Chris Cornell: CASINO ROYALE- Nominated for a Grammy, the song was the first in decades not to take the same name as the film. In the film, the song plays after the trademark shot of Bond seen down the barrel of a gun and features a stylized sequence featuring card suits, casino imagery and bullseyes, all obvious nods of the contents of the film to follow.
Adele: SKYFALL- This track was a highly anticipated track by one of the powerful UK singers of the 2010s, Adele, who created the song alongside her regular songwriter Paul Epworth. The pair would go on to win a Grammy and an Oscar.
Billie Eilish: NO TIME TO DIE- It became the third consecutive Oscar-winner for a Bond theme after Skyfall and Sam Smith’s ‘Writings on the Wall’, written for ‘Spectre’. Eilish has received multiple accolades, including seven Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, two Guinness World Records, three MTV Video Music Awards, three Brit Awards, a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award. She is the youngest artist in Grammy history to win all four general field categories—Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Album of the Year—in the same year. She was featured on Time magazine's inaugural Time 100 Next list in 2019 and the Time 100 in 2021.
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