Bond at 50: Best Music from James Bond

From the iconic pounding guitar of the James Bond Theme, to Shirley Bassey's dynamic Goldfinger, to Adelle's soaring Skyfall theme, music has played a key role in the success of the James Bond movies.  

Monte Norman wrote The James Bond Theme for Dr. No, which has been heard in every Bond movie since.  

But composer John Barry was truly the man behind the music, writing the score and orchestrating 11 of the first 14 Bond movies, including all the Sean Connery classics. 

Winner of five Academy Awards, Barry was never nominated for his work on the Bond films.  But if you can find a copy of the soundtrack for From Russia With Love, Goldfinger  or Thunderball, give it a listen.  Or better yet, watch the movies and concentrate on how the music sets the stage for Bond's adventures.  Barry deserved an Academy Award for his work on those films. 

Here are my selections for the top music from the James Bond movies.

1. Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey belts out the iconic theme to John Barry's powerful orchestration. You just need to hear the first two notes to recognize the song (Click here for classic gun barrel opening followed by theme song sequence)
2. James Bond Theme - Monte Norman's classic riff. (Click here for John Barry conducting a symphony performance of the James Bond theme)
3. Skyfall - Adelle - Wonderful theme that captures the melancholy aloneness of Bond's existence. (Click here for a trailer of the newest Bond movie, opening November 9).
4. Thunderball - Tom Jones belts out a powerful opening to the sexy dynamic underwater opening credits that sets the scene for the entire movie.  (Click here for opening sequence)
5. Life and Let Die - Paul McCartney.  (Click here for opening sequence).
6. We Have All The Time In The World (On Her Majesty's Secret Service) - Louis Armstrong.  This song is certainly the most played of any song from a Bond movie, most without knowing its origin.  Written by John Barry with lyrics by Hal David, this song was the love theme for the "other fellow" Bond movie - George Lazenby's one & done Bond performance. It is played under the courtship of Bond and Tracy.  The title is directly from Ian Fleming's book and is repeated in the movie.  When an officer approaches after Tracy is shot, Bond says: "There's no hurry you see. We have all the time in the world." (Click here for the song over a fan edit credits) 
7. You Know My Name (Casino Royale) - Chris Cornell's hard rocking theme suits the new rougher-edged Daniel Craig version of Bond. (Click here for opening sequence)
8. Dance Into the Fire (View to a Kill) - Duran Duran captures the sound of the 80s. (Click here for opening sequence)  
9. Diamonds Are Forever - Shirley Bassey scores again. (Click here for opening sequence).
10. Moonraker - Shirley Bassey again in a wonderfully styled song that is often overlooked because it accompanies the worst of all the Bond movies. (Click here for opening sequence).
11. Surrender (Tomorrow Never Dies) - Like Matt Monroe's song, this was used over closing credits. Why it was not used instead of Sheryl Crow's incipid song that was used over opening credits is a mystery. (Click here for closing title)
12. From Russia With Love - Matt Munro smoothly croons over the closing credits.  (Click here for the song)
13. Nobody Does It Better (The Spy Who Loved Me) - Carly Simon (Click here for opening sequence)
14. You Only Live Twice - Nancy Sinatra sings perhaps the most haunting of the Bond theme, with a bit of a Japanese influence. (Click here for gun barrel opening followed by the opening credits)
15. Goldeneye - Tina Turner belts out a great song. (Click here for opening sequence) 
16. All Time High (Octopussy) - Rita Coolidge  (Click here for opening sequence) 
17. The World Is Not Enough - Garbage (Click here for opening sequence)
18.  For Your Eyes Only - Sheena Easton (Click here for opening sequence)
19. Another Way to Die (Quantum of Solace) - Alicia Keys and Jack White.  (Click here for opening sequence).
20.  OO7 Theme - Instrumental theme by John Barry in From Russia With Love, and has often been used during action sequences in many Bond movies.  (Click here for the version played in From Russia With Love)

WORST JAMES BOND MUSIC?  No competition here.  The disastrous 1967 production of Casino Royale staring Peter Sellers and Woody Allen produced this gawd-awful theme, although Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass turned it into a nice instrumental on one of their albums.  Click here if you dare for the original Casino Royale Theme Song.