Channel 4's Bond music documentary

The CatThe Cat Where Blofeld is!Posts: 711MI6 Agent
Check out this program when it will air. I worked a little on it, and you'll hear some rare tunes during the show. ;)

Saturday 18 November
James Bond’s Greatest Hits
Channel 4, 8.00pm

To coincide with the release of new Bond movie Casino Royale, this film celebrates the music which has always been key to the mystique and glamour of the Bond phenomenon. From Shirley Bassey to Sheena Easton, John Barry to Paul McCartney, and Moby to Madonna, James Bond’s Greatest Hits covers every 007 film since the calypso Three Blind Mice ushered in Dr No in 1962. James Bond’s Greatest Hits tells the stories behind the nation’s favourite Bond songs, as voted for in a nationwide MORI poll. Will viewers favour old-school favourites like Goldfinger and the famous twangy-guitar James Bond Theme over more modern Bond anthems like Madonna’s Die Another Day? And what about the Bond themes that didn’t make it? The film uncovers efforts by everyone from Blondie to Alice Cooper, which didn’t make the final cut. James Bond’s Greatest Hits includes the first John Barry interview – in nearly a decade – on his peerless Bond repertoire, as well as contributions from other key figures in Bond’s musical heritage, including Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Monty Norman, Lesley Bricusse, Don Black, Nancy Sinatra, Duran Duran and A-Ha.
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Comments

  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,344Chief of Staff
    Sounds good, Cat, thanks for the heads-up!
  • Mark HazardMark Hazard West Midlands, UKPosts: 495MI6 Agent
    The Cat wrote:
    Check out this program when it will air. I worked a little on it, and you'll hear some rare tunes during the show. ;)

    Saturday 18 November
    James Bond’s Greatest Hits
    Channel 4, 8.00pm

    To coincide with the release of new Bond movie Casino Royale, this film celebrates the music ....

    Just checked the tv listings in todays Night & Day Live Magazine (Mail on Sunday), where it lists a different (although still on Saturday) time slot: 9.25 - 11.30

    Two hours of Bond music - great!

    Is the Barry-Norman spat covered, or are they playing safe and leaving it out?
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,344Chief of Staff
    Is the Barry-Norman spat covered, or are they playing safe and leaving it out?

    It's a safe bet that they'll either leave it out or gloss over it with careful editing, as previous Bond music documentaries have done. I'd love to be wrong, though!
  • The CatThe Cat Where Blofeld is!Posts: 711MI6 Agent
    Will check out the listings, that's the official promo I was sent... But the Norman-Barry stuff bores everybody to death now. :p This program will focus on the singers and the songs.
  • KissyLoverKissyLover AustraliaPosts: 139MI6 Agent
    Quoting: The Cat
    Check out this program when it will air. I worked a little on it, and you'll hear some rare tunes during the show.

    Saturday 18 November
    James Bond’s Greatest Hits
    Channel 4, 8.00pm

    To coincide with the release of new Bond movie Casino Royale, this film celebrates the music ....

    This show sounds like it will be great...hope someone over here decides to buy this for either cable or free to air tv in Australia :)....if not i'll be most disappointed. :'(
  • the headlightthe headlight Posts: 26MI6 Agent
    I hope its good. The documentary with one of the DVDs wasnt very comprehensive and I hate when some songs don't even get a mention!
  • spectre7spectre7 LondonPosts: 118MI6 Agent
    OK I'll be watching this tonight, and looking for your name on the credits (if it's there) . . . but I get the impression it's about the songs only. Surely they're not going to forget about the scores, which are just as important?
  • The CatThe Cat Where Blofeld is!Posts: 711MI6 Agent
    spectre7 wrote:
    OK I'll be watching this tonight, and looking for your name on the credits (if it's there) . . . but I get the impression it's about the songs only. Surely they're not going to forget about the scores, which are just as important?

    I think it's about the songs only. I know I supplied about a dozen or so rare songs to the production, but no score. If you want to know about the scores, buy my book. :p And I don't know whether my name will be in the credits, so keep peeling your eyes for it and let me know. :)
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,714MI6 Agent
    The Cat wrote:
    But the Norman-Barry stuff bores everybody to death now. :p

    Probably best they don't ask him- in a radio interview on Radio 2 a few weeks ago he said that he and Don Black had written the Bond theme :o
  • Golrush007Golrush007 South AfricaPosts: 3,421Quartermasters
    I look forward to seeing this tonight. Is it at 8pm or at 9.25pm? According to all the info I've seen it is 9.25.
    Hopefully there will some mention of the scores, even if the focus is on the title songs. The scores and title themes go hand in hand. Still, anything about Bond music is fantastic!!
  • The CatThe Cat Where Blofeld is!Posts: 711MI6 Agent
    Golrush007 wrote:
    I look forward to seeing this tonight. Is it at 8pm or at 9.25pm? According to all the info I've seen it is 9.25.

    Well, the official infor I was sent said 8:00, but believe the newspaper instead, they are a lot fresh - I was handed this info weeks ago and things might have changed. :)
  • The CatThe Cat Where Blofeld is!Posts: 711MI6 Agent
    Mitch wrote:
    IT'S DEFINATELY ON @: 9.25PM :)

    Okay folks, 9.25 it is. Keep checking the names. :D
  • Golrush007Golrush007 South AfricaPosts: 3,421Quartermasters
    edited November 2006
    The Cat wrote:
    If you want to know about the scores, buy my book. :p

    You have written a book on Bond music? Where can I find a copy? It sounds fascinating. . .
  • The CatThe Cat Where Blofeld is!Posts: 711MI6 Agent
    Golrush007 wrote:
    The Cat wrote:
    If you want to know about the scores, buy my book. :p

    You have written a book on Bond music? Where can I find a copy? It sounds fascinating. . .

    Let's call this advanced promotion, okay? ;) Wait till next year. :p
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,714MI6 Agent
    My bet is on either Goldfinger or Live and Let Die for number 1.

    I'll go for Live and Let Die.
  • Golrush007Golrush007 South AfricaPosts: 3,421Quartermasters
    I am surprised that the James Bond Theme only made it in at number 8. I hope GF is no1 with LALD as runner up, followed by NDIB.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,344Chief of Staff
    Golrush007 wrote:
    The Cat wrote:
    If you want to know about the scores, buy my book. :p

    You have written a book on Bond music? Where can I find a copy? It sounds fascinating. . .

    It is. The Cat's done a great job!

    Am watching the TV show right now- they did exactly what I thought would be done re the Bond Theme; JB's remarks were kept to the bare minimum.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,344Chief of Staff
    Cat, I take it the early version of FYEO came from you?
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,714MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    Am watching the TV show right now- they did exactly what I thought would be done re the Bond Theme; JB's remarks were kept to the bare minimum.

    Well considering his comments on Radio 2 recently where he said he co-wrote it with Don Black (!) that's understandable!
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,344Chief of Staff
    :) Oh, yes; writs not wanted!
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,344Chief of Staff
    So, DAF at no. 2 and GF at no. 1, then. Can't quarrel with that! John Barry's perfect music and Shirley Bassey's incandescent voice together.
  • the headlightthe headlight Posts: 26MI6 Agent
    Oh wow, what a terrible list.
    TWINE, TLD and AVTAK all criminally underplaced. and Die Another Day at like 9 or something wasn't it!? Who the heck voted for this poll? It was terrible! AHHH! It makes me so mad how weird this list was. Never mind the predictable no1 in Goldfinger 8-)
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,344Chief of Staff
    Never mind the predictable no1 in Goldfinger 8-)

    It's also predictable that Tuesday follows Monday, that Christmas is on December 25th, and that 2+2=4. :p Nothing to be done about it, it's just one of those things!

    Hey Cat, I checked the end credits- no luck 8-)!
  • the headlightthe headlight Posts: 26MI6 Agent
    And wait, who actually would have voted for "From Russia With Love?"
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,714MI6 Agent
    Well; they went for the natural winner rather than a surprise one, which I wasn't expecting!

    How utterly ridiculous was that Goldfinger performance?! The woman is utterly bizarre and totally OTT! If Shatner was a woman and could actually sing...
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,344Chief of Staff
    And wait, who actually would have voted for "From Russia With Love?"

    I suppose that would depend to a large degree on the age of the people asked.
  • The CatThe Cat Where Blofeld is!Posts: 711MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    Cat, I take it the early version of FYEO came from you?

    Yup. I offered them too actually. Guess they must have went with the stranger one. Oh well, at least I'm paid well and get a DVD as well. :)
  • Mark65Mark65 Posts: 21MI6 Agent
    I thought the programme 'James Bond's Greatest Hits' last night was great. No words of praise are too high for the editing of this show and the overall assessment of the music of the Bond films. Where to start? Well I think I learned something new about almost every Bond theme - especially the fact that John Barry had such a difficult working relationship with Harry Saltzman over the years. He also struggled to work with the bands Duran Duran and A-ha during the recording of their songs in 1985/87.

    Goldfinger was polled as being the best theme of them all but personally my favourite will always be 'Nobody Does It Better'. Closely followed by 'We Have All The Time In The World'.

    Great stuff!

    Cheers,

    Mark
  • Tilly Masterson 007Tilly Masterson 007 UKPosts: 1,472MI6 Agent
    Not a bad programme.

    Did anyone notice that Geoffrey Palmer narrated? ;)
  • emtiememtiem SurreyPosts: 5,714MI6 Agent
    It was good; didn't hold back from some of the fractious moments (and I never thought I'd hear St.Ettienne's TND n the telly!) although it did suffer slightly from not speaking to McCartney, Tom Jones or any of the people involved with the Brosnan songs. Shirley Bassey only appeared in what looked like a library interview, although it was quite fun to hear her being described as a sh*t! And the feller who produced Licence To Kill was pleasingly nuts!
    Shame they didn't mention Kiss Kiss Bang Bang or Clapton, but I suppose even two hours isn't enough.
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