The (00) 7 Best James Bond Theme Songs

Followers of my blog are aware that I’ve been blogging on each and every James Bond film with my thoughts on them all for the past month and a half. It will culminate this week when Skyfall is released on Blu Ray. Following my blog post on that picture, I will write a post ranking every 007 movie from #1 to #23.

In the meantime, all that Bond watching has given me an opportunity to hear every James Bond theme song that plays over the opening credits. So today seems like an appropriate time to share with you my favorites of the 007 theme songs… and even it’s even more appropriate to pick seven of them. So without further adieu, the (00) 7 Best James Bond Theme Songs picked by yours truly.

7. “Diamonds Are Forever” – performed by Shirley Bassey

This is not Shirley Bassey’s first James Bond theme song or her last (she would return for 1979’s Moonraker). While her first 007 theme will rank higher, this song is a memorable Bond theme… and be used later in a Kanye West sample. Great work from Bassey, though not quite her best.

6. “You Only Live Twice” – performed by Nancy Sinatra

From the Chairman of the Board’s daughter comes this lush theme. It definitely sticks in your head and was sampled later by Robbie Williams for his terrific song “Millenium”. 

5. “A View to a Kill” – performed by Duran Duran

Not one of the best 007 movies, but definitely a fantastic theme song. Performed by Duran Duran (a “boy” band who happened to make brilliant pop music in the 80s), this happens to be the only Bond theme I’ve seen performed live.

4. “Skyfall” – performed by Adele

There was a long break between great theme songs… about twenty seven years to be exact between A View to a Kill and this. There were some decent ones (The World Is Not Enough by Garbage, You Don’t Know My Name from Casino Royale by Chris Cornell) and some bad to mediocre ones (Sheryl Crow’s Tomorrow Never Dies, Madonna’s Die Another Day). With the 2012 Bond and Skyfall, the marriage of Adele and Bond theme seemed like a perfect idea the moment it was announced. And it was.

3. “Nobody Does It Better” – performed by Carly Simon

From one of the very best Bond pictures, 1977’s The Spy Who Loved Me, comes this classic Bond theme. With its wonderful piano arrangement and Carly Simon’s vocals, this epitomizes what’s special about 007 music.

2. “Live and Let Die” – performed by Paul McCartney and Wings

Seems like a natural fit to have someone from Britain’s most famous band do a theme song for Britain’s most famous film character. The result is this classic song.

1. “Goldfinger” – performed by Shirley Bassey

The theme song that every other Bond song is measured against… and there’s a reason for it. From the moment those classic strings come in and Shirley Bassey starts singing, “Goldfinger” takes its place as the quintessential 007 tune.

So there you have it – my favorite 007 theme songs! My thoughts on Skyfall are coming soon, my friends, along with my ultimate rankings of all 007 movies!