76 replies to this topic

[ComplimentsOfSharky]

I'd have to say "The Living Daylights" cause it's so damn catchy and has enourmous sing along value! I quite like the Gladys Knight tune aswell. Lyrics are quite dark, don't ya think?

Yes a bit...but then it works for the film so it's ok...

Definitely agree about TLD being catchy though.

[Number 6]

I was extremely surprised at the choice of Gladys Knight to sing the theme song, as she had not had a hit in quite some time.

Didn't "Love Overboard" , which was a hit, come out that same year?

[MillesGloriosus]

Not much of a choice, but I'd have to choose The Living Daylights.

In License to Kill, there's a song that plays at the end of the movie: "If You Ask Me To." That would have made a great song.

[Qwerty]

I was extremely surprised at the choice of Gladys Knight to sing the theme song, as she had not had a hit in quite some time.

Didn't "Love Overboard" , which was a hit, come out that same year?

Two years earlier actually - 1987.

[henchman_hussle]

I prefer A-Ha just more my type of music.

[Genrewriter]

i like both but LTK just works better for me.

[Arch Stanton]

a-ha for me, though the LTK song is also pretty good.

Anyone know what the deal was between a-ha and John Barry? I always read they didn't get along, anyone know more specific details?

[Stuff_My_Orders]

I like em both but Aha's theme is more "classic Bond". These themesongs are much better than "All Time High" and "For Your Eyes Only". Things really catched up from A View To A Kill (horrible film, great themesong). And after License To Kill we got one more good themesong "Goldeneye"...and then everything went downhill.

[Harmonica]

I prefer The Living Daylights, as it's catchy (as some here have said) and has the benefit of being part of the great John Barry's final Bond score. However, I'm really not a big fan of either. I kind of like the songs at the end of both films better than the title songs themselves.

[Forward Look]

It is my observation that both Dalton Bond films have different end-title credit songs from the opening title music, and the end-title songs have turned out better than the opening-title songs. Although this may be open to discussion, neither opening-title song has enough to interest me. While a-Ha's TLD opener is suitably up-tempo, the lyrics are somewhat bizarre and confusing, and Atlanta native Gladys Knight's LTK theme song has better lyrics but should have been up-tempo. Having said that, LTK works a bit better than TLD, but neither opening song has enough of a melody or arrangement to interest me. The closing songs are much better in each film IMHO. There has to be a melodic or an arrangement hook of some kind to attract my attention in a song, and 'If You Asked Me To' from LTK does it best among the Dalton films. The Pretender's 'If There Was A Man' is good but doesn't have enough of a hook for me. With that, I rank "If You Ask Me To' as the best song of the Dalton era.

Credits go to songwriters Albert Hammond and Diane Warren, who wrote 'If You Asked Me To,' and singer Patti LaBelle for performing it, as heard on the soundtrack. The late great Michael Kamen had nothing to do with writing this song! That's the best part of it, as Kamen stumbled a bit in scoring LTK.

One final thing: skip Celine Dion's pale cover version of 'If You Asked Me To.' Nobody does this song better than Patti LaBelle, new attitude and all. Thank you, Patti.

[Robinson]

While a-Ha's TLD opener is suitably up-tempo, the lyrics are somewhat bizarre and confusing, and Atlanta native Gladys Knight's LTK theme song has better lyrics but should have been up-tempo. Having said that, LTK works a bit better than TLD, but neither opening song has enough of a melody or arrangement to interest me.

Word is EON tried to get the English Duo Go West ("We Close Our Eyes," "Call Me," "The King of Wishful Thinking") to write the theme song for AVTAK and then TLD but were turned down twice (the duo balked at having to have the lyrics incorporate the movie's title). A-ha were second choice for TLD and it seemed EON wanted to have lightning strike twice after the success of Duran Duran's AVTAK. The results are telling. As popular as A-ha was at the time, the lead singer's voice was a bid too subdued for the song- Why not go with Robert Palmer or Bowie?

As for Gladys Knight's LTK, It's simply the best Bond song of the post-Moore era. Ms Knight's always had a powerful voice and was unjustly overshadowed by the likes of Diana Ross and other vocal lightweights during the 70's and early eighties. This song works because of Knight's voice and the production values. Kudos to Narada Michael Walden as well. IMO LTK needs to be the theme for future Bond film/video tributes.

[darkpath]

I once bought a-Ha's greatest hits for a couple of quid from a bargain bin, purely to get "The Living Daylights". Apart from TLD, it was hands down the worst CD I've ever purchased. Sorry, Athena.

From what I understand, the version from their greatest hits CD was a completely new recording, & is arguably the better, fuller sounding recording.

Personally, I am an A-Ha fan (though not nearly as much as a Bond fan) and wish the improved version used in the greatest hits CD had been used in the film.

[Agent 0015]

The Living Daylights by A-ha, of course!!

[DamnCoffee]

imo, Licence to Kill's soundtrack is the worst in the series, Michael Kamen did a terrible job and did not capture the style of John Barry or ian flemings James Bond. Gladys Knight is imo a terrible singer, her performance in LTK is easily forgetable and makes me cringe everytime i hear it, (and can anyone tell me how well her song did in the charts?). Though i like LTK i always felt that the soundtrack lacks enthusiasm. Thats why 'Ah hah' got my vote .

[Qwerty]

and can anyone tell me how well her song did in the charts?

#6 on the UK charts I believe. a-ha's title song peaked at #5.

[Double-0-Seven]

I like both songs, but I think The Living Daylights is better.

[PrinceKamalKhan]

I voted for TLD, John Barry's last(so far) title song contribution to the series. However, LTK is a good song and Gladys Knight does have an incredible voice.

[Ernst Stavro Blofeld Jr.]

Two very different songs. One fast paced and to prepare you for an action movie, which TLD was. While I like LTK, the song doesn't feel like a song that should introduce a revenge movie.

TLD for me.

[Geof]

You have GOT to be kidding me. People actually voted for Licence To Kill? I'm not sure I want to be a member here anymore! I kid, I kid. God I hope you people here aren't insane like the Star Wars fans I used to know.

[sharpshooter]

TLD by a fair margin.

[Mr. Blofeld]

The Living Daylights, by a wide margin...

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

A-ha hands down, brilliant song, catchy and with that Bondian John Barry feel. I remember TLD being played over and over in 1987, and the video was so cool at the time as well. This song suffers (like most of the other bond title songs) on R2 DVD/VHS because of the PAL colour system which means it is played faster and doesn't sound as it should!

[coco1997]

Gladys Knight is imo a terrible singer, her performance in LTK is easily forgetable and makes me cringe everytime i hear it,

Er, what?

[Cruiserweight]

a-ha by a mile.
They're one of my favorite bands period.

[double o ego]

I'd have to say "The Living Daylights" cause it's so damn catchy and has enourmous sing along value! I quite like the Gladys Knight tune aswell. Lyrics are quite dark, don't ya think?

You expressed perfectly as to how I feel about the 2 songs.

[sthgilyadgnivileht]

If anyone is interested in hearing a live version of TLD, they should check this out
http://uk.youtube.co...h?v=aWccS6123wg

[Ultraussie (Jordan.adams)]

GLADY"S KNIGHT.

Aha? The Band name sounds so bad it forbids me from listening to it.
Since Ive only listened to Gladys Knight, and only seen the ending of LTK, my vote can only go to Gladys Knight. Catchy? Sing Along? Dont tell me, ive already scared to death.

[Righty007]

GLADY"S KNIGHT.

Aha? The Band name sounds so bad it forbids me from listening to it.
Since Ive only listened to Gladys Knight, and only seen the ending of LTK, my vote can only go to Gladys Knight. Catchy? Sing Along? Dont tell me, ive already scared to death.

"The Living Daylights" is actually a good song. You should actually try things instead of judging them by their name.

[Professor Pi]

I wish we could vote for one of the Pretenders songs.

[tim partridge]

I love both songs.

LTK I adore for that timpani roll used throughout. I always get goosebumps when watching the movie's opening, where we see James and Felix enter the church with that wedding music playing, and, just as it's ending, that timpani fades in over the top before the cut to the PTS. Dazzlingly gorgeous and SO dramatic.

I also really like the programmed drums, finger clicks and rhythm section used in LTK. The classic Narada Michael Walden sound. They are so classy and actually fit the ethnic/latin tone of the movie. Very classy production all around. The final third of the song just reaches a highly dramatic finale of thumping drums, earthshaking timpani rolls and wailing brass. It really announces how proud it is to be Bond, assuring you it is the most important event on the planet. How I wish they were still making them like this.

TLD is refreshing for containing so many real instruments instead of going all MIDIfied like Aha's other stuff. There's almost something a bit Level 42 about it (real drums for example). The integration of pop group and film orchestra is so seamless. I love how the flute and woodwind section compliments that steamy 80s sax solo. If other later Bond songs with strong main themes like TWINE and YKMN had been arranged like this they would have been classics.

Edited by tim partridge, 12 January 2009 - 08:56 PM.