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Posted: |
Jun 2, 2020 - 6:25 AM
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By: |
PollyAnna
(Member)
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Ref: A View To A Kill and The Living Daylights, as the question has come up.
They weren't the same as the previous songs.
Previously, John Barry would write the music, a lyricist would add a lyric, and a singer would sing, all under John Barry's direction.
John Barry was very much the author of the music of those songs, the melody, the counterpoint, etc., and very much the director of the final product.
With the two 'band' songs, it didn't work that way.
The bands essentially wrote the songs themselves, at least to a rough level.
There may have been some supervisory input from Barry, and there may have been some polishing from the rough to the refined with John Barry, who may or may not have worked with the bands to enhance the melodies and counterpoint the bands were coming up with.
I suspect that might be a bit more true of A View To A Kill than The Living Daylights, in which A-ha and Barry pointed at each other and said, "That guy isn't working with me on this."
The one thing Barry definitely did do on both songs is he definitely wrote the orchestral augmentation track that added the extra lustre and Bond-ness to those songs.
So, Barry clearly made a discernible contribution to the final versions of those songs, but the essential core of these songs belongs more to the bands, I think.
Cheers
Thanks Stephen for clearing that up! It makes a lot of sense. Thanks also to Follow Me for his contribution, As for "All Time High", beautiful melody by Barry that stands the test of time.
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Rita Coolidge had a big fan named Barbara Broccoli.
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Rita Coolidge had a big fan named Barbara Broccoli.
That says it all, lol.
She certainly never made a dent in the UK carts and I don't recall her ever even appearing on any variety show here of the kind that she would have back in the day (Des O'Connor that kind of thing). I do remember seeing albums in the record shops that she did with Kris Kristopherson who she was married to for a time.
But I still thing the actual song was ok. The Barry part alone is great and miles better than something like The Man With the Golden Gun. Classier in all respects including the sweet vocal. And that's no disrespect to Lulu who I like on other songs. So it's nowhere near the bottom in terms of preference. For starters I prefer it to either of the Bassey songs after Goldfinger. It has a very pleasant melody and sounds, as I said, plush. Was very pleasantly surprised when I finally heard it.
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If 'All Time High' appeared in any other movie, it would be considered bland and unassuming but fine. In a Bond movie, it just kinda lacks everything you expect without bringing something to it you never knew you wanted. It's really only remembered because it is a James Bond song.
I agree with this. Not one Barry's best efforts. It's got the three "B's"; banal, boring and bland. It frankly, but me to sleep.
Why in god's name did they chose Rita Coolidge?! She wasn't exactly a "hit" singer.
Jay Cox
It is pretty bland and forgettable but pleasant enough. I suppose it is unique as it's the only Bond song with a lyric by Tim Rice. I'm pretty sure he said he submitted numerous lyrics for it and they went with this one but I might be misremembering.
It was a selection of titles, because the title Octopussy negated it's use as a word in song lyrics. As said here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Time_High
I have to say that if true, Cubby's idea to have Laura Branigan might have made a bit more of a dent in the the UK charts...
But I really take issue with this idea that the song is bland. It has a hook. It has a lovely melody with Barry's trademark strings. Something that many others including For Your Eyes Only don't. In fact I find THAT one really bland. No hook, a melody that falls flat to my ears, and no Barry sound, all of which equals no Bond sound..
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Posted: |
Jun 3, 2020 - 8:59 AM
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By: |
Thomas
(Member)
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If 'All Time High' appeared in any other movie, it would be considered bland and unassuming but fine. In a Bond movie, it just kinda lacks everything you expect without bringing something to it you never knew you wanted. It's really only remembered because it is a James Bond song.
I agree with this. Not one Barry's best efforts. It's got the three "B's"; banal, boring and bland. It frankly, but me to sleep.
Why in god's name did they chose Rita Coolidge?! She wasn't exactly a "hit" singer.
Jay Cox
It is pretty bland and forgettable but pleasant enough. I suppose it is unique as it's the only Bond song with a lyric by Tim Rice. I'm pretty sure he said he submitted numerous lyrics for it and they went with this one but I might be misremembering.
It was a selection of titles, because the title Octopussy negated it's use as a word in song lyrics. As said here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Time_High
I have to say that if true, Cubby's idea to have Laura Branigan might have made a bit more of a dent in the the UK charts...
But I really take issue with this idea that the song is bland. It has a hook. It has a lovely melody with Barry's trademark strings. Something that many others including For Your Eyes Only don't. In fact I find THAT one really bland. No hook, a melody that falls flat to my ears, and no Barry sound, all of which equals no Bond sound..
I agree with you regarding For Your Eyes Only which always sounds like a by the numbers pop tune to me with nothing discernable about it at all.
All Time High perhaps not bland then, as it does have that melody, but not the most exciting tune either.
Definitely agree regarding Laura Branigan, might have made more of it.
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Barry's best songs were always the ones where he was being innovative, following nothing but his own instincts--there were really no precedents for the songs Goldfinger,
It's Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse's lyrics that make the song work. ; )
In fact sometimes I think the version sung by Newley is more evocative than that sung by Shirley Bassey.
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I like the song, as I do most of the Bond songs, but I think that the melody works like gangbusters in the film thanks to John Barry's string arrangements.
Chris
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