Shirley Bassey should do the them song for Skyfall!!

Here's proof that she still has it!!

Dame Shirley Bassey performing Diamonds Are Forever at The Queen's Diamond Jubilee BBC Concert June 2012

OK I'm convinced. I vote yes. She's already crooned my two favourite Bond themes (GF and DAF), so if she's got another in her - go for it.

Man she can sure still sing. That songs always give me chills, it's so moving. Best part of DAF imo is the Sean-on-rampage/welcome-to-hell-Blofled pts followed by the deft transition ( the cat) to Bassey's brilliance over the titles. You get your money's worth right there. The rest of the movie is bonus. Like going to a Rolling Stones concert. I always get my full money's worth with the first song, as they always come out blazing, raw and energized.

There is a reason why Dame Bassey is the only singer to have sang more than one Bond Theme song.

Don't forget MR too!

j7wild wrote:

There is a reason why Dame Bassey is the only singer to have sang more than one Bond Theme song.

Don't forget MR too!

MR is a little further down my list. I have the Bassey inspired TMWTGG ranked 3rd. I've got a few others ahead of MR, notably LALD, FYEO, TB, YOLT.

TMWTGG?

That was horrible!

Who's strangling the cat?

j7wild wrote:

TMWTGG?

That was horrible!

Who's strangling the cat?

Lulu is my second favourite Bond singer next to Dame Bassey Such power in those lungs!

tiffanywint wrote:

j7wild wrote:

There is a reason why Dame Bassey is the only singer to have sang more than one Bond Theme song.

Don't forget MR too!

MR is a little further down my list. I have the Bassey inspired TMWTGG ranked 3rd. I've got a few others ahead of MR, notably LALD, FYEO, TB, YOLT.

Agreed on DAF. But MR is absolutely gorgeous! I feel like I am floating through space and experiencing the universe in my mind's eye.

The chorus: I've seen your smile in a thousand dreams,
Felt your touch and it always seems,
You love me,
You love me."

When the melody goes up for "it always seems" and the way she says "You Love Me", my goodness, what beauty! This is one of those moments in all the songs I have ever heard in my life that just gets me at the core. Leaves me speechless everytime.

Having Bassey perform the theme for the fiftheith anniversary for the sake of having Bassey perform the theme for the fiftheith anniversary sounds like a recipie for disaster. It was that same self-indulgent approach that turned DIE ANOTHER DAY into an unmitigated disaster.

The person who ultimately performs the theme should be the best person available to perform it. Sentimentality is only going to fuck it up.

They should get William Hung and William Shatner to do the theme song. It'll be so obviously trying to be so bad it's good that it'll be so bad which will make it good.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Having Bassey perform the theme for the fiftheith anniversary for the sake of having Bassey perform the theme for the fiftheith anniversary sounds like a recipie for disaster. It was that same self-indulgent approach that turned DIE ANOTHER DAY into an unmitigated disaster.

The person who ultimately performs the theme should be the best person available to perform it. Sentimentality is only going to fuck it up.

There wasn't ANYONE involved with the production of DAD as iconic to the series as Shirley Bassey. It was nothing but cheap replicas, lazy costume homages, and recycled plot devices--not one single actor or crewmember from classic era Bond involved. Casino Royale featured Tsai Chin, who was also in YOLT--that was way more impressive than any cheap anniversary gag DAD had to offer.

Shirley Bassey is the real deal. Having her do the theme would be good, because she would do a great job! It would be like having Maurice Binder do titles (if he were still alive) or Ken Adam design a set (if he was willing and able). I can't see any objection to that.

SKYFALL is a Bond film from 2012. Get someone contemporary.

Largo's Shark wrote:

SKYFALL is a Bond film from 2012. Get someone contemporary.

You could have said the same thing about MR or GE though...those turned out alright if you ask me.

FG Wells wrote:

There wasn't ANYONE involved with the production of DAD as iconic to the series as Shirley Bassey. It was nothing but cheap replicas, lazy costume homages, and recycled plot devices--not one single actor or crewmember from classic era Bond involved.

Fuck being "iconic". It's overrated. Especially for the sake of it, which is exactly what you're asking for.

FG Wells wrote:

Shirley Bassey is the real deal. Having her do the theme would be good, because she would do a great job!

You can't guarantee that. At all. In fact, your attitude of "this is a good idea, it can't fail!" is probably what led to DAD in the first place. Sure, in retrospect, the film sucked - but at the time, EON probably thought it was a good idea.

If Bassey is to perform the theme, then she should perform the theme because she is the best person to perform the theme. Her previous presence within the Bond franchise shouldn't be a factor in making the decision.

FG Wells wrote:

It would be like having Maurice Binder do titles (if he were still alive) or Ken Adam design a set (if he was willing and able). I can't see any objection to that.

You clearly missed the discussion the other day about how Binder ran out of ideas late in his tenure.

I'm not asking for iconic for the sake of iconic.

I'm saying Bassey was integral part of what made 3 classic Bond films great. Her cv is impressive. From what was discussed above, yes, she still has it, she can still carry a tune in her distinct way that always reminds my ears of Bond. Can we guarantee it will be great? Of course not

I'm just of the opinion, that, yes she is the best person to perform the theme because of her past performances and the fact she can still sing well. Tina Turner did a fine job with GE, but perhaps she wasn't the most relevant singer for the job at the time.

As far as Binder, ok perhaps that is a bad example. But Bassey, hasn't sung as many as Binder, and if she's still on her game it would be nice to bring her back.

No.

FG Wells wrote:

I'm saying Bassey was integral part of what made 3 classic Bond films great.

Um,, what?

She performed the title theme, which is about as far removed from the actual film as possible, because it's the interlude that allows for the credits to be shown. I hardly think you can pin the success of those films on Bassey and Bassey alone considering that direction, editing, cinematography, the acting, production design, the script and the score were all far more important than Bassey's themes. If you mute her themes for those films, they're not lesser films for it.

Shirley you can't be serious!

Nah, actually wouldn't mind Bassey all that much. Can't be worse than SCOOT SHOOT SLICK FINGAH YOUR MAJESTY.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

FG Wells wrote:

I'm saying Bassey was integral part of what made 3 classic Bond films great.

Um,, what?

She performed the title theme, which is about as far removed from the actual film as possible, because it's the interlude that allows for the credits to be shown. I hardly think you can pin the success of those films on Bassey and Bassey alone considering that direction, editing, cinematography, the acting, production design, the script and the score were all far more important than Bassey's themes. If you mute her themes for those films, they're not lesser films for it.

I disagree. Bond films are all about spectacle. The Title sequence and the theme song is a hallmark of Bond. Goldfinger would still be Goldfinger the film. But Bassey's theme song is a part of what we remember from the movie. It's part of the atmosphere. Take out the theme song and something is missing.

I appreciate your perspective. Makes me think about it in a different way I hadn't.

I'd be alright with Bassey doing the job.

I wouldn't mind Adele, either, just to see where she could take the theme.

Instead of looking back and grabbing something iconic from an era long gone I'd like the Bond series to actually make something today that will become iconic for the series in retrospect. Meaning, don't look back, be bold and move forward with something fresh.

FG Wells wrote:

Agreed on DAF. But MR is absolutely gorgeous! I feel like I am floating through space and experiencing the universe in my mind's eye.

The chorus: I've seen your smile in a thousand dreams,
Felt your touch and it always seems,
You love me,
You love me."

When the melody goes up for "it always seems" and the way she says "You Love Me", my goodness, what beauty! This is one of those moments in all the songs I have ever heard in my life that just gets me at the core. Leaves me speechless everytime.

MR is an awesome song of course. I've got it ranked pretty high, it's just I've got a few others ahead of it. Actually, all the Bond themes, right up to AVTAK I think are gold, with possible exception of All Time High, which IMO is strong silver. I enjoy the Bond title tracks post AVTAK as well, but collectively I can't rate them as high as the classics from the Sean/Rog era. John Barry's disappearance post TLD probably has to much to do with this.

FG Wells wrote:

I'm not asking for iconic for the sake of iconic.
I'm saying Bassey was integral part of what made 3 classic Bond films great. Her cv is impressive. From what was discussed above, yes, she still has it, she can still carry a tune in her distinct way that always reminds my ears of Bond. Can we guarantee it will be great? Of course not
I'm just of the opinion, that, yes she is the best person to perform the theme because of her past performances and the fact she can still sing well. Tina Turner did a fine job with GE, but perhaps she wasn't the most relevant singer for the job at the time.

Agree wholeheartedly. Bassey is a huge part of both GF and DAF. In fact her contributions are hilights of both films, and her contribution to MR is substantial as well. If fact from my experience, mentioning either GF or DAF to casual movie fans, who like their Bond, they often come right back, singing the Bassey themes at you. The title refrains from those two films, have stuck in a lot of people's heads over the years.

I would full support her singing SF theme, if she's up to it. As we see from the opening post video, she can still belt out a tune. That in itself qualifies her. For that reason she is at least worth considering.

FG Wells wrote:

But Bassey's theme song is a part of what we remember from the movie. It's part of the atmosphere. Take out the theme song and something is missing.

That still doesn't make Bassey's theme the element that makes or breaks the film, as you implied in your initial post.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

FG Wells wrote:

But Bassey's theme song is a part of what we remember from the movie. It's part of the atmosphere. Take out the theme song and something is missing.

That still doesn't make Bassey's theme the element that makes or breaks the film, as you implied in your initial post.

I don't think he was trying to say that. I think rather he was saying that Bassey's contributions are a big part of the films. Just as its hard to imagine The Graduate without the iconic Simon and Garfunkle theme, Mrs. Robinson. Many filmgoers might recall the theme, before they remember who the lead actors were, Hoffman and Bancroft.

But who wrote the themes? It wasn't Shirley.

Largo's Shark wrote:

But who wrote the themes? It wasn't Shirley.

Good point. Would a new Bassey theme have the same clout minus Barry?