Tag: James Bond

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re moving ahead a couple years, and listening to music up through The Spy Who Loved Me!

This 1977 compilation album features songs from nine of the first 10 Bond films, with the label omitting any music from The Man With The Golden Gun. Except for the first track, a cover version with vocals of ‘Nobody Does It Better’ from The Spy Who Loved Me, the rest of the album is strictly instrumental. While there are some quality renditions of the romantic main theme from The Spy Who Loved Me, nobody does it better than the original version by Carly Simon.

I picked this album to represent both Diamonds Are Forever and Live And Let Die for this year’s selections, but the covers for those two themes on this particular album are also rather weak. The real highlights of this record are the final four tracks on the B side that sound familiar enough to the original soundtrack versions but are arranged with slightly different instrumentation.

From Russia With Love seems to use the xylophone, Thunderball brings in what I believe are additional saxophones, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service skips the synthesizer, which I believe is then brought back for the ‘James Bond Theme’ from Dr. No in a unique way. I’d love to share a link to the actual music, but I can’t find one at the moment… The album is also available on 8-track with the same song selection, except From Russia With Love is split onto two sides.

79. The Film Festival Orchestra – Music From The Spy Who Loved Me & Other Great James Bond Thrillers

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re moving ahead a couple years, and listening to music featured in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service!

Ahead of a scheduled October 1969 recording session, composer John Barry was having a difficult time incorporating the title “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” into the film’s main theme, a naming convention that had been used in the previous four James Bond films (technically From Russia With Love’s vocals were introduced during the film and played with the end credits). Ultimately, the film’s director, Peter Hunt, was fine with Barry coming up with solely an instrumental theme to play over the opening credits of “OHMSS”.

The lack of vocals did not hamper the opening as audiences got to see the new James Bond actor, George Lazenby, in action before he makes a quick quip, and then music plays over clips from previous Bond films to establish some familiarity. The musical track is also notable for the unique sound of a Moog synthesizer, which became popular in other film soundtracks throughout the next decade.

A few months after the film’s December 1969 release, Columbia Records put out this album of John Barry film hits, including tunes from Midnight Cowboy, Born Free, and, most importantly, three tracks from OHMSS.

Besides the main title discussed above, an instrumental version of “We Have All The Time In The World” (which coincidentally was played at my wedding reception 18 years ago today, as of this initial posting), a third “Bond” track called “The More Things Change” was also included. This song was recorded for the film, but was ultimately unused onscreen, with the instrumental version only included on this album.

78. John Barry – Ready When You Are, J.B.

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re staying in 1967, and listening to music featured in You Only Live Twice!

When Nancy Sinatra was brought on to record the theme song to “You Only Live Twice” in the spring of 1967, ahead of the summer film, she was the first non-British songster of the Bond series. While she had several recent hits like ‘These Boots Are Made for Walkin’, the soundtrack appearance was definitely made to cash in on her stardom at the time, and not to find the best possible vocalist for John Barry’s composition or Leslie Bricusse’s lyrics. At least two other singers provided demos (which they thought were finished soundtrack recordings).
One artist who did not perform her version in the April 1967 recording session was Tamiko Jones.

Born Barbara Ferguson, she has part British, Cherokee, and Japanese descent, with her middle name, Tamiko, being of Japanese origin. She began her career performing current pop songs in a jazzy style, releasing her first record in 1961, and was credited simply as Timiko. By 1964, she changed record labels and released another album, being billed as Tamiko.

By 1968, she changed labels again, overcame polio, and co-produced fiancé Solomon Burke’s cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary”. While Burke’s version of the song was not promoted and only reached No. 15 on the Billboard R&B chart, he takes credit for passing the song on to Ike & Tina Turner for their memorable rendition.

Later that year, the album “Tamiko” was released with the artist rebranding herself again, finally as Tamiko Jones, which she maintained on recording music into the 1980s. When I hear this version (on the 7” single to promote Tamiko), I like to think of it as one of the actual Japanese characters from the film, such as Aki or Kissy, providing the vocals. While I don’t know if this version is superior to the Sinatra recording, it certainly fits the film better for me.

77. Tamiko Jones – You Only Live Twice / Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re moving ahead a year, and listening to music featured in Casino Royale!

Arthur Fiedler certainly had many highlights during his career. He was appointed as the conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1930 and was associated with the San Francisco Pops Orchestra for 26 summers starting in 1949. He was the conductor at the opening ceremonies of Walt Disney World in 1971, which were nationally broadcast. He also appeared on many telecasts of PBS’s Evening at Pops. Fiedler is likely best known for his conducting of the Boston Pops at the outdoor celebration of the U.S. Bicentennial on July 4, 1976.

The reason he came across my radar was for his conducting of the Boston Pops on an album filled with Burt Bacharach hits. These include vibrant, jazzy renditions of Bacharach tunes like “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’, ‘What The World Needs Now Is Love’, and from Casino Royale (1967) – The Look Of Love.

76. Arthur Fiedler And The Boston Pops – What The World Needs Now (The Burt Bacharach-Hal David Songbook)

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re still listening to music featured in Thunderball!

Tom Jones burst onto the music scene in 1965 when “It’s Not Unusual” topped the UK charts. The hit also reached the top ten on the US Billboard charts. This success not only landed Jones the job of singing the Burt Bacharach and Hal David-written tune ‘What’s New Pussycat?’, but also secured him the opportunity to record the title track to Thunderball. While most of that album was recorded in October of 1965, Jones was brought in to sing the main theme just days before the film’s December release in theaters.

‘A-tom-ic Jones’ was released in January 1966, just three weeks after Thunderball hit US theaters. Jones’ theme from the film leads off this album, which was not even included in the UK version. Another big difference is that the UK version featured a nuclear mushroom cloud with Jones for the album art. Therefore, the Dad joke of “aTOMic” Jones falls a bit flat without that imagery. One thing that does not fall flat, however, are Jones’ robust baritone vocals on this album. The record was not as successful in terms of sales, but it is a fun listen with the Thunderball theme leading off the US version of the album.

75. Tom Jones – A-tom-ic Jones

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re still listening to music featured in Thunderball!

Much like Zenith Electronics [see Bond on Vinyl post #66], Philco was a forerunner in manufacturing battery electronics. They were also pioneers in radio and television electronics beginning in the 1920s. In the early 1960s, they were purchased by Ford Motor Company (as they had provided radios for Ford vehicles for some time) and were rebranded as Philco-Ford in 1966.

At this time, they really went after the console stereo system market, and became one of the largest furniture dealers in the world for a brief time before cheaper, more compact sound systems gained in popularity.

To capitalize on putting out content for their hardware, Philco-Ford released over 50 albums with Columbia Records from 1965 to the end of the decade, many of which were just compilations of covers. Several of these releases even used the same album title “When We’re Together…”, including this 1966 record with the theme from Thunderball played by Percy Faith’s Orchestra. This version is unique, but it’s a bit too screechy for me. I still prefer the original soundtrack version, but have a listen for yourself.

74. When We’re Together …With The Swinging Sounds

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re moving on from Goldfinger and listening to music from Thunderball!

Michigan-born James Sedlar was a star in football and hockey in high school. He became a bigger sensation as a big-band trumpeter. In the 1950s, he relocated to New York to work as a session musician, Broadway orchestra player, and bandleader. His solo career lasted only a few years in the 1960s, but he appeared on the Barbra Streisand Spectacular, The Jackie Gleason Show, and The Tonight Show.

This 1965 single really showcases Sedlar’s skill on the trumpet for a unique version of “Thunderball”. While his time headlining albums didn’t last, his career as a trumpet player on Broadway continued into the 1990s, including shows such as Cabaret and Fiddler on the Roof.

73. Jimmy Sedlar His Trumpet And Orchestra – Thunderball

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re still listening to music featured in Dr. No, From Russia With Love, and Goldfinger!

Dámaso Pérez Prado was born in Cuba in 1916. He studied classical piano in his youth. Later, he played organ and piano in local clubs. By the 1940s, he worked his way up to performing with Havana casino orchestras. In 1949, he moved to Mexico and started his own band with RCA Records which specialized in an upbeat adaptation of Cuba’s official musical genre (the danzón), known specifically as mambo.

Some of Prado’s biggest hits in fact include “Mambo No. 5”, and “Mambo No. 8” in addition to “Patricia”, and “The Peanut Vendor”. His songs have been featured in many television shows and films including Office Space, and Lou Bega’s take on “Mambo No. 5” topped the charts in the decade following Prado’s death.

This 1976 album is named after a patriotic Cuban poem and song “Guantanamera” that has been covered by many artists and leads off this tracklist. While I picked up this record to hear his take on the theme from Goldfinger, my favorite track here is actually “Tema De James Bond”, a very cha-cha-chá version of ‘The James Bond Theme’ from Dr. No., which may make you want to get up and dance.

72. Perez Prado And His Orchestra – Guantanamera

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re listening to music featured in Dr. No, From Russia With Love, and Goldfinger!

The 101 Strings Orchestra was a music organization that released over 150 albums during its 25-year run starting in the 1950s, selling 50 million units. Depending on the choice and arrangement of the selected music, the symphony orchestra was composed of 128 to 141 total players. Of these, there were 30 first violins, 26 second violins, 20 violas, 18 cellos, and 7 string basses, with the remainder of the orchestra including brass, percussion, and various woodwinds. They performed scores from Broadway musicals, film scores, and traditional classical music. Some of their recorded releases were put out under aliases. This included one album under The Zero Zero Seven Band (The 007 Band).

When I listen to this album, it really gives me “big band” vibes. Not that I can usually pinpoint specific instruments or tell you the number of musicians involved with this exact album’s creation, but it has a wonderful and grand sound. The tracklist features music from the first three Bond film soundtracks. It also includes some original pieces written just for this album, such as ‘Violence!’, ‘Warm and Deadly’, and ‘A Gilded Corpse’, which is reminiscent of the Goldfinger score.

71. The Zero Zero Seven Band – James Bond Thrillers!!!

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re listening to music featured exclusively in Goldfinger!

While I do not have anything new to say about the individual tracks on this album, I did learn an interesting fact about the score itself… In the early 1960s, actor Michael Caine (yes, THAT Michael Caine) shared a London apartment. He lived with a close friend at the time, fellow actor Terrance Stamp (yes, THAT Terrance Stamp). At one point, the pair were kicked out of their flat and Caine ended up crashing with another close friend for a few months – composer John Barry. According to Barry, he completed the Goldfinger score after an all-night session and played it for his roommate at breakfast the next morning, making Caine the first person (after Barry, of course) to hear the finalized score.

This album is the same tracklist as the original mono version I reviewed a couple of years ago, except with slightly better sound. Well, I think it sounds better when I use the surround sound speakers, but when not trying to bug my family with the score and just listening on a single Bluetooth speaker… it sounds pretty much the exact same. 😄

70. John Barry – Goldfinger (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) 1972 STEREO Reissue

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re going ahead one film and listening to music featured in Dr. No, From Russia With Love, and Goldfinger!

Though I’ve previously reviewed covers of James Bond music by the Roland Shaw Orchestra, I finally own the original compilation. This 1964 release features remakes of tracks from the first three films only. The record attempts to retain the bombastic nature of the John Barry original versions. It is a fun “best of” type album with some real bangers from those initial three film scores.

69. The Roland Shaw Orchestra – Themes From The James Bond Thrillers

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re still listening to music featured in From Russia With Love!

Ramsey Lewis was a jazz pianist, composer, and eventually a Chicago radio personality and TV host. Lewis contributed to more than 80 albums during his career, five of which were certified gold. He successfully crossed over from the Jazz charts to the Pop charts, winning three Grammy awards beginning with “The In Crowd” in 1965, and finally in 1973 with “Hang On Sloopy”.

This compilation album was recorded in the summer of 1966 and finally saw a release in June 1967, making it to #5 on the US R&B charts. While the album also features tunes from a bunch of 1960s films I’ve never heard of, I picked this up for the inclusion of the main theme from ‘From Russia With Love.’ Just like the opening of the film, this jazzy version does not feature any vocals, with the focus being on Lewis on the piano.

68. Ramsey Lewis – The Movie Album

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For today’s Bond on Vinyl post from the archives, we’re going ahead a year and listening to music featured in From Russia With Love!

While Samba music is a broad term for quick and lively rhythms that relate to African and Brazilian music, it’s not a genre that typically appears on my playlist. When I think of samba, I reminisce about the Carnivale scenes from Moonraker and party music – not something you hear in a quiet bar or elevator.

This 1965 album’s softer flute and acoustic guitar styling were slower than expected and may eventually put you to sleep. The talent of the artist, as heard in a selection of songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, as well as the main theme to From Russia With Love, is evident, even without the intensity of Matt Munro’s vocals on the original soundtrack.

67. Gary McFarland – Soft Samba

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’ve got one more day of listening to music featured in Dr. No!

Founded in 1918 as a producer of amateur radio equipment, Chicago Radio Labs incorporated as Zenith Radio Company in the 1920s. The rebranding to “Zenith” came from a contraction of the creator’s ham radio call sign, ‘9ZN’. This moniker was used until the 1980s when the company expanded into computers and many kinds of electronic devices, becoming “Zenith Electronics Corporation,” which lasted until the late 90s when the company became a subsidiary of LG Electronics. Decades before Zenith invented subscription television, the modern TV remote control, or developed the first HDTV in North America, they presented this 10 LP set for the company’s 50th anniversary, meant to be played on their sound equipment.

This album features a compilation of tracks from both Broadway productions and motion pictures. While it’s not too strange to hear these two mediums on the same playlist, as many major plays and musicals are later adapted for the big screen (and now occasionally the other way around), this is the first time I’ve seen an album deliberately make this combination.

With multiple tracks featuring the vocals of Matt Munro and Peggy Lee, as well as “Tonight” from West Side Story, the piece that got my attention was, of course, The James Bond Theme, composed by Jimmie Haskell. Haskell’s varied career spanned over six decades, as he is known for things like composing the theme for ‘The Hollywood Squares’, and arranging for a multitude of artists, including Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow, and even Weird Al. Haskell’s band isn’t quite as bombastic in their version of this piece from Dr. No, but it is memorable, nonetheless.

66. Zenith Presents The Best Of The Great Hits From Stage And Screen

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Today, from the Bond on Vinyl archives, we’re still listening to music featured in Dr. No!

Like yesterday’s featured artist, the England-born Frank Chacksfield was also active in WWII. Chacksfield was not nearly as close to the frontlines. He was a pianist and later an arranger for an armed forces entertainment troupe called ‘Stars in Battledress’.

Following the war, Chacksfield went on to write several chart-topping songs and was eventually signed by Decca Records, becoming even more well-known as one of Britain’s best orchestra leaders at the time, estimated to have sold more than 20 million albums worldwide.

Despite being known for easy-listening mood music, the renditions of classic film music played by Chacksfield’s Orchestra on this album pack quite the punch, from Ennio Morricone’s theme from ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” to Mozart, and finally back to a lively version of The James Bond Theme.

Technically, this inclusion of the James Bond Theme could be attached to Goldfinger, or any of the five James Bond soundtracks already released at the time, but we’re going to associate it with the original appearance in Dr. No., as neither the cover nor the record label is any more specific than reading “James Bond.”

65. Frank Chacksfield And His Orchestra – Film Festival