James Bond's musical preference

Dmitri Mishkin

Sure we know Bond didn't exactly approve of The Beatles loudness but what would James Bond listen to? I'm thinking of '50s and '60s Bond. So maybe Charles Mingus? Would he enjoy the soundtrack to Casino Royale by Burt Bacharach?

I wanted to start a playlist of songs and artists the Bond of the novels would pause and listen to while lounging, sipping martinis and checking his hotel room. This could turn out to be an interesting thread for all of us to catch up on some classic lounge/jazz music.

So suggest something, a track, an album, and artist, and we can build our master playlist of martini tunes.

Napoleon Plural

The only one I know of is La Vie En Rose, from Casino Royale I think. Did Edith Piaf do it? I don't think Fleming was a musical person.

chrisno1

Definately La Vie En Rose, Piaf does it, so did Montand I think, and Grace Jones in 1977.
But it isn't Piaf's version he hears in DAF; Tiffany's portable turntable is playing an LP by George Feyer. Bond recognises an instrumental version of Feuilles Mortes but lifts the needle to skip La Vie En Rose.
This is the same song the band played in the nightclub before Vesper is kidnapped in CR: "Seduction dripped on the quietly throbbing air."
I don't recall any other Bond novels mentioning music wth such intensity. Pearson (who I am reading) suggests Bond's disaffection for La Vie En Rose occurs even earlier than Vesper.

Dmitri Mishkin

Interesting I am searching my music library to find the only occurrence of Feuilles Mortes is by Iggy Pop. )

Barbel

Dmitri Mishkin wrote:

Interesting I am searching my music library to find the only occurrence of Feuilles Mortes is by Iggy Pop. )

It's more commonly known in English by the title "Autumn Leaves", with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It's been recorded under that title by many singers, with Frank Sinatra's version being perhaps the most prominent (it's on his album Where Are You? )

Dmitri Mishkin

I noticed in Dr. No Bond mentions the song Take Her To Jamaica (Where The Rum Come From) when he first arrives in Jamaica. According to Allmusic it was recorded by Edmundo Ros and has appeared on a few compilations in the last 10 years. I'm going to have to track it down.

Napoleon Plural

In DAF he listens to George Feyer's Echoes in Paris, which has La Vie en Rose. It's piano music.

It's on eBay with More Echoes of Paris.

Google it with mi6.com as they have a feature on it.