The best Bond theme that isn't

[a duncandisorderly]

Bjork almost recorded a Bond theme with Play Dead from the '90s crime drama The Young Americans. She co-wrote it with Jah Wobble and David Arnold, who presumably gave it much of its Bondian grandeur.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZyYQVxOcuY

I've never seen The Young Americans, it might be a cracking film for all I know, but they should've saved Play Dead for a Bond film instead.

it's not. it's not a cracking movie. my date that night laughed at it, it was so awful.

[Phil_A]

Am I alone in thinking Sparks version of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" would make an excellent Bond theme?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xYBcT6E98E

[Captain Z]

Bjork almost recorded a Bond theme with Play Dead from the '90s crime drama The Young Americans. She co-wrote it with Jah Wobble and David Arnold, who presumably gave it much of its Bondian grandeur.

Very late to the thread but this would have been my first suggestion too.

[mothman]

All the excellent choices in this thread will feel all the more bittersweet when the producers choose some uninspired forgettable dirge by someone with chart-pleasing credentials. Ariana Grande. Coldplay. Mumford and Sons.

[thecuriousorange]

Ellie Goulding is bankable. She had hits with songs for 50 Shades of Grey, Bridget Jones Baby and a John Lewis ad.

[mothman]

Yeah, it'll probably be her.

[Phil_A]

Another classic "could've been" Bond theme, "Life In Mono" by Mono. Although the fact it has a John Barry sample in it could be considered cheating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KpODDuzlhk

[kidsick5000]

Shirley Bassey's Light My Fire.

[McDead]

Rihanna's "Sledgehammer" should've been the theme to Spectre. Everything about it just *goes*

https://youtu.be/BXhIT4MpRis

[Panbaams]

Obvious, and it did make it into the end credits, but kd lang's Surrender should have been the theme to Tomorrow Never Dies rather than that tedious Sheryl Crow song.

Less obvious: the best song in Tomorrow Never Dies is the David Arnold/Propellerheads collaboration "Backseat Driver".

[kidsick5000]

Rihanna's "Sledgehammer" should've been the theme to Spectre. Everything about it just *goes*

https://youtu.be/BXhIT4MpRis

Good call. Criminally wasted on an enjoyable film that should have mentioned to her that the Beastie Boys track would be more prominent than hers.

Then again, when it comes to Spectre, anything would have been preferable.
Even this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMPJZ4YZnqI

[olliebean]

Storm, by Grace Jones from the dreadful film The Avengers (not that one) - pretty obviously a deliberate Bond pastiche, but a bloody good one.

[buzby]

Rihanna's "Sledgehammer" should've been the theme to Spectre. Everything about it just *goes*

https://youtu.be/BXhIT4MpRis

Like Hit And Run, it's another one of Sia's Bond tryouts, but presumably Paramount thought Rih was a more bankable name to sing it (Sia's background harmonies are still on he track though, and Rihanna can do a decent job of copying Sia's guide vocals)

[zomgmouse]

There's a couple of artists who did Bond themes that never ended up being used, e.g.

Alice Cooper - The Man with the Golden Gun

Blondie - For Your Eyes Only

[thecuriousorange]

Thom Yorke has been performing Radiohead's shelved Spectre song as an encore at solo shows over the past year. It's better than the Sam Smith one, I guess.

[mothman]

Imagination, "Body Talk."

https://youtu.be/lh0YijABky4

[Replies From View]

I'd like a Quantum of Solace
But no more than a quantum
I know they do big bags of solace
But I don't want 'em


/thread

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I'd like a Quantum of Solace
But no more than a quantum
I know they do big bags of solace
But I don't want 'em


/thread

Well now its playing in my head: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAXVeKdrDOM

Also from Dr No Buckles: /www.youtube.com/watch?v=iN86LixkkrU

[Rolf Lundgren]

Doesn't quite fit the criteria but Pet Shop Boys were in the running to do the theme for The Living Daylights and this demo gives an idea of where it would have gone. It feels really apt for Dalton's portrayal of the role. They later reworked this to write "This Must Be The Place I've Waited Years To Leave."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAqmN8Gd39E

[willpurry]

Theme from 'Triangle'.

https://youtu.be/izDPAEvprS4?t=359

[jobotic]

Something that samples a Bond theme.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blhz11j-UdE

[timebug]

Dunno if it qualifies,as it WAS used in a film, but I always thought Louis Armstrongs 'All The Time In The World' was better than whatever song opened the film. Just my opinion of course,but I am one of the 'Lazenby wasn't as bad as a lot of people made out' school of thought.

[Johnny Yesno]

Dunno if it qualifies,as it WAS used in a film, but I always thought Louis Armstrongs 'All The Time In The World' was better than whatever song opened the film. Just my opinion of course,but I am one of the 'Lazenby wasn't as bad as a lot of people made out' school of thought.

I thought Lazenby was a good Bond too. I can't agree with you about the opening music, though. It's ace! :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFaJWqVcv8k&list=PL-D-0v1EFhNL0xneTSzotQdd-veyC3wTz

[CaledonianGonzo]

Shirley Bassey and John Barry's My Love Has Two Faces obviously has a bit of a Bond vibe going on:

https://youtu.be/fV46mekSa-k

[CaledonianGonzo]

And for my money this is LDR's best stab at it:

https://open.spotify.com/track/302ZEWd1TDXvA4PLz0UQhj?si=yGvOxpXkSWm98z0mJPHwsg

[Shit Good Nose]

One of my mates - a huge Bond fan - constantly goes on about how John Barry's score for Raise the Titanic should've been used in a Bond film instead.

I know that wasn't really the question, but thought I'd mention it as sort-of related.

[big al]

I'm going to bring down the tone of this thread now, by suggesting a Eurovision song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjm-kCOMaPY

[mothman]

YES. I knew what that would be before I clicked on it. Only Eurovision song I have on my mp3 in the car.

[Shit Good Nose]

I'm going to bring down the tone of this thread now, by suggesting a Eurovision song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjm-kCOMaPY

YES. I knew what that would be before I clicked on it. Only Eurovision song I have on my mp3 in the car.

Fuck me.  It's not my cup of tea, but I mean that's...that's a proper song!

[CaledonianGonzo]

I was expecting Conchita Wurst, which is also a Bond pastiche.