What's your favourite track from the soundtracks which is not a song?

I know that there is a similar threat existent, but it has run dry in 2013.

I love soundtracks in general and was wondering what might be your favourite track. For me it is the beginning of Thomas Newman's Komodo Dragon. I just love this interweaving of the Bond-theme with a Skyfall - variation. With all those violins it might be a perfect love - theme, but it isn't, which makes it even more fascinating. It does not even accompany a girl on screen, but Bond.

It's hard to pick just one track considering the library of tracks, so I'll narrow down one each from the composers.

Norman: The little cue when Bond arrives back from the casino. Beautifully retro with a touch of mystery.

Barry: The Whyte House
Not a conventional Bondian track but it's so damn cool. This is tough given the amount of quality work he's done, but The Whyte House/Airport Source first sprang to mind with Try and Diamonds Are Forever (source material). 

Martin: Boat Chase was the first thing that popped in mind because of the LALD theme, but so many funky tracks that I love, too. 

Hamlisch: Bond 77. His best contribution to the Bond series by a long shot. Not big on his efforts in the film, overall. 

Conti: Ski... Shoot... Jump. Love his work in the series but this is the perfect track. Atmospheric and accompanies one of Moore's finest moments in the series. The piano and percussion feel like a match made in espionage heaven. And it then leads into Runaway, which should get a special mention. 

Kamen: I love a lot of the quieter moments in this soundtrack, but I can't go past his awesome rendition of the Bond theme. Licence Revoked, I believe. The only soundtrack I can't seem to get my hands on, unfortunately, so unsure of the name. 

Serra: I really like his sound for the film - Overture establishes the post Cold War vibe of the film and lends the movie a distinguishable soundtrack. But That's What Keeps You Alone is such a beautifully melodic and evocative piece that I'll have to pick that. 

Arnold: Like Barry, this is a tough one. Helicopter Ride I've always loved, but also Paris and Bond and Wai Lin and Elektra's Themes. Body Double sprang to mind, also, as well as Kiss of Life, and his alternative Wheelchair Access. Lots to choose from, but I'll settle for Helicopter Ride. 

Newman: I like the start of Komodo Dragon as well, but I'll go with Shanghai Drive. Tennyson was great too.

Escape from Piz Gloria, On Her Majesty's Secret Service

then Journey to Blofeld's Hideaway and Ski Chase, OHMSS

Escape from Piz Gloria still ratchets up the tension as Bond gets ready for the off, then the re-use of the OHMSS theme and all the way down that mountain.

A handful off the top of my head:

Thank you! Listening to so many different tracks at a time makes me marvel again how every decade incorporated the Bond theme in its own respective predominant style of music...I think you could match them to their decades even if you didn't look up the track titles, films etc.

Good choices CJB. Both the action and romantic cues in AVTAK are amongst Barry's finest work in the series. Wine With Stacey is gorgeous. 

Kath wrote:

Thank you! Listening to so many different tracks at a time makes me marvel again how every decade incorporated the Bond theme in its own respective predominant style of music...I think you could match them to their decades even if you didn't look up the track titles, films etc.

Indeed. Which is why the Craig era music has been disappointing on the whole. Everything sounds so sterile and further exacerbated by not using the Bond theme. As CJB posted, one of Arnold's finest tracks is Welcome to Cuba, and the reason (in my opinion) is because the cultural flavour, the colour and vitality and of course it being melodic. Newman's efforts (and it's not just his Bond scores) mostly feel like ambient noises as opposed to music (save for a handful of tracks).

AVTAK's score is probably the best thing about it. Overall, I'm disposed towards the 80's soundtracks given I view the pop music of the era as the high point of recent decades.

Newman's efforts have, thus far, been sterile and forgettable. Can't really remember much outside of this from Skyfall:



And even that sounds, at best, like something you'd hear when you're on hold with an insurance company.

Tennyson was good too, but even then it felt like it was done before:



Whole track is good, but listen to the Everything or Nothing one from about 2m38. 

Heidi Klum's Cameltoe or Nothing.

If I'm generous, I'd also give a nod to Newman for the first minute here:



But, really, that was just the classic formula of weaving in elements of the Bond Theme plus the title track.

Ahhh, Exercise At Gibraltar ... fine piece of action scoring for one of the best pre-credits sequences in the franchise. And Welcome To Cuba is almost enough to have one seeking out a salsa class.

Brosnan cruising in a convertible to those Caribbean beats almost brought back memories of Connery in Thunderball.

Five minutes thereafter Jinx was eyefucking Bond's crotch. Mood spoiled.

FieldsMan wrote:

Indeed. Which is why the Craig era music has been disappointing on the whole. Everything sounds so sterile and further exacerbated by not using the Bond theme. As CJB posted, one of Arnold's finest tracks is Welcome to Cuba, and the reason (in my opinion) is because the cultural flavour, the colour and vitality and of course it being melodic. Newman's efforts (and it's not just his Bond scores) mostly feel like ambient noises as opposed to music (save for a handful of tracks).

I must admit that I love Newman's scores. Some of them are similar to what Taylor Bates has created for Atomic Blonde. These tracks really often sound like background noises; but this helps largely to create a disturbing effect. Bates' tracks are supposed to bolster a film which is about distrust and danger. Not to mention that it takes place short of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Most of all, it is spy fiction; so it is no surprise to me that Newman's Bondian scores sound similar. (Actually, it is the other way round because Newman's tracks are actually older than Bates'.)
I actually love this dream-like quality of the whole scene when he observes Patrize. The music, the blue colours, the gigantic jellyfish projected on the glass surface. The reflections...It's artistic without serving a purpose. Just a touch of art in the Bond franchise.
And I actually love all of those tracks you have posted. You can't ruin the Craig movies for me.

Now I just wonder, talking about Tennyson, why we have Tennyson in SF at all. It somehow strikes me as odd, that M decides to quote poetry when several agents are dead, the MI 6 building has been blown up and there are severe security leaks in their system. I am not sure what to think of this...It is befitting and it is not befitting.

CJB wrote:

nd even that sounds, at best, like something you'd hear when you're on hold with an insurance company.

If I get that from an insurance company I'd put down the receiver.^^ Doesn't sound very reassuring and friendly to me...

CJB wrote:

Newman's efforts have, thus far, been sterile and forgettable. Can't really remember much outside of this from Skyfall

That's the one I meant: Komodo Dragon. Of course, it has to be said that Newman profits largely here from  Adele's composition.

BluntInstrument wrote:

Welcome To Cuba is almost enough to have one seeking out a salsa class.

I was about to write the same about a Zumba class.

FieldsMan wrote:

Good choices CJB. Both the action and romantic cues in AVTAK are amongst Barry's finest work in the series. Wine With Stacey is gorgeous. 

Kath wrote:

Thank you! Listening to so many different tracks at a time makes me marvel again how every decade incorporated the Bond theme in its own respective predominant style of music...I think you could match them to their decades even if you didn't look up the track titles, films etc.

Indeed. Which is why the Craig era music has been disappointing on the whole. Everything sounds so sterile and further exacerbated by not using the Bond theme. As CJB posted, one of Arnold's finest tracks is Welcome to Cuba, and the reason (in my opinion) is because the cultural flavour, the colour and vitality and of course it being melodic. Newman's efforts (and it's not just his Bond scores) mostly feel like ambient noises as opposed to music (save for a handful of tracks).

OHMSS does not involve the Bond theme either. I do not think that anyone would consider it "sterile".

OHMSS' main theme might not involve the Bond theme, but it does appear elsewhere in the film. When Bond goes to Quarterdeck, in his office, at the Battle for Piz Gloria. Unless I'm missing something.

You have no arguments from me about Skyfall's brilliance (except Craig is a weak link and Newsman's score is, on the whole, underwhelming), so you'll be glad to know I think very highly of those Shanghai sequence. The neon jellyfish is a wonderfull touch of bizarre that creates a great tone for the scene and the film. 

As for OHMSS, the soundtrack is littered with the Bond theme, as Hilly pointed, as the film points out! But the score is robust, even without the Bond theme. 'Try' is soulful and melodic - and something like that should have featured in CR. Unfortunately, it's not the case. Compare the genius of this track, to one from CR.

Virtually each film has tracks that are standout.

Thunderball with Street Chase (until OHMSS perhaps that one time Bond looks fearful of his life), Fiona's Death (the way the drum-beat suddenly comes from nowhere and stops when Fiona is shot), Underwater Mayhem (the fanfare when the Marines parachute in).

You Only Live Twice- Mountains and Sunsets, James Bond in Japan, James Bond, Ninja...

LALD- the Boat Chase (rendition of the theme as Bond turns the tables), Solitaire Gets Her Cards, Bond Meets Solitaire

TSWLM- The Tanker

Moonraker- Flight into Space

FYEO- Runaway, Drive in the Country

Octopussy- 009 Gets the Knife/Gorbinda Attacks

TLD- Koskov Escapes/Hercules Take Off, Ice Chase

LTK- Licence Revoked and other uses

TND- Company Car, Paris & Bond, All in a Day's Work

TWINE- 007 Come In, Your Number Is Up

DAD- Whiteout

Skyfall- Tennyson and others

...All of them...
I literally have every cue memorized and they spring to mind daily for no reason.

FieldsMan wrote:

You have no arguments from me about Skyfall's brilliance (except Craig is a weak link and Newsman's score is, on the whole, underwhelming), so you'll be glad to know I think very highly of those Shanghai sequence. The neon jellyfish is a wonderfull touch of bizarre that creates a great tone for the scene and the film. 

As for OHMSS, the soundtrack is littered with the Bond theme, as Hilly pointed, as the film points out! But the score is robust, even without the Bond theme. 'Try' is soulful and melodic - and something like that should have featured in CR. Unfortunately, it's not the case. Compare the genius of this track, to one from CR.

But the Bond theme is featured in SPECTRE, too. How many repetitions of the Bond theme do you need to make them count as quotes of the Bond theme?

Unfortunately the first video doesn't show anymore.

I am not glad or unhappy depending on whether someone prefers the Craig or the Brosnan films. Simply a matter of personal preference, isn't it? If we all liked the same stuff this place would be very boring.

There's a difference between Newman performing Arnold's CR rendition of the Bond theme, and allowing the Bond theme to weave in and out of the score. If you listen to Serra's "Overture" or Arnold's "Come In 007, Your Time Is Up", you'll hear the Bond theme (and Garbage's theme for the latter) amongst an original piece. That doesn't happen in Newman's scores. That doesn't happen all that much either in CR or QOS either (it does feature in Blunt Instrument, and many consider that to be the standout of that soundtrack. Interesting, that.). 

I'll concede and say for SPECTRE, the music in the opening sequence is probably the best in that film, since it features a new take on the Bond theme. But then it just disappears for the rest of the film.

FieldsMan wrote:

There's a difference between Newman performing Arnold's CR rendition of the Bond theme, and allowing the Bond theme to weave in and out of the score. If you listen to Serra's "Overture" or Arnold's "Come In 007, Your Time Is Up", you'll hear the Bond theme (and Garbage's theme for the latter) amongst an original piece. That doesn't happen in Newman's scores. That doesn't happen all that much either in CR or QOS either (it does feature in Blunt Instrument, and many consider that to be the standout of that soundtrack. Interesting, that.). 

I'll concede and say for SPECTRE, the music in the opening sequence is probably the best in that film, since it features a new take on the Bond theme. But then it just disappears for the rest of the film.

I think we had agreed that it does happen in "Komodo Dragon", the track I had started the thread with? It is a combination of the Bond theme with "Skyfall". And that was dismissed as not very creative?
So it is still a question of frequency? I am not sure if I can follow you.

As for the Bond theme in Skyfall, like it's use in Enquiry. Perfect tonic after Tennyson's brilliance.

Kath wrote:

FieldsMan wrote:

There's a difference between Newman performing Arnold's CR rendition of the Bond theme, and allowing the Bond theme to weave in and out of the score. If you listen to Serra's "Overture" or Arnold's "Come In 007, Your Time Is Up", you'll hear the Bond theme (and Garbage's theme for the latter) amongst an original piece. That doesn't happen in Newman's scores. That doesn't happen all that much either in CR or QOS either (it does feature in Blunt Instrument, and many consider that to be the standout of that soundtrack. Interesting, that.). 

I'll concede and say for SPECTRE, the music in the opening sequence is probably the best in that film, since it features a new take on the Bond theme. But then it just disappears for the rest of the film.

I think we had agreed that it does happen in "Komodo Dragon", the track I had started the thread with? It is a combination of the Bond theme with "Skyfall". And that was dismissed as not very creative?
So it is still a question of frequency? I am not sure if I can follow you.

It is a question of frequency. I want to know I'm watching a Bond film, though sometimes, given it being the Craig era, I can forget that - hard to tell when the protagonist can be something out of any generic new wave Neeson knock off. 

Komodo Dragon is a highlight of the score, but it's fleeting in the longest film in the series. 

Compared to TND, the Bond theme pops up in:

White Knight
"Backseat Driver" (PTS)
Bond's drive to MI6
Car briefing
Airport scenes
Hamburg Break In
After Kaufman's death
Backseat Driver
Helicopter Ride
Bike Case
Tricky Spot for 007
All In A Day's Work.

in SF:

Komodo Dragon
Breadcrumbs
Gunbarrel. 

Maybe the Q scene, too?

Sure TND uses it quite a lot (Helicopter Ride, features it very briefly) but it's effortless. Not to mention Surrender is weaved in and out of the soundtrack through in many of the tracks mentioned above, plus Wai Lin's theme, whereas we only ever here Skyfall briefly in the aforementioned Komodo Dragon track.

Got to like Airport Source, seems to have this classy sleazy sound.

As for Skyfall, Fields

aside from the tracks you list. I believe the theme crops up in:

Grand Bazaar, Istanbul (towards end, hints)
The Bloody Shot
Brave New World (the Q scene is at the start)
Granborough Road (climax)
Enquiry
She's Mine (final minute)

Erica Ambler wrote:

Just oozes 70's era Vegas. Barry was truly a master of his craft.