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Who owns the rights to The James Bond Theme? EON or Monty Norman?

WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
edited July 2016 in Music Posts: 3,157
According to this, Monty Norman receives royalties every time the Bond theme is used in a movie (or a videogame).

So, let me get this straight; does Norman own the rights to the Bond theme and EON pay him every time they use it or do EON own the rights but must pay royalties to Norman every time they use it?

Comments

  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    They must own the rights otherwise he could go round selling it for Milk Tray adverts.

    Also given how frugal they are in using it now it seems as though it is costing them money. But haven't they always had to pay Monty royalties?

    The court case a few years back was to establish did Barry write it or Monty as has always been stated. So surely he's been getting royalties since day one?
  • GerardGerard
    Posts: 5,994
    He did. Just went to his Wikipedia page. I didn't know he had such a varied career, or that he was still alive.In regard to the James Bond theme, it's said that, between 1976 and 1999, he has received £ 600 000 in royalties for its use.
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    John Barry in my opinion wrote it. After reading and hearing a lot about it over the years
    that's my conclusion.
    The courts got it wrong.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    Norman only really contributed the classic guitar riff portion of the Bond theme I believe.
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    This is not another "Who wrote the Bond theme" thread, though.
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    Murdock wrote: »
    Norman only really contributed the classic guitar riff portion of the Bond theme I believe.

    On the dr no bluray it has a special on the making of dr no and you see Norman talk about trying to come up with a bond theme which sounds nothing like the superb final theme.

  • tanaka123tanaka123
    edited July 2016 Posts: 4,325
    It's my belief that Norman came up with the class guitar line originally from Good Sign/Bad Sign from A House for Mr Biswas. But the whole be-bop section where it really expands sounds very Barry. But Norman would legitmately be able to argue that that bit is an arrangement of his part as it works from and essentially uses the riff from Norman - being a countermelody and bridge. Could be an argument though for co-credit if the above is the case.
  • ggl007ggl007 www.archivo007.com Spain, España
    Posts: 2,541
    Interesting:



    But, even more interesting ;)

  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    Please, enough with the off-topic.
  • tanaka123tanaka123
    Posts: 4,325
    Off topic?
  • WalecsWalecs On Her Majesty's Secret Service
    Posts: 3,157
    My point is not "who wrote the Bond theme", but who owns it. Did you even read the original post?
  • NicNacNicNac Administrator, Moderator
    Posts: 7,582
    Walecs wrote: »
    My point is not "who wrote the Bond theme", but who owns it. Did you even read the original post?
    Well I imagine Eon does, which is why they can use it in the films.

    But, if you are asking a question with only one specific answer then maybe it can go in the Q&A thread.

    If you want a discussion on the topic (hence opening a new thread) then I guess you have to accept that it will go slightly off topic .

  • tanaka123tanaka123
    edited July 2016 Posts: 4,325
    Walecs wrote: »
    My point is not "who wrote the Bond theme", but who owns it. Did you even read the original post?

    Yes, of course I did, surely the two are related and inextricably linked @Walescs . Discussion is best when it follows its natural curves, dives and swallows.
  • 001001
    Posts: 1,575
    Walecs wrote: »
    My point is not "who wrote the Bond theme", but who owns it. Did you even read the original post?

    Don't panic.. :((
  • JFKJFK Hamilton
    Posts: 2
    I definitely wrote ‘Never dream of dying’ eon productions cmon get in touch for bond 25!
  • JFKJFK Hamilton
    Posts: 2
    Oh and also ‘Standing tall’


    ‘Gun in my hand’ and ‘Risico’ coming soon

    JFK
  • mattjoesmattjoes Julie T. and the M.G.'s
    Posts: 7,021
    Speaking as a layman when it comes to the law, I'd say it makes much more sense for EON to own the rights to the Bond theme, since they hired Monty Norman as a composer for Dr. No and he wrote the Bond theme for the film, working as an employee for EON. It's not that Monty Norman composed the theme by himself and then offered it to EON. I think they own it, he just gets royalties.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    If that's the case then they should be using it more.
  • vzokvzok
    Posts: 4,044
    Murdock wrote: »
    If that's the case then they should be using it more.

    Except they'd have to pay those royalties.
  • M_BaljeM_Balje Amsterdam, Netherlands
    edited December 2017 Posts: 4,519
    The search light and shaken not Stirred i think will be next that wil get his explanation.

    With Bond theme you mean the guitar version. We get Bond theme, but i hope there drop the twine bond theme that is over used for the end credits inspecialy.

    Moost close to guitar theme you can hear in Tmnd that is re used in Skyfall and Spectre.
    But i dislike it a bit the last two times because over used DB5.

    Mabey Monty Norman should have cameo in next novie and should play it on his own guitar in Scene in Germany when some danger happen. Not to romantic or to happy.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    edited December 2017 Posts: 16,351
    vzok wrote: »
    Murdock wrote: »
    If that's the case then they should be using it more.

    Except they'd have to pay those royalties.

    It's worth it to have such a great theme. :D
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Apparently we can find the money to blow up half of Morocco but not to bung Monty a few quid to use the Bond theme properly.
  • MurdockMurdock The minus world
    Posts: 16,351
    TheWizardOfIce wrote: »
    Apparently we can find the money to blow up half of Morocco but not to bung Monty a few quid to use the Bond theme properly.

    Well said. If only they could have put as much care and money into the music like they did the special effects. But no, I guess just shamelessly copy and pasting in the Skyfall soundtrack was good enough...
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