Recommended music:
Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re still listening to music from Moonraker!
I have previously mentioned English composer Stanley Black. He led the London Festival Orchestra (see Bond on Vinyl #44). Stanley Black put out several albums in the 1960s featuring hit tunes from film scores. This 1964 release (mine is the US version) covers a variety of film music. It ranges from Gone With The Wind to Cleopatra. It also includes a medley from My Fair Lady and even Lawrence of Arabia. I’ve covered Lawrence of Arabia with a few albums, as the main theme was also heard in The Spy Who Loved Me.
The album closes out with The Magnificent Seven (Theme From The Film). This famous theme, written by Elmer Bernstein for the classic 1960 film, has become iconic in itself. Perhaps Moonraker director Lewis Gilbert (who also directed TSWLM) was looking for a bit of humor, or possibly wanted the audience to think they were in for a western adventure, as at an hour and 13 minutes into Moonraker, James Bond puts on a poncho and cowboy hat, and rides a horse across Brazilian grasslands while Bernstein’s theme begins to play. Who knows why this was included in the film, but it is a fun audio easter egg.
Also, of note: Moonraker soundtrack composer John Barry released an electric guitar cover of The Magnificent Seven with The John Barry Seven back in 1961.
116. Stanley Black Conducting The London Festival Orchestra – Film Spectacular Volume II
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