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Quick Big Mi6 Title Track Ranking Game

12357…18

Comments

  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    edited November 2021 Posts: 40,976
    One of my least favorites at #22. It's just a whiny, cheesy song to me and doesn't offer much, on top of not really liking Lulu's voice.
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 7,434
    Good ol Lulu. Yes agree with Creasy47, pretty terrible with our lead Ms. McDonald McLauglin Lawrie wailing away at our ears!
    No. 23 for me!
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,136
    Personally I find it quite catchy, but that might be just me.
  • DwayneDwayne New York City
    edited November 2021 Posts: 2,848
    I had TMWTGG it at number 24.

    I love LuLu but this theme never really moved the needle for me. LuLu is actually a fine singer – “To Sir, With Love” still gets a lot of spins in my household so I don’t think her performance is at fault.

    One theory, is that John Barry was trying to duplicate the style and success that Macca had with LALD. However, TMWTGG is not as strong a song and suffers for being in a movie that is not that well regarded. From what I've read over the years, Barry didn't really have a lot of time to work on the song and soundtrack for this film as well.

    I wonder what theme will go next. MR, ATH (OP) or TND?
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,184
    I really like this song. It's one of Barry's least, but still good. I get why it finishes dead last of all the "Barry songs", though.
  • BennyBenny Shaken not stirredAdministrator, Moderator
    Posts: 15,138
    It's the 'phone it in' track from John Barry.
    And even then it's not the worst Bond title track!
  • StirredNotShakenStirredNotShaken Toronto
    Posts: 2,402
    Dwayne wrote: »
    LuLu is actually a fine singer – “To Sir, With Love” still gets a lot of spins in my household so I don’t think her performance is at fault.

    It's specifically her performance for me that drops this way down towards the bottom. I agree that she's fine otherwise - as I shared in my comment, I'm quite fond of the exit music version that she sings over! - but she sounds like a strangled cat on the main version, to quote a favourite KGB agent.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    Love this song. So catchy and dirty! The wah-wah brass, the guitar, the machine gun brass, the lyrics... Even the raspy vocals have something to it. I also love the break in the middle. There's a bit of LALD to that moment.

    Lulu's voice is a little more "melodic" in this performance which I also enjoy very much. Love the brass at 1:34 to 1:41. Those friggin' trumpets!

  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    I was the sole 9th place vote for "Another Way to Die." I remember not really being sure what to make of this song when I first heard it on the radio but definitely thinking it was not as good as "You Know My Name." But this is one that has aged very well for me. I love that for Craig's first two films—his young, hard-hitting, "Bond Begins" films— he has harder edged rockers for his title songs. "You Know My Name" and "Another Way to Die" both go so well with that era of Craig's Bond. I love that this is an atypical Bond song and yet that it feels so very Bondian and so perfect for its film at the same time. The crash-bang-wallop of the instruments and disharmonious harmony of White and Keys may grate for some, but they're music to my ears. "Bang, bang, bang, bang..."

    I forget where exactly I placed CR '67 at the moment, but this is not one of my favorites. A bit too peppy and jaunty for my taste. There are many other musical moments in CR '67 that I enjoy better. "The Look of Love" would have fared much better for me.

    Similarly, "The Man with the Golden Gun" is one of my bottom-most ranked Bond songs. The end credits version, "Goodnight, Goodnight," does start off sounding rather lovely, but then it goes right into the part of the title song that I like the least. "Jaunty" might be a good word for this one too—or "bouncy"—and the lyrics are about on par with Rage's "Make It Last All Night." It's not a terrible melody, as evidenced by some of Barry's score, but this one does sound like it was trying (unsuccessfully) to recapture some of the hard rock magic of "Live and Let Die."
  • ZarozzorZarozzor
    Posts: 207
    TMWTGG came in at #21 for me. If a certain track is next, then I’ll have the same bottom 8 as the community (just in a different order)
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,483
    I have Lulu at #13. It's a guilty pleasure of mine. It feels much more like a true Bond song than a lot of the others.
    AWTD on the other hand is really a strange mixtures of noise. Alicia Keys was totally wasted, such a pity. @mattjoes nailed a lot of my feelings about the singing parts.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    Some_Kind_Of_Hero wrote: »
    I was the sole 9th place vote for "Another Way to Die." I remember not really being sure what to make of this song when I first heard it on the radio but definitely thinking it was not as good as "You Know My Name." But this is one that has aged very well for me. I love that for Craig's first two films—his young, hard-hitting, "Bond Begins" films— he has harder edged rockers for his title songs. "You Know My Name" and "Another Way to Die" both go so well with that era of Craig's Bond. I love that this is an atypical Bond song and yet that it feels so very Bondian and so perfect for its film at the same time. The crash-bang-wallop of the instruments and disharmonious harmony of White and Keys may grate for some, but they're music to my ears. "Bang, bang, bang, bang..."

    Completely agreed. Happy to see some others rate it highly and appreciate it as much as I do. I remember being at the tail end of high school when the film was releasing, listening to the song on repeat sometimes on the bus ride to school and home. I couldn't get enough of it.
  • Some_Kind_Of_HeroSome_Kind_Of_Hero
    Posts: 6,844
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    Some_Kind_Of_Hero wrote: »
    I was the sole 9th place vote for "Another Way to Die." I remember not really being sure what to make of this song when I first heard it on the radio but definitely thinking it was not as good as "You Know My Name." But this is one that has aged very well for me. I love that for Craig's first two films—his young, hard-hitting, "Bond Begins" films— he has harder edged rockers for his title songs. "You Know My Name" and "Another Way to Die" both go so well with that era of Craig's Bond. I love that this is an atypical Bond song and yet that it feels so very Bondian and so perfect for its film at the same time. The crash-bang-wallop of the instruments and disharmonious harmony of White and Keys may grate for some, but they're music to my ears. "Bang, bang, bang, bang..."

    Completely agreed. Happy to see some others rate it highly and appreciate it as much as I do. I remember being at the tail end of high school when the film was releasing, listening to the song on repeat sometimes on the bus ride to school and home. I couldn't get enough of it.

    It's a great one! Much like the film itself, "Another Way to Die" kind of actually feels like an experimental take on or even a deconstruction of the formula of Bond music.
  • GoldenGunGoldenGun Per ora e per il momento che verrà
    Posts: 7,136
    Tomorrow it’s top 20 time, but today we still have to discuss our number 21:

    ALL TIME HIGH
    From Octopussy
    Performed by RITA COOLIDGE.

    R-12110092-1528501882-3874.jpeg.jpg

    The first title song that doesn’t mention the title in its lyrics just misses out on the top 20.

    One last place and one penultimate place didn’t help of course. There were four more bottom 5’s, all four of those were 23rd places.

    Four members did include Coolidge’s effort in their top 15, one of which even cracked the top 10, coming in at number 7.

    ATH received 67 points in total.
  • BirdlesonBirdleson
    Posts: 2,161
    It would have been 25th on my list if I had gotten it in. Dreary.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,184
    As with TMWTGG, I don't hate this song. It's one of Barry's weaker efforts, but there's always an additional value coming from Barry's scores. The maestro may have written simple songs in both cases, but he managed to flavour his scores very well with melodies and cues taken from them. I'm ambivalent to them in that sense. Obviously, ATH isn't of the same level as, say, DAF or AVTAK, but I can't say I hate or even dislike the song either because of how well Barry built its motifs into his score for OP. Some fine romantic string pieces basically just replay ATH, but to great effect. Even in simplicity, Barry held the keys to the musical kingdom.
  • ZarozzorZarozzor
    Posts: 207
    #23 for me. #25 if not including NSNA and CR.
  • marcmarc Universal Exports
    Posts: 2,610
    Zarozzor wrote: »
    #23 for me. #25 if not including NSNA and CR.

    That's very interesting, in mathematical terms. 🙂
  • ZarozzorZarozzor
    edited November 2021 Posts: 207
    marc wrote: »
    Zarozzor wrote: »
    #23 for me. #25 if not including NSNA and CR.

    That's very interesting, in mathematical terms. 🙂
    The joy of being up for over 40 hours because of a bad schedule + being unable to drink caffeine! I think the ability to do math is malfunctioning on me.


  • R1s1ngs0nR1s1ngs0n France
    Posts: 2,148
    Had it at #18. Actually prefer TMWTGG to this one but I don’t dislike it either.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    Some_Kind_Of_Hero wrote: »
    I was the sole 9th place vote for "Another Way to Die." I remember not really being sure what to make of this song when I first heard it on the radio but definitely thinking it was not as good as "You Know My Name." But this is one that has aged very well for me. I love that for Craig's first two films—his young, hard-hitting, "Bond Begins" films— he has harder edged rockers for his title songs. "You Know My Name" and "Another Way to Die" both go so well with that era of Craig's Bond. I love that this is an atypical Bond song and yet that it feels so very Bondian and so perfect for its film at the same time. The crash-bang-wallop of the instruments and disharmonious harmony of White and Keys may grate for some, but they're music to my ears. "Bang, bang, bang, bang..."

    (...)

    Similarly, "The Man with the Golden Gun" is one of my bottom-most ranked Bond songs. The end credits version, "Goodnight, Goodnight," does start off sounding rather lovely, but then it goes right into the part of the title song that I like the least. "Jaunty" might be a good word for this one too—or "bouncy"—and the lyrics are about on par with Rage's "Make It Last All Night." It's not a terrible melody, as evidenced by some of Barry's score, but this one does sound like it was trying (unsuccessfully) to recapture some of the hard rock magic of "Live and Let Die."

    Let's take the best of both worlds. ;)

    His eye may be
    On you or me
    Who will he BANG BANG BANG BANG
    We shall see
  • Mathis1Mathis1
    Posts: 7,434
    Love 'All Time High'. Great title song! It was me had it at 7. Dont find it dreary at all, and Rita Coolidge has a great voice, certainly preferable to doomy depressing singers like Adele and Eilish!
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,976
    #23 for me. I really don’t care for it. A film as great as OP deserved way better.
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    I love this song. It's beautiful, romantic and uplifting. Rita Coolidge's voice is very pleasant to the ears; powerful but feminine.
  • marcmarc Universal Exports
    Posts: 2,610
    Zarozzor wrote: »
    marc wrote: »
    Zarozzor wrote: »
    #23 for me. #25 if not including NSNA and CR.

    That's very interesting, in mathematical terms. 🙂
    The joy of being up for over 40 hours because of a bad schedule + being unable to drink caffeine! I think the ability to do math is malfunctioning on me.


    Not your fault. I've always suspected CR 67 and NSNA produce some sort of mathematical antimatter. 🙂
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,044
    It's a pleasant song, but much better in the numerous instrumental versions in the film.
  • StirredNotShakenStirredNotShaken Toronto
    Posts: 2,402
    It's definitely not one of the best in its own right, but that dammed saxophone really drags it down about as low as it could be in my rankings.

    That being said, this might be, out of all of the theme songs, the one that has the most beautiful leitmotifs within the film's score. Although NTTD may have usurped that title.
  • goldenswissroyalegoldenswissroyale Switzerland
    Posts: 4,483
    I'm the guy who has ATH ranked last place. I don't hate the song. I simply never listen to this song apart from watching OP. I just find it a bit boring and the love songs of the Moore era are far away from being my favourites.
  • GeneralGogolGeneralGogol
    Posts: 928
    Pleasant is exactly how I'd describe it as well. It suits the Bond-Octopussy dynamic very much and is a fitting song for what should've been Roger's last. However, the prior three films all had mellow romantic themes as well and All Time High does not top any one them in my mind and doesn't offer anything substantial to the pantheon of Bond themes. That aside, the sound is pure Barry and I see it as a good companion track to WHATTITW.
  • StirredNotShakenStirredNotShaken Toronto
    Posts: 2,402
    GeneralGogol wrote: »
    That aside, the sound is pure Barry and I see it as a good companion track to WHATTITW.

    It's funny you say that as around when OP was released was also about the time the tides of OHMSS' reception began to shift, wasn't it? And OP, now that I think about it, does sort of feel like Bond finally moving on with his life once and for all about 15 years after Tracy.
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