Man with the Golden Gun Song

mooreisbest

I know the film is a bit shaky, in other words not great, and it had Mary Goodnight in it (enough said!)I think the song though is great. I play it more often than a lot of the Bond songs, the opening moments to it is, well, very cool, and I like the whole seedy sexy feel to it. To me it is the most honest Bond song cos they are really talking about sex, which is 50% of Bonds world (the other half being killing)

Anyone else love it?

Georgiboy

I guess your alone on this one. )

Sir Miles

Georgiboy wrote:

I guess your alone on this one. )

Not true - my son loves this song -{

7289

It's not on top of my list, but TMWTGG theme is leaps ahead of entries by "garbage" and "ma*onna"!

Jarvio

Never liked the song. Think it's one of the worst really. Better than the DAD song though.

TMWTGG film on the other hand is underrated. Not the best Bond film, but much, much better than it's song eh?

RogueAgent

TMWTGG is a great song and the movie is pretty good as well. A little madcap in places but I can sit through it without grimmacing much.

I won't say that the title track is a top 5 with me but I do play it often. Very on the cusp late 60- early 70s. Come to think of it, the entire score to that entry sounds good especially during Bond's chase of Scaramanga and Nick Nack.


IMO, Roger Moore's tenor had the coolest Bond tracks of all six 007s with Duran Duran's AVTAK leading the pack...

Harry Palmer

I think the song is awful (sorry!). It wins my "worst song" title by a comfortable margin and sounds better suited for a spoof than an actual Bond film (but then again, that puts in line with the rest of the film).

For your reference: my favourite is TWINE.

Hardyboy

To my mind, it's the worst song in the series, and it fails on every imaginable level.

Melody: Bouncy-bouncy-bouncy! Add those trumpets to the arrangement and this sounds like something better suited for a roller disco than a Bond film.

Lyric: Insipid. "No one can catch him / No hit man can match him / For his million-dollar skill." And "His eye may be on you or me / Who will he bang? / We shall see!" Oh, the subtlety! Oh, the complex allusions! Good grief--Dr. Seuss is far more creative and challenging.

Lulu: Was she trying to burst a blood vessel? And, my stars and garters, what were the producers thinking in even hiring her? Lulu's biggest hit was some ten years prior to this film, and--unlike Shirley Bassey or even Madonna--she's hardly been a perennial favorite. It would be like, today, Babs Broccoli saying, "Who should we get to sing the song for Bond 22? Anyone got Tiffany's number?" And just think--the producers could have had ALICE COOPER perform the song to TMWTGG, and they turned him down!

Oh, and since this thread belongs in the Music forum, I'm a-moving it. Carry on!

Gumbold

The song is superb, as is the film.

Barbel

RogueAgent wrote:

IMO, Roger Moore's tenor had the coolest Bond tracks...

Actually, he's more of a baritone than a tenor...;%

(Well, this is the Music Forum!)

Napoleon Plural

I met a girl in a pub who said that if you played this song to a woman you took home, she'd be stripped naked in 15 seconds.

Didn't get to test this theory (on her )

Moonraker 5

Hardyboy wrote:

Lulu: Was she trying to burst a blood vessel? And, my stars and garters, what were the producers thinking in even hiring her? Lulu's biggest hit was some ten years prior to this film, and--unlike Shirley Bassey or even Madonna--she's hardly been a perennial favorite.

Well, she worked for the supermarket chain Morrison's; she fronted their Christmas advertising campaign that's been credited for a record 9.5% growth in same-store sales! Granted, she didn't sing in it

It's not one of my favourite tracks, it would lull around the bottom of the list, but nor do I reach for the off button whenever it comes on. If I'm in the right frame of mind it's quite catchy.

I do agree that they were a bit barking to let Alice Cooper go though.

And that's an interesting theory NP heard... Might be worth trying, but I can see it having the complete opposite reaction as well! )

Alex

A marvelous harmony with a few choice corny lines. But yes, I bloody well love it.

And I so worship the ending refrain - "Have no fear, James Bond is here!" Makes you want to pump your fist in the air! (where's Jetset for backup when I need him?)

Napoleon Plural wrote:

I met a girl in a pub who said that if you played this song to a woman you took home, she'd be stripped naked in 15 seconds.)

That must have been my ex youse were conversing with.

jetsetwilly

I'm disturbed by the very deep, very real misunderstanding of the nature of Bond themes evident in this thread. For some reason, people are discussing TMWTGG's theme in terms of its "lyrics" and its "music", and in terms of the calibre of the "artist" performing it. You should be addressing this song using the very real criteria of great Bond themes i.e. they are camp nonsense who are at their best when they are insane songs sung about men with unhealthy metal fetishes (Goldfinger), line after line of innuendo (Nobody Does It Better, For Your Eyes Only, All Time High), with a title which is just a variation on a well known phrase with something lethal shoved into it (Live and Let Die, You Only Live Twice) - all of which is performed by someone you've heard of, naturally, but who you would have to think about to name a hit that wasn't a Bond theme, and you wouldn't actually admit to owning their album before the film came out (Shirley Bassey, Chris Cornell, Rita Coolidge).

On these criteria, and so many more, The Man With The Golden Gun is a triumph - nay, a classic of modern music.

For starters, there's the intro:

BADABADA-BUM! (Dener, dener)
BADABADA-BUM! (Dener, dener).

Repeat, only with more groovy wah-wah guitar.

It's punchy, it's powerful, and it whacks you in somewhere that probably isn't your solar plexus. When replayed within the context of the film, it's sublime; that massive opener single handledly resurrects interest in that somewhat flabby car chase/AMC advertisement towards the end. There's a lot of silence, then a single overhead shot with that pounding away - suddenly you're convinced that something interesting is happening (then JW Pepper turns up, and reality kicks in, but that's not John Barry's fault).

Second: Lulu. To our American colleagues, yes, perhaps she was a nobody; To Sir, With Love, and maybe Shout at a pinch, but in the UK, the woman's a legend. In 1974 she was fresh off the back of a hit cover version of The Man Who Sold The World which was simultaneously amazing and quite baffling, one which featured the backing vocals of Dame David Bowie himself; plus she was the face of dozens of BBC TV specials with names like It's Lulu! and Happening for Lulu!, where she performed in polyester and brie nylon. She was Edina Monsoon's only client ("I P.R., sweetie. People! Places! Concepts! Lulu!") And the woman won Eurovision in 1969 (ok it was a four way tie, but we all know who the real winner was) by singing the deep, heartfelt ballad Boom-Bang-A-Bang. She has since continued to dominate the British arts scene, with her Scottish accent, passion for botox, and love of anything that gets her face on telly. The woman is a national treasure, though more that film with Nicolas Cage than one that people actually care about. She is more than deserving of her place in the Bond pantheon, as a legend of popular music - certainly far more than Rita "Who?" Coolidge, Sheena "Big Time" Easton, or Chris "I was very popular in the early 90s" Cornell.

The woman undeniably possesses a fine pair of lungs, and she belts out the song like a banshee possessed; it takes your breath away.

The lyrics: yes, they're unsubtle smut. What's wrong with that? At least they make sense. (Quick; a steak dinner will be awarded to the first person who can explain what the lyrics to The Living Daylights actually mean. No, really. Take your time - we have all night). Through powerful, evocative imagery, Don Black evokes the true inspirational theme of The Man With The Golden Gun. He is an ruthless killer, hoping to murder his victims with his lethal golden gun. Of course, by "murder", I mean, "have sex with", and by "lethal golden gun", I mean "enormous ****". It's hardly a first - come on, Thunderball?

The ending - quite rightly Alex has alighted on this majestic moment in Bond history (even if he got the lyrics wrong, but I'm willing to let that slide because I'm not obsessive compulsive. Oh no.) To whit:

Goodnight, goodnight
Sleep well, my dear
No need to fear
James Bond is he-e-e-e-e-ere!!!!

Amazing. Be honest: if that had been at the end of Casino Royale you'd have all wet yourselves with excitement. I know I would. Even OHMSS would have been a bit jollier with that playing over Tracy's perforated corpse.

To summarise: The Man With The Golden Gun is a great song, in a truly unique way, and it's just wonderful. I would listen to this song a thousand times over if it meant I never had to listen to another insipid Bond ballad like For Your Eyes Only or All Time High; I want a Bond theme to climb off the screen, grab you by the eardrums and shake you, while some naked girlies gyrate in front of your eyes. On all these fronts, TMWTGG scores, and scores again, and I salute all who sail in her.

Barbel

jetsetwilly wrote:

performed by someone you've heard of, naturally, but who you would have to think about to name a hit that wasn't a Bond theme

Jsw, an inspired post and I back up almost everything you've said except for one little point- ie, the above. Naming a hit that wasn't a Bond song?

Nancy Sinatra- "These Boots Are Made For Walking" (her signature tune, and the first song that springs to mind when her name gets mentioned)

Louis Armstrong- the man was a legend! His Bond song was merely the climax to a long and illustrious career- I'm willing to bet "What A Wonderful World" or "Hello Dolly" outsold "We Have All The Time In The World", much as I love the song.

Tom Jones- "The Green, Green Grass Of Home" sold more than "Thunderball" as did other Jones songs. Still, that's not unusual... ;%

Carly Simon- "You're So Vain"

and above all...

PAUL McCARTNEY!!! Really, does anyone have to list HIS hits!

Alan_more

Barbel wrote:

jetsetwilly wrote:

performed by someone you've heard of, naturally, but who you would have to think about to name a hit that wasn't a Bond theme

Jsw, an inspired post and I back up almost everything you've said except for one little point- ie, the above. Naming a hit that wasn't a Bond song?

I will add to Barbel's list:

Matt Monro - Born Free
Lulu - To Sir with Love
Gladys Knight - I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Tina Turner - We Don't Need Another Hero

jetsetwilly

That is true. Carly Simon had "You're So Vain" and... something else, I'm sure. And Nancy Sinatra had, erm, that one with her dad, in something which was not nepotism at all. Born Free was after Bond though.

I am so wrong. I take back my entirely facetious remarks and consider myself chastened

Sir Hillary Bray

JSW, once again you have shown how you are nonpareil in rescuing the site from the doldrums (I can stomach only so many dumb Quantum of Solace rumours..."so many" in this case being zero!) For this, I can only say THANK YOU!

Your post inspired me to cue up my TMWTGG DVD, the only place I currently have the song available (this shall be rectified via Amazon.com forthwith).

And any post that weaves in a reference to Ab Fab immediately belongs in the pantheon of classics!

You da man! {[]

Barbel

jetsetwilly wrote:

I take back my entirely facetious remarks and consider myself chastened

Jet Set, are you sure you aren't founder of the Wink & Kid Appreciation Society?

Sir Hillary Bray

Barbel wrote:

Jet Set, are you sure you aren't founder of the Wink & Kid Appreciation Society?

) ) )
Very good!

Barbel

We aim to please!

RJJB

TMWTGG was a terrible song, but then I think with the exception of Moonraker, all the title songs from the Roger Moore movies were garbage.

delon64

i like the song but could never forgive lulu for serenading maggie thatcher on election night in 1979 and then discussing her anti union stance at a party conference during the miners strike...stick to the warbling and the toyboys dear

BarryFan

It's a paradox- I hate the song but really like the music (meaning the melody that dominates the score). It's frustrating, because the melody is so good and the song could've been so much better. But those lyrics- ugh! And the arrangement- it sounds like a 5 piece wedding band is performing it. Contrast that with the lush, string-sominated arrangements in the score, shich are great. And some of the better cues were left off the album, which is even worse...

037 Scaramanga

I like the movie mainly because of the Golden Gun, but i'm sorry to say the music and singing have got to go, in my opinion, it's the worst Bond song ever made.

ohmss1969

"all the title songs from the Roger Moore movies were garbage"

What...you're kidding ??

LALD (great rock song)
TSWLM (classic ballad)
Moonraker (romantic somg)
FYEO (ditto , very emotional & powerful)
OP (another fine one)
AVTAK (very 80s , but give it cred....#1 at US charts , prolly the first & only time it has happened...a milestone in Bond history simply !)

spectre7

John Barry's least favourite song. I think he'd rather work with A-ha again than listen to TMWTGG.

vilfrid

hi

what song is this?

Missing music
5. Bottoms up
?

http://us.geocities.com/bsarlald/pgoldg.html

ty

The Cat

That's an odd and vague queston. The musical cue referred to there as Bottoms Up is the music that plays at the Bottoms Up Club.

vilfrid

sorry that's my best english

I mean who's that artist who plays that song there ?

The Cat

There's no other artist involved, it's just part of the score like all the other cues in the picture.