From DR. NO to NO TIME TO DIE: What James Bond Film Themes from Recent Years can Tell Us about The Franchise

What Recent-year James Bond Film Themes can Tell Us about The Franchise

With the new James Bond film, No Time to Die, slated to release in November, revisiting some of the best title tracks of the franchise may be in order. Bond tracks come in all timbres and tempos. If Chris Cornell’s ‘You Know my Name’ made your blood boil with its sheer immediacy, Adele’s ‘Skyfall’ took you hurtling into a dream world. With a 19-year-old Billie Eilish almost lisping the words of the current title track in her unique soprano for a slow-paced and haunting theme, it is a good time to gauge how some recent Bond tracks fare on the ‘theme-o-meter’.

Over the years, there have been debates about which Bond film is the best and who is the best Bond till date — the womanizing Sean Connery, the wisecracking Pierce Brosnan or the intense Daniel Craig. Whatever be the mood of a particular Bond film or the personality of the actor essaying the role of the superspy, the one consistent factor about almost every Bond film till date is its engaging title track.

Not to be confused with the signature James Bond theme, which was composed by John Barry for Dr. No in 1962, each Bond outing till date has featured its individual title track which is the main auditory association for the film. Few of these tracks achieved the cult status enjoyed by the ubiquitous ‘James Bond theme’, its popularity arguably being on par with Nino Rota’s ‘The Godfather Love Theme’. But some of them did manage to become legends in their own right.

Tina Turner’s ‘Golden Eye’ from the film of the same name needs no introduction. Fans of the franchise swear by Turner’s throaty, full-bodied vocals as the closest signifier of the true 007 spirit.  Not only did the song do a great job of incorporating Barry’s original ‘James Bond theme’ into its score, it also succeeded in creating the atmosphere of drama and intrigue that is synonymous with a Bond film. Add to that the pure chutzpah of the queen of rock ‘n’ roll and you probably have the best Bond track ever.

But Chris Cornell’s ‘You Know My Name’ is an extraordinary Bond track too. The sheer pace and force of the compelling song helps establish Daniel Craig as the new-age Bond in Casino Royale, which happens to be the first episode in author Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. The music video, which alternates between shots of the singer and action sequences from the actual film, is a treat for James Bond and Chris Cornell fans alike as well as for just about anyone looking for an adrenaline rush.

And while one would hardly associate pure melody with a Bond soundtrack, Adele’s ‘Skyfall’ overturns established ideas about what a Bond theme should be like, delivering a winner in the form of a singularly melodious and almost dreamy number. It helps that the storyline features a fallible and somewhat ‘human’ Bond who begins to question not only his own priorities but also the relevance of his organization, MI6, in the general scheme of things.

But if you are looking for a dark and brooding Bond theme that sends shivers down your spine, Garbage’s ‘The World Is Not Enough’ should be your pick. As the song reaches a crescendo, with vocalist Shirley Manson, depicted in the video as a suicide bomber diva, getting ready to wreak destruction on the world, the powerful refrain comes crashing down on your consciousness like physical waves.

Finally, Madonna is probably the last artiste you would expect to render a James Bond theme. But that is exactly what she does, singing the title track of Die Another Day. And she does so with extreme panache, as befits the ultimate pop icon. The video, featuring a captive and extensively tattooed Madonna suffering all manner of torture, took heat from followers of Judaism because of its use of Jewish scriptures.

The current track, rendered in Eilish’s hypnotic vocals, is slow and seductive, like a dance that belies the gritty action that is endemic to a James Bond film. It seals the young singer’s position among the who’s who of Bond title track performers. It also reinforces the strong connection between Bond themes and female musicians. And it promises to make that trip to the theatre oh-so-worth it!

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