Stuff I'm Listening To #70 - A Week of Soundtracks - James Bond

Artist: John Barry, Bill Conti, Duran Duran, Rita Coolidge, a-Ha, Sheena Easton

Favourite Tracks: A View To A Kill, All Time High (from Octopussy), For Your Eyes Only, The Living Daylights

Why?:
In two words? Duran Duran! 

Remember? I am and forever will be a Duranie. They wrote a song for a Bond movie, so automatically, that track will be my favourite. (As an added bonus, having Grace Jones in a Bond film? Simply amazing. I fully admit, I have a crush on Grace. The 80s were a magical time and she's a phenomenal woman.)

I really like James Bond! (I really love the Aston Martin car too! Though I have a model of the Lotus Esprit from 'The Spy Who Loved Me' so I have a soft spot for that car too.) They cast a new Bond every three to five movies so he stays fresh! He's like the Doctor (Who) but for spy buffs. Everyone has a favourite Bond. I have a first Bond, and that's Roger Moore, and by default he was my favourite for a while. I've seen most of his Bond films and enjoyed them. But I was a bit too young the first time I saw Octopussy on TV with my dad and brother, but I remember the song. I liked the dreamy song. 

I was likely around five when I saw my first Bond flick with Roger, so he left quite the impression on me, and it was probably 'Moonraker' because I have a vivid recollection of the henchman named Jaws who I was able to relate to. I thought Roger was a lovely and friendly British man (I wasn't wrong - seriously, click on that link... worth it). My favourite Bond is currently Daniel Craig, I think, because they updated Bond really well with him. I really wanted Mr. Remington Steele, Pierce Brosnan, to be my favourite. But his scripts were pretty terrible. He had a good video game though with 'Golden Eye'. For the record, if ever the Ultrahouse 3000 becomes a real thing, I would totally pick the Pierce Brosnan setting and yes, yes, I'm digressing. 

I can't say much for Sean Connery. I tried watching his films a while ago, but they've become increasingly problematic in the sense that they're very dated for me. I'll give it another go, I promise. As for Timothy Dalton... Sorry! You suffered the same terrible script fate as my beloved Remington Steele. 

For this particular go, I'm sticking simply with the title track. The rest of the soundtracks are always good. John Barry (and Bill Conti for 'For Your Eyes Only') were pretty good composers (I mean Bill Conti composed music for 'Rocky'!) and their pieces fit every scene, between high action and the sexy fun times in the Bond flicks. 

I think what I love most about each Bond theme was they were as much a Duran Duran, a-Ha or Sheena Easton song as they were a Bond theme. Even Paul McCartney managed to pull of a theme that managed to strangely marry his McCartney and Wings style to it. (I didn't mention 'Live and Let Die' because this would have just started to become a crowded list of all Bond themes). 

Should watch any of Roger Moore's films? Sure. James Bond was always going to be a little on the ridiculous side during the 80s and those films were just that. A little more comedy than action. But it's a movie, and they're supposed to be entertaining right? Roger Moore as James Bond is absolutely entertaining and it's obvious they were having fun. If you wanted something a little more edgy, move onto Daniel Craig. Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton were victims of the script writing trying to write hammy Roger Moore stuff but trying to be too serious about it all at the same time. Plus trying to find a common enemy after the fall of the Berlin Wall made it hard for Bond to exist during those days. 

Forgive me, I have one final slight digression to make. I dunno about you guys, but have you heard Rustin Man's (Paul Webb's) album Drift Code? After hearing the track "Our Tomorrows" I think they should ask him to write a Bond theme. Just saying.

 





All Time High - Rita Coolidge - from Octopussy


For Your Eyes Only - Sheena Easton


The Living Daylighs - a-Ha