There are many recognizable themes throughout pop culture but James Bond is one that tends the attention of many people whenever it comes on, and the opening songs that follow many of the movies have made certain that such attention is kept for a while at least. As some might wonder however, Billie Eilish’s name will not appear on this list since, like Justin Gerber and Blake Goble from Consequence of Sound I do agree that she did a great job on No Time to Die, but when it comes to Bond there are a number of other singers that are still far superior despite having come so much earlier. That she paid homage to this is great, but the fact remains that despite being extremely talented she still has a ways to go until she’s at the same level as some of those that have contributed to the Bond movies over the years.
Here are the five best Bond opening themes that have been heard throughout the years.
5. Diamonds are Forever – Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey is by far one of the best and most impressive voices on this list since she encapsulated the very feel of the Bond movies and managed to bring that out with her voice in a couple of opening themes. As number five on this list the song is one that obviously impressed the right people and was considered for the time to be one of the best that could be had. When you factor into the mix just what really goes into a Bond movie the feel of this song is perfect and the overall effect of it likely had people continuing to watch after the opening was all said and done. Plus, naked women that you could just barely see, you know a lot of guys would stick around just for that.
4. We Have all the Time in the World – Louis Armstrong
There are still those that think that George Lazenby was not the kind of guy to play James Bond and will hold to that idea for as long as they can. The idea of James Bond ever getting married and settling down was kind of hard to think about since in his line of work it’s easier to think that any woman that decides to stick with him would have to be half-crazy. But the fact that his wife doesn’t last that long is just more proof that he’s not the type to have a long and ‘normal’ life. That’s made pretty clear throughout the movie, but as Bond movies go this one is still pretty heavily debated by a lot of fans.
3. Nobody Does it Better – Carly Simon
This is kind of an odd entry into the best of Bond themes largely because it doesn’t really invite a lot of danger or even a hint of a threat within the music. Instead it sounds like something that should be included in a love story instead of a spy movie. But for whatever reason it became one of the best known Bond themes of all time and has held one of the top spots for a while now. One has to wonder if it was because of the story that it’s held here for so long, but then again Carly Simon was at one point one of the best known voice in the business, and of course the shadowy images of naked women prancing across the screen helps.
2. Live and Let Die – Paul McCartney & Wings
This is just a classic song all on its own since it’s inspired a couple of remakes throughout the years. But to put it in a Bond movie was even better since it has the desired feeling of urgency, danger, and the kind of message that a lot of people came to expect from these types of movies. While we look at this kind of thing now and wonder how it could ever hope to compare to the movies we have today, one has to remember that back in the day this was the kind of thing that could really get people going and keep them entertained for couple of hours. Plus, once again, this song is just a classic and easy to get into.
1. Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey
Sexuality and danger have been two very consistent parts of the Bond movies in a big way since they’ve been the primary components that people enjoy about them. In the days of Connery things were still fairly moderate when it came to the opening theme, though that sexuality was obviously still there even if the women were clothed. It’s still interesting to this day that Sean Connery actually regrets his time as the famed spy, but considering that it was kind of his top role it’s not too difficult to realize why.
No matter which theme is your favorite, the lot of them are pretty impressive.
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