From Radiohead to Blondie: Every rejected ‘James Bond’ theme song
When Ian Fleming had his first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, published in 1952, little did he know that his creative embers would work their way into an immortal inferno. His literary canon offered 12 James Bond novels and two additional short stories, but it was the film adaptions that started a cultural phenomenon.
Producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman purchased the filming rights to Fleming’s novels in 1961 and made haste to create the first film adaption for 007, 1962’s Dr. No. Over the 1960s, Scottish actor Sean Connery starred in the first five James Bond films, bringing the franchise into full stride approaching the 1970s and beyond.
The tales of espionage struck a chord with audiences globally, thanks to the action-packed plots and recurring, often comical traits, such as Bond’s “Shaken, not stirred” line or his flirtatious rapport with Miss Moneypenny. One of the other comforting recurrences in the franchise is a musical title sequence, usually concluded with Bond aiming down a gun barrel camera view and opening fire.
After the popularity of Dr. No, musicians would compete fiercely for the James Bond theme song as one might for a Christmas number one. Over the decades, we’ve heard standout theme tunes from huge names such as Paul McCartney, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Louis Armstrong, Adele and Billie Eilish. Sadly, along the way, producers had to reject a number of artists when multiple stellar options were presented.
As seen below, the most contentious soundtrack race was for 1965’s Thunderball, the franchise’s fourth instalment. As we now know, Welsh singer Tom Jones beat off the rivalry, but in the run-up to the film, Dionne Warwick was initially earmarked to sing a title song called ‘Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’.
Concerns were raised over Warwick’s delivery following her studio session, prompting a re-recording voiced by Shirley Bassey, who had previously offered her lungs to Goldfinger. Bassey’s brilliant version was subsequently abandoned when United Artists requested that the theme song contain the film’s title in the lyrics.
At this juncture, Johnny Cash offered his ‘Thunderball’, which was rejected in favour of Jones’ more fitting theme track of the same name.
Below, we present a playlist of the hopeful James Bond theme songs that have sadly been rejected over the years.
Every rejected James Bond theme song:
- Johnny Cash – ‘Thunderball’
- Dionne Warwick – ‘Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (Thunderball)
- Shirley Bassey – ‘Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (Thunderball)
- Julie Rogers – ‘You Only Live Twice’
- Lorraine Chandler – ‘You Only Live Twice’
- Alice Cooper – ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’
- Blondie – ‘For Your Eyes Only’
- Phyllis Hyman – ‘Never Say Never Again’
- Pet Shop Boys – ‘The Living Daylights’
- Ace of Base – ‘GoldenEye’
- Pulp – ‘Tomorrow Never Lies’ (Tomorrow Never Dies)
- Saint Etienne – ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’
- Swan Lee – ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’
- KD Lang – ‘Surrender’ (Tomorrow Never Dies)
- Straw – ‘The World Is Not Enough’
- Shirley Bassey – ‘No Good About Goodbye’ (Quantum of Solace)
- Muse – ‘Supremacy’ (Skyfall)
- Radiohead – ‘Spectre’
- Skylar Grey – ‘I’m A Soldier’ (No Time To Die)
