The David Arnold James Bond Project
January 19, 1998
Whoever played James Bond the best tends not to be much of a debate between fans of the character’s super-spy films. That’s mainly because the Bond portrayals played by later actors couldn’t hold the athletic supporter of the smooth and cool Sean Connery.
What has been less arguable, but just as consistent to the movie series as Bond shagging every lead female character, is the energetic potency of the title songs that kick off each film.
One artist to hear the songs for all they are worth and maybe too much more is musician/songwriter/producer/arranger David Arnold. He has solicited the help of popular and rising musical acts to record 11 of the 18 Bond movie theme songs on the new compilation album Shaken and Stirred.
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With the exception of Aimee Mann emulating Carly Simon’s Nobody Does It Better from The Spy Who Loved Me, the remainder of the remakes fall short of the mark.
Chrissie Hynde offers a solid run through on Paul McCartney’s Live and Let Die, but how many times can a good song get redone for no discernible reason?
Think of these takes as closer to the caliber of Octopussy and License to Kill than Goldfinger or From Russia With Love.
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