Thom reviewed The music of James Bond by Jon Burlingame
Review of 'The music of James Bond' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Well researched examination of Bond film music, including the famous songs. Covers Dr. No to Quantum of Solace, and also includes Never Say Never Again and 1967's Casino Royale. A good read.
An updated version with the last 3 films would be nice, but this book comes to a nice closure with the death of the legendary John Barry. His work on Bond films (and so many others) defines the era. Each film has pages of discussion into choosing or composing the title song, options for the singer and a few photos. My favorites were when the artist had a special song poster for their work. At the bottom of the page runs a separate section detailing all the music in the film, including the occasional in-jokes and sporadic bad choices (California Girls).
I read this over a month, taking time for each film. In many cases, I cued up …
Well researched examination of Bond film music, including the famous songs. Covers Dr. No to Quantum of Solace, and also includes Never Say Never Again and 1967's Casino Royale. A good read.
An updated version with the last 3 films would be nice, but this book comes to a nice closure with the death of the legendary John Barry. His work on Bond films (and so many others) defines the era. Each film has pages of discussion into choosing or composing the title song, options for the singer and a few photos. My favorites were when the artist had a special song poster for their work. At the bottom of the page runs a separate section detailing all the music in the film, including the occasional in-jokes and sporadic bad choices (California Girls).
I read this over a month, taking time for each film. In many cases, I cued up the opening sequence to appreciate the title song anew. Somewhat difficult to find, but definitely worth reading.