James Bond IGN's Theme Song Wish List

[JAMESHOT]

10 artists we'd like to see tackle the sonic side of the film franchise.

http://music.ign.com/articles/873/873779p1.html


May 13, 2008 - Given the recent news that Amy Winehouse, who was chosen to compose the latest James Bond theme song for the forthcoming Quantum Of Solace, is bowing out due to personal problems, we here at IGN Music started ruminating about whom we would like to hear tackle a Bond theme song.

First off we couldn't actually believe they had tapped Winehouse to do the song. Then again it stays in tune with the sad state of Bond theme song affairs for the past two decades. Rather than pick an artist who is appropriate for the source material those in charge of music have been picking the flavor of the day, attempting to re-popularize Bond by attaching name brand musicians to the films. In terms of Winehouse, her trailer trash take on Billie Holiday is nothing more than a novelty, which the Bond films are not. And her continued substance abuse problems smack of rock 'n roll cliché (though we do hope that she is able to lick them and get on with her life in a healthy manner). If the Bond folks were so hell bent on going the popular superstar route yet again, then they might as well have snagged Lily Allen fer Pete's sake ...

Looking at the last several Bond theme songs as examples of what is horribly wrong with the franchise from a musical perspective, we realized several things about the sonic side of the longest running film franchise in history. For starters, even though there has been 21 Bond films to date, very few of the attached theme songs are instantly memorable. In fact, a quick survey of IGN editors yielded that the most memorable theme songs for us were "Live and Let Die," "Goldfinger," and "Nobody Does It Better."

Further hackneyed statistical "research" brought us to the conclusion that the most memorable (and often best) Bond themes were sung by native Brits (Sir Paul, Duran Duran) and Welsh (Dame Shirley, Tom Jones). The most forgettable and blasé of the Bond themes have been performed by uber popular artists (Madonna, Chris Cornell, Sheryl Crow) who never really seemed to get a grasp on what made the previous Bond themes so classic.

A successful Bond theme must be comprised of several components; chief amongst them is a rich sense of intensity and subdued menace. It must be calm, cool, collected, but ready to explode at the drop of a Walther PPK. What this means is that there should be some kind of orchestral richness to the track, coupled with just the right amount of rock 'n roll swagger. Like Bond himself the perfect theme song will be both debonair and deadly. Bassey perfected it. McCartney nailed it. Even Yank Carley Simon knew what time it was.

Sadly the Bond theme song began to slip around the time that bands like A-Ha were being tapped to perform the deed. And even the aforementioned superstars weren't able to raise the bar (hell, most of them managed to drop the bar or lose it altogether). Which is why the time is night to re-ignite the musical aspect of the Bond films. Daniel Craig brought a blast of fresh air into the character with Casino Royale. Now the franchise needs to find the music to match the new, improved Bond.

With this in mind we came up with a shortlist of 10 artists whom we feel would bring the noise, so to speak, to the Bond films. Perhaps the good folks diligently putting the finishing touches on Quantum Of Solace will take heed and find an appropriate replacement for Ms. Winehouse.



James Bond Theme Song Wish List


10. David Bowie
Okay, so the Thin White Duke may be getting a little over-the-hill within the context of modern music, plus given the dismal offering of the similarly chameleonic Lady Madonna a few films ago the act of bringing an aging musical icon into the Bond theme song mix could be a dicey affair. That said, if teamed with the right producer (say, Brian Eno or Danger Mouse, perhaps?) and given the right vibe, Bowie could turn out a stellar piece.
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9. Opeth
We know that we stressed that the best of the Bond theme songs over the years have been delivered by native Brits and Welsh musicians, but these Swedes might be a worthy exception. The band has mastered the nuances of progressive metal, blending melodic orchestral touches with grinding teeth intensity. Their blend of aural shock and awe would be a prefect fit to the cool yet deadly contradiction that is James Bond.
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8. UNKLE
James Lavelle has been perfecting his brand of richly textured pop music over the course of 14 years. Lavelle's tenure as the founder of Mo' Wax Records, along with his years of DJing have given him a wonderful ear when it comes to retro chic sounds (i.e. dark jazz, orchestral pop, and ambient tone poems). While a number of vocal collaborators have come and gone through the ranks of UNKLE, we'll go with Gavin Clark, who appeared on UNKLE's most recent release, War Stories. Clark's delicately commanding vocals would add that perfect balance of manliness and melancholy that is often a running thread in the life of James Bond.

7. Kanye West
We're actually amazed that the Bond franchise has never swung into the realm of hip-hop influenced music. Now while something along the lines of hardcore rap might not be the best fit for the suave and manly deeds of everybody's favorite secret agent, something a little lighter and more melodic would definitely fit the bill. As much as I personally cannot click with Mr. West or his music, his Burt Bacharach of Rap sonic stylings would be perfect for a Bond theme.
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6. Tricky
Some of you might be scratching your heads and saying "Tricky?" Sure, we thought of his Massive Attack compatriots, but we settled on the Tricky Kid because of his smoky timbre and darker sound. Granted Tricky's music since Pre-Millennium Tension has gotten perkier with each successive offering, but his production stylings are still intriguing and full of sonic contrast. Additionally his rough hewn manner seems to blend in with Bond's personality.
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5. M.I.A.
Although of Sri Lankan descent, M.I.A. was bred in the rough regions of London, thus she's quintessentially British, both in thought and deed. Her music also reflects the global unrest and kinetic multi-culturalism of the U.K., which is something that the Bond films have always touched upon in their own way. Most importantly, M.I.A. has that right mixture of sexuality and brashness, making her the perfect musical femme fatale to counterpoint Bond's secret agent exploits.
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4. Elbow
This is our black sheep entry. While nowhere as well-known as the bulk of our choices here, Manchester based Elbow definitely have the musical goods to crank out an epic and memorable theme song. In case you have any doubts just revisit some of their stellar tracks such as "Forget Myself," "Little Beast," "Ribcage," "Fallen Angel," "Bones of You," or "Audience With The Pope" for a sense of their richly textured brilliance and undeniable British slant.

3. Goldfrapp
This electronically minded duo from London have managed to carve out their own niche with delicate and often orchestrally minded little ditties that burrow themselves into your soul and memory with surprising ease. Alison Goldfrapp's voice is delicately commanding, suggesting a hidden sensuality and assured vibrancy that every Bond song needs to percolate with. Treading a line between classic feminine frailty and modern day liberation is something that Goldfrapp has mastered and as such it would aid them in crafting a memorable Bond tune.
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2. Gorillaz
Damon Albarn and his rotating cast of like-minded musical souls have enough eccentricity laced amongst themselves to dish out any number of stylistic convergences. This is what would make them a wonderful choice for a Bond theme song. But we're choosing them for their undulating undercurrent and trip-hop oriented groove attitude. An orchestrally saturated post-modern funk take would be perfect and nobody could do that better than Gorillaz.
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1. Portishead
This is a veritable no-brainer. In fact we don't fully understand why Portishead haven't already logged a James Bond theme song into the annals of their already distinguished career. The band's debut platter, 1994's Dummy was so steeped in John Barry inspired spy themology that it's a wonder they were never pegged to supply a track to the franchise. Now, with the band back in action after an 11 year recording hiatus, it would be the perfect time to enlist the services of Beth Gibbons, Geoff Barrow, and Adrian Utley.
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Honorary Mentions

Radiohead
Kylie Minogue
Bloc Party
Rhianna
Oasis
Paul Weller
Massive Attack
Kasabian
Ozzy Osbourne
Nas
Mos-Def
Kool Keith
Mike Jones
Jonathan Davis
Maynard James Keenan
Trent Reznor
Robert Plant
Andrew Stockdale
Eddie Vedder
Bjork
Ann Wilson
Delores O'Riordan
Terri Nunn
Joan Jett
Debbie Harry
The Sword
Justice
Jake Shimabukuro, the "Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele."
Timbaland with Justin Timberlake
Iio
Ida Corr
Paula Abdul
Crystal Waters
Luvli
Madison Avenue
Britney Spears
The Go! Team
Scarlett Johansson
Ladytron
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Shiny Toy Guns
The Killers
Franz Ferdinand
Bono
Sinead O'Connor

[Drax]

I personally think this list is average.

I'd love a theme with no singing, only a symphony!