11 replies to this topic

[The Admiral]

Does anyone else agree that the Title Songs for the Roger Moore films were the best (Pre Brosnan )?

Live & Let Die was a great start by Paul McCartney and the Wings! Then there was TMWTGG. They were all great.

But I think Nobody Does It Better was joint best with Live And Let Die.

What do you all think? It just seems as though all of them were good.

[White Persian]

[quote]"R" (03 Aug, 2001 09:28 p.m.):
I spent years wondering how the guy who wrote "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" could come up with something as grammatically tortuous as "but in this ever-changing world in which we live in, makes yoiu give in and cry..." But then I heard the Chrissie Hynde version on David Arnold's "Shaken, not Stirred" album, and it turns out that the lyrics are...

"..but if this ever-changing world in which we're living makes you give in and cry."

...makes a whole lot more sense now doesn't it?

But I have to say that THE best theme has got to be OHMSS. Was Barry trying to write a Bond theme to be associated with Lazenby there? I'm trying to remember if the Bond theme itself appears in OHMSS, except for the gun barrel...

quote]

Thanks for clearing up the LALD lyrics. It'd been bugging me for years too.
I love the instrumental theme for OHMSS too. The Bond theme is used though, in a cool synthesizer treatment, most notably when we are introduced to Lazenby in the Aston, and over the closing credits, where "We have all the time in the world" segues into the Bond theme to modify the grim mood.

[The Admiral]

OK, I'll try and sum up what I meant. When it comes to lyrics, Connery's songs win by far! Especially Goldfinger. When it comes to music though (me loving the Beach Boys and the Beatles) - Roger Moore's music is far much better. There is one exception - OHMSS - it rules! I'm not saying the other songs are rubbish, I'm just stating that I find the music from the Roger era was better.

Have we all heard David Arnold's OHMSS? Isn't it great!

[mccartney007]

"R" (03 Aug, 2001 09:28 p.m.):
I spent years wondering how the guy who wrote "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" could come up with something as grammatically tortuous as "but in this ever-changing world in which we live in, makes yoiu give in and cry..." [/b]

You must also realize that McCartney also wrote such lyrical masterpieces as "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" and "Wild Honey Pie?" McCartney certianly doesn't try to be grammatical and not all of his songs make sense. McCartney writes some songs because he's got a good melody in his head not because he's got great words.

Here's a fine example from "Monkberry Moon Delight":
"So I sat in the attic
A piano up my nose
And the wind played a dreadful cantata
Sore was I from the crack
Of my enemy's hose
And the horrible sound of tomato

Ketchup soup and puree
Don't get left behind...

Ketchup soup and puree
Don't get left behind

When a rattle of rats had awoken
The sinews, the nerves and the veins
My piano was boldly outspoken
And attempts to repeat its refrain
So I stood with a knot in my stomach
Then I gazed at that terrible sight
Of two youngsters concealed in a barrel
Sucking Monkberry Moon Delight

Monkberry Moon Delight
Monkberry Moon Delight

Well, I know my banana
Is older than the rest
And my hair is a tangled beretta
When I leave my pajamas
To Billy Budapest
And I don't get the gist of your letter

Catch up
Cats and kittens
Don't get left behind

Monkberry Moon Delight
Monkberry Moon Delight..."

Cleary not a word driven song. It's a song that's fun and has a good melody. For those of you who have never heard this song, go download it or buy the 'RAM' album.

[Icephoenix]

I love the Brosnan Music!

But LALD, TMWTGG , TSWLM and VTAK
are the best rogers, so much good music!

[White Persian]

Sorry Dave, I don't agree. To me Goldfinger is the Bond song par excellence- great Barry music and genuine wit in the lyrics. Thunderball, too, has clever, ambiguous lyrics - is it about Bond or Largo? YOLT is cleverly constructed, with some neat internal rhymes.
Live and Let Die annoys me (even though I like Wings) because of the dopey lyrics:- "...but in this ever changing world in which we live in , makes you give in and cry...etc." . This makes no sense. There are at least two *in*s too many!
TMWTGG is an attempt to imitate Goldfinger, but without the wit. In fact, there wasn't much clever about any of the words to the Moore era themes, or the Dalton ones either.
GoldenEye, however is a return to the knowing lyrics of the 60's with its clever references to Brosnan's on again off again Bond history. Tina Turner has the brassy pizazz of Bassey, and Danny Kleinman's Binder-inspired visuals perfectly complement the song.
Of couse this just reflects my individual [aging?] taste in music.

[White Persian]

Sorry Dave, I don't agree. To me Goldfinger is the Bond song par excellence- great Barry music and genuine wit in the lyrics. Thunderball, too, has clever, ambiguous lyrics - is it about Bond or Largo? YOLT is cleverly constructed, with some neat internal rhymes.
Live and Let Die annoys me (even though I like Wings) because of the dopey lyrics:- "...but in this ever changing world in which we live in , makes you give in and cry...etc." . This makes no sense. There are at least two *in*s too many!
TMWTGG is an attempt to imitate Goldfinger, but without the wit. In fact, there wasn't much clever about any of the words to the Moore era themes, or the Dalton ones either.
GoldenEye, however is a return to the knowing lyrics of the 60's with its clever references to Brosnan's on again off again Bond history. Tina Turner has the brassy pizazz of Bassey, and Danny Kleinman's Binder-inspired visuals perfectly complement the song.
Of course this just reflects my individual [aging?] taste in music.

[R]

I spent years wondering how the guy who wrote "Yesterday" and "Eleanor Rigby" could come up with something as grammatically tortuous as "but in this ever-changing world in which we live in, makes yoiu give in and cry..." But then I heard the Chrissie Hynde version on David Arnold's "Shaken, not Stirred" album, and it turns out that the lyrics are...

"..but if this ever-changing world in which we're living makes you give in and cry."

...makes a whole lot more sense now doesn't it?

But I must agree with Persian about the overall quality of the Moore era themes compared with Connery's. Whilst there are significant high points for Moore (TSWLM and LALD) there are notable duds (TMWTGG and All Time High). Connery's however, are consistently high, right from Dr. No (the Bond theme itself, to criticise would be to approach blasphemy), through the classcs of Goldfinger and YOLT, even through to DAF, which for me has the distinction of being the only entry in the series to have a theme song better than the corresponding film.

And actually, I rather liked Dalton's themes.

But I have to say that THE best theme has got to be OHMSS. Was Barry trying to write a Bond theme to be associated with Lazenby there? I'm trying to remember if the Bond theme itself appears in OHMSS, except for the gun barrel...

Anyway...my vote for the next theme can only go to the Soggy Bottom Boys. Awesome.

[Mr Trump]

They did have some good title songs when Roger Moore was Bond but I also liked the last two Bond songs for TWINE and TND and the LTK soundtrack which I think are the 3 best outside the moore season.

[mrmoon]

I agree dave, I'm a big fan of seventies/early eighties music. I can't pick between LALD and AVTAK it depends how the mood takes me.

[mrmoon]

I didn't realise we were talkin individual songs, I agree moores were the best but DAF is the best ever theme and FRWL is not given enough credit (The instrumental is fantastic- alot better than matt munro's lyrical version)