The 7 Best (And 1 Worst) James Bond Theme Songs

There are certain things that we can always count on when it comes to movies. There will always be controversy with the Oscars, movie stars are almost always full of themselves, and James Bond will always return. With the release of the 23rd Bond movie next month, Skyfall, I thought why not have a little fun and look back at 23 "official" movies and 50 years of Bond in our culture? The James Bond franchise may be my favorite of all time. While there are some terrible movies in the series (*cough* Die Another Day *cough*), I think that kind of adds to the history and reputation of the films. Time has proven that no matter how bad the movies get, people will always come out to see a James Bond movie. So, I'm going to be looking back on some of the funner things in the movies: the gadgets, the cars, the villains, and of course, the Bond girls. Each list will be 7 items long, because...come on, do I really have to say why? Today, I'm going to list my favorite Bond theme songs. Some of these are more appealing to my taste, but I think it'd be hard to argue with most of the choices I made to this list. First though, it's only appropriate to start with what I think is the worst theme song of them all, coming from maybe the worst Bond movie ever.

The Worst:

Madonna: "Die Another Day" - Die Another Day

Now, don't get me wrong, Madonna is a great singer, with some of the best pop hits from the last 25-30 years, but here, the techno beat and lyrics just come off as boring and really, really annoying. It's more of a Madonna rip off than an actual Madonna song. The music video is even worse, trying to play on the torture scene and the fencing match in the movie, but the whole thing is just a mess. Madonna is capable of a lot better than this, which, to me, is why it's so disappointing and downright awful.

Okay, on to the 7 best.

7) Carly Simon: "Nobody Does it Better" - The Spy Who Loved Me

Arguably one of the better love songs ever recorded, it's odd to find it as the theme for a James Bond movie. An interesting note is that this was the first time the title of the theme song wasn't the title of the Bond movie. The song even got nominated for an Oscar. Simon has a great voice, and I still hear this one on the radio from time to time.

6) Jack White and Alicia Keys: "Another Way to Die" - Quantum of Solace



It's probably one of the strangest pairings for a duet in a long time, but White and Keys are able to blend their two very different musical styles together to make not just a great Bond theme, but a great tune as well. Keys' R&B piano compliments White's guitar riffs really well. The hook of the lyrics, "Someone that you think that you can trust is just another way to die", is really fitting for the movie considering the end of Casino Royale and the lead into Quantum.

5) Shirley Bassey: "Goldfinger" - Goldfinger

I don't think Bond theme songs would be as critical to a James Bond movie today if it wasn't for this one. Bordering the line between cheesy and serious, Bassey's amazing voice makes up for the corny-yet-fun lyrics. That opening hook is so memorable, that it may never be topped. 

4) Adele: "Skyfall" - Skyfall

The movie's not even out yet; hell, the whole song was just released yesterday. Still, this is how you do a Bond theme. I love the Bond songs that find a cool way to work in the movie's title, and this is one of my favorite songs that does it. Adele is probably the best musician working today, and her bluesy tones and great lyric writing are a perfect fit for a Bond movie. Can she do the next one, too?

3) Duran Duran: "A View to a Kill" - A View to a Kill

Okay, I know, this is basically all the best and worst things about 80's music wrapped up in one 4 minute package, but come on, how can you not like this song? To this day it is the only Bond song to hit #1 on the Billboard charts. Although I'm not a big fan of Roger Moore's Bond, he brought a much lighter tone to the character and is the longest tenured actor to portray 007. This theme fits right in with the fun aspect of a Bond movie. It's classic 80's, and classic Bond.

2) Shirley Bassey: "Diamonds Are Forever" - Diamonds Are Forever



Bassey makes her second appearance singing what many people consider the best Bond theme. Singers like Adele and Tina Turner have Bassey to thank for her three great Bond themes. I had a hard time deciding which of her songs should be at #2, because they're both great in their own ways. Her third theme, "Moonraker", is another good one. When you think of Bond theme songs, you think of Shirley Bassey.

1) Paul McCartney and Wings: "Live and Let Die" - Live and Let Die

It's a Beatle, singing a James Bond song. How can this not be #1? Even the Guns N' Roses cover is great. There was really no way McCartney could have screwed this up, but the fact that it came out as well as it did is even better. When you make not just the best Bond song of all time, but one of your own best songs ever, you know it's something special. Nothing will ever top this one.

So there you go, my favorite James Bond songs. There are no doubt going to be more songs in the future, but I think it will be very hard to crack this list. What do you think is the best Bond song? Is there one I missed out on? Comment below; let me know!