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Worst Bond song

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  • Daniel316Daniel316 United States
    Posts: 210
    Wow that's the first time I may have heard somebody not like that Theme.
  • Qba007Qba007
    Posts: 87
    I don't like: Die Another Day, Writings on the Wall and Another Way To Die - not sure which is the worst, probably DAD. The strangest thing is that WOTW received an Oscar, and such songs as Goldfinger, You Only Live Twice, We Have All The Time In the World, Diamonds Are Forever ... were not even nominated.
  • Daniel316Daniel316 United States
    Posts: 210
    Tbh it's only proof that the Oscars are a joke and have been for years
  • Gustav_TrevelyanGustav_Trevelyan The Triskelion, Washington D.C.
    Posts: 9
    Writing's On The Wall by far, especially with Sam Smith's horrendous falsetto. Though No Time To Die may be a worthy contender as well with how low-energy and sleepy it is.
  • GetafixGetafix
    edited March 2020 Posts: 11,425
    Have to say I really don't understand the hatred for TWOTW. Not saying it's one of my favourites but it's actually a decent enough song and melody. The brief reference to it in the score is a stand out moment in SP. Putting aside the vocals, which I know many on here hate (they don't bother me so much), had Newman worked it into the score more comprehensively I think people would have had a different view and more of an appreciation for it as a piece of music/orchestration.

    SF, TWOTW and NTTD are all quite similar to me if I'm honest.
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 7,436
    Getafix wrote: »
    Have to say I really don't understand the hatred for TWOTW. Not saying it's one of my favourites but it's actually a decent enough song and melody. The brief reference to it in the score is a stand out moment in SP. Putting aside the vocals, which I know many on here hate (they don't bother me so much), had Newman worked it into the score more comprehensively I think people would have had a different view and more of an appreciation for it as a piece of music/orchestration.

    SF, TWOTW and NTTD are all quite similar to me if I'm honest.

    Have to agree with your last line there! Too samey!
  • BT3366BT3366
    Posts: 1,917
    Mathis1 wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Have to say I really don't understand the hatred for TWOTW. Not saying it's one of my favourites but it's actually a decent enough song and melody. The brief reference to it in the score is a stand out moment in SP. Putting aside the vocals, which I know many on here hate (they don't bother me so much), had Newman worked it into the score more comprehensively I think people would have had a different view and more of an appreciation for it as a piece of music/orchestration.

    SF, TWOTW and NTTD are all quite similar to me if I'm honest.

    Have to agree with your last line there! Too samey!

    Also agree. They're all interchangeable. The Smith song is not that bad and the other two get too much credit far as I'm concerned.
  • JohnBarryFanJohnBarryFan
    Posts: 1,405
    SF, TWOTW and NTTD are not bad, but are nothing even remotley close to anything the Great John Barry ever wrote.
  • DrClatterhandDrClatterhand United Kingdom
    Posts: 349
    Dire 'Nother Day, by a country mile. The worst song for the worst film. Quite fitting, I'd say. Bond for mouth breathers and adolescents. Even the tune reminds me of that absolutely disgusting CGI.
  • GetafixGetafix
    edited March 2020 Posts: 11,425
    Bond for adolescents?! Whatever next!?
  • DrClatterhandDrClatterhand United Kingdom
    Posts: 349
    Getafix wrote: »
    Bond for adolescents?! Whatever next!?

    Lol. Adolescents only!!
  • R1s1ngs0nR1s1ngs0n France
    Posts: 2,148
    Another Way To Die followed closely by Die Another Die.
    DAD at least has the merit to follow a certain musical idea (albeit an awful one).
    AWTD is just disastrous on all fronts - musically, vocally, arrangement.
    It's probably not a coincidence both these songs accompany the 2 worst movies in the franchise.
  • shamanimalshamanimal
    Posts: 623
    R1s1ngs0n wrote: »
    Another Way To Die followed closely by Die Another Die.
    DAD at least has the merit to follow a certain musical idea (albeit an awful one).
    AWTD is just disastrous on all fronts - musically, vocally, arrangement.
    It's probably not a coincidence both these songs accompany the 2 worst movies in the franchise.

    My thoughts exactly. I didn't like Sam Smith's sissy singing, but at least his song felt cinematic and had a melody. The QOS and DAD themes were an insult to the Bond song tradition.
  • ResurrectionResurrection Kolkata, India
    Posts: 2,541
    SF shouldn't be in the same category as WOTW or NTTD . It's very well orchestrated and lyrics are far better as well. Adele's voice slowly builds unlike the other two.
  • Last_Rat_StandingLast_Rat_Standing Long Neck Ice Cold Beer Never Broke My Heart
    Posts: 4,589
    Resurrection wrote: »
    SF shouldn't be in the same category as WOTW or NTTD . It's very well orchestrated and lyrics are far better as well. Adele's voice slowly builds unlike the other two.

    I agree. SF is a top 5 Bond song.
  • TR007TR007
    Posts: 1,165
    The Man With The Golden Gun is the worst Bond song.
  • TorgeirtrapTorgeirtrap
    edited April 2020 Posts: 17,759
    Still DAD for me, but WOTW, AWTD and now NTTD are also songs I can't enjoy. A shared bottom spot for all of them, perhaps.
  • shamanimalshamanimal
    Posts: 623
    TR007 wrote: »
    The Man With The Golden Gun is the worst Bond song.

    It held the top spot for almost thirty years!
  • underwater_mayhemunderwater_mayhem
    Posts: 18
    DoubleOhhSeven wrote: »
    Die Another Day by Madonna. I don't think this will be the last time its mentioned in on this thread.

    Oh yeah that one. I was finding it hard to think of a very bad one. Thank you 😄
  • NickTwentyTwoNickTwentyTwo Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts: 7,553
    I feel like there’s a lot of hate for some of the modern Bond themes, but the worst theme is clearly All Time High.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    edited August 2022 Posts: 6,304
    Getafix wrote: »
    Never been able to sit through TB
    Just can't stand it. TMWTGG is also pretty dire.

    I don't love TMWTGG either but Lulu sells the hell out of its ridiculous lyrics. The best singer of a bad song.
    TripAces wrote: »
    In 2012, when the anniversary album was released, with all of the songs, they all worked really well, when listened to together. There wasn't one that stood out as horrible. They all have their "place," if you will.

    If pressed, I'd argue that the one at the bottom of the list is "All Time High," even though the song (along with the theme from NSNA) captures "Bond in 1983" so perfectly. (That sax has 80s all over it.) What's interesting is that Coolidge by then was a has-been. and her song was sandwiched between theme songs performed by hot, in-the-moment acts (Easton in 81 and Duran Duran in 85).

    Bassey's "Moonraker" is another contender. Like Coolidge, Bassey was an odd choice. I love Shirley; don't get me wrong. But given that the film was pushing the envelope, it's theme song should have too. 1979? Donna Summer, with a song written by Giorgio Moroder, would have made more sense.

    But like I said: overall, I can't complain about any of them.

    Laura Branigan was hotter than hot in 1982 and they wanted her for OP, but she turned them down.

    What doesn't work about OP is that the song is "All Time High" but it's so muted and Coolidge is a soprano, not an alto, so it's not a "high."

    Similar issue with Adele. The song is called Skyfall but she keeps going up rather than down, as "fall" would suggest.

    People have so much goodwill for Adele and the Bond theme woven into that song (if I recall correctly they had to determine if it was original enough to be eligible for the Oscar) but they don't even realize that SF the song isn't very good.

    https://www.goldderby.com/article/2012/skyfall-adele-james-bond-oscars-best-song-film-news-13579086/

    Wasn't Frank Sinatra supposed to sing MR? It feels like it's written for him.
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou, but I now hear a new dog barkin'
    edited August 2022 Posts: 9,041
    I don't know if I wrote something about this in the last five and a half years (when I joined the board), but to me, the worst Bond song is to be found somewhere among the last four movies. It's probably the one from SPECTRE, but I can't say that I appreciate either Adele nor that green-haired what's her name (from NTTD) very much, either. ANOTHER WAY TO DIE was actually ok in context, and YKMN was probably the last "good" Bond song for me.

    Of the older ones, I'd rateTMWTGG the one I like least. Though I don't care for TLD and AVTAK (the themes) much, either.
  • ThunderballThunderball playing Chemin de Fer in a casino, downing Vespers
    Posts: 814
    Can’t remember if I commented earlier on in this thread. Anyway, I simply cannot stand ‘Die Another Day’, ‘All Time High’, ‘The Man With The Golden Gun’, ‘Another Way To Die’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’. The rest I either love or can actually stand to listen to.
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 7,436
    echo wrote: »
    Getafix wrote: »
    Never been able to sit through TB
    Just can't stand it. TMWTGG is also pretty dire.

    I don't love TMWTGG either but Lulu sells the hell out of its ridiculous lyrics. The best singer of a bad song.
    TripAces wrote: »
    In 2012, when the anniversary album was released, with all of the songs, they all worked really well, when listened to together. There wasn't one that stood out as horrible. They all have their "place," if you will.

    If pressed, I'd argue that the one at the bottom of the list is "All Time High," even though the song (along with the theme from NSNA) captures "Bond in 1983" so perfectly. (That sax has 80s all over it.) What's interesting is that Coolidge by then was a has-been. and her song was sandwiched between theme songs performed by hot, in-the-moment acts (Easton in 81 and Duran Duran in 85).

    Bassey's "Moonraker" is another contender. Like Coolidge, Bassey was an odd choice. I love Shirley; don't get me wrong. But given that the film was pushing the envelope, it's theme song should have too. 1979? Donna Summer, with a song written by Giorgio Moroder, would have made more sense.

    But like I said: overall, I can't complain about any of them.

    Laura Branigan was hotter than hot in 1982 and they wanted her for OP, but she turned them down.

    What doesn't work about OP is that the song is "All Time High" but it's so muted and Coolidge is a soprano, not an alto, so it's not a "high."

    Similar issue with Adele. The song is called Skyfall but she keeps going up rather than down, as "fall" would suggest.

    People have so much goodwill for Adele and the Bond theme woven into that song (if I recall correctly they had to determine if it was original enough to be eligible for the Oscar) but they don't even realize that SF the song isn't very good.

    https://www.goldderby.com/article/2012/skyfall-adele-james-bond-oscars-best-song-film-news-13579086/

    Wasn't Frank Sinatra supposed to sing MR? It feels like it's written for him.

    Ol'Blue Eyes was a contender for the song, as was Johnny Mathis. And didnt Kate Bush turn them down too?
    Have to say I love 'All Time High' think it suited the film very well! Not a fan of Adeles 'Skyfall',very overrated song!
  • matt_umatt_u better known as Mr. Roark
    Posts: 4,343
    TMWTGG…
  • SIS_HQSIS_HQ At the Vauxhall Headquarters
    edited August 2022 Posts: 3,789
    Writing's on the wall kinda grown on me really, the bombastic sound was a return to the classic era that's inspired by Goldfinger, I also think Sam Smith's fine, but although a female singer (the singer in Bloodstone?) could have perfectly nailed it, though my listening of it depends on my mood.

    Same to Another Way To Die, it's also grown on me, though I prefer it instrumental, I didn' t liked the blending of voices of Alicia Keys and Jack White, prefer if just Alicia Keys who would just sing it alone, no partner, not a fan of Jack White's voice here, Alicia Keys fits the song more because of its energy and rawness, but like WOTW, the listening of it depends on my mood.

    I liked All Time High too, I think Rita Coolidge worked in here, I'm listening more to it than those two above, in any mood.

    What I didn't liked and can't really stand were:

    1. The Man With The Golden Gun (it's really bad, even the lyrics are cringe, the only good thing in it was the intro, but once Lulu's voice came in, that's when it turned bad).
    2. Die Another Day (Madonna was fit for a Bond theme, but I can't really stand the synthesizers, those beats, the lyrics, her song La Isla Bonita or Live To Tell felt more like a Bond theme than DAD), it's a missed opportunity really.
    3. No Time To Die (it's dull and almost silent, Billie Eilish was almost whispering in the whole song, it's full of down beats, no energy at all, it's the song I'm listening the least, I didn't listen to it, it's depressing).

    The World Is Not Enough is the odd one for me, I rarely listen to it, the lyrics are good, as so the score, but I don't know, maybe it's the way of singing, there's a bit off in that song, felt like a theme song made for a Soap Opera Drama TV series, it felt cheap.
  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,304
    MI6HQ wrote: »
    Writing's on the wall kinda grow on me really, the bombastic sound was a return to the classic era that's inspired by Goldfinger, I also think Sam Smith's fine, but although a female singer (the singer in Bloodstone?) could have perfectly nailed it, though my listening of it depends on my mood.
    Same to Another Way To Die, it also grown on me, though I prefer it instrumental, I don't liked the blending of voices of Alicia Keys and Jack White, prefer if just Alicia Keys who would just sing it alone, no partner, not a fan of Jack White's voice here, Alicia Keys fits the song more because of its energy and rawness, but like WOTW, the listening of it depends on my mood.
    I liked All Time High too, I think Rita Coolidge worked in here, I'm listening more to it than those two above, in any mood.

    What I didn't liked and can't really stand were:

    1. The Man With The Golden Gun (it's really bad, even the lyrics are cringe, the only good thing in it was the intro, but once Lulu's voice got in, that's when it turned bad).
    2. Die Another Day (Madonna was fit for a Bond theme, but I can't really stand the synthesizers, those beats, the lyrics, her song La Isla Bonita or Live To Tell felt more like a Bond theme than DAD), it's a missed opportunity really.
    3. No Time To Die (it's dull and almost silent, Billie Eilish was almost whispering in the whole song, it's full of down beats, no energy at all, it's the song I'm listening the least, I didn't listen to it, it's depressing).

    The World Is Not Enough is the odd one for me, I rarely listen to it, the lyrics are good, as so the score, but I don't know, maybe it's the way of singing, there's a bit off in that song, felt like a theme song made for a Soap Opera Drama TV series, it felt cheap.

    I feel...safe.

    I feel...scared.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    Posts: 2,848
    FYI,

    https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/james-bond-songs-ranked-worst-to-best/

  • echoecho 007 in New York
    Posts: 6,304
    Ha, this list is rubbish.
  • BT3366BT3366
    Posts: 1,917
    echo wrote: »
    Ha, this list is rubbish.

    Yes, and it's inconsistent. They include the OHMSS theme and We Have All the Time in the World, but they list Under the Mango Tree as the theme for DN and claim it's the unofficial theme, discounting only what is likely the most recognizable theme music in film history.

    I also have a problem with a list that includes NTTD and TWINE themes in the top 10.
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