The Early Voice of Bond Theme Songs
If you’ve heard the lilting title song to Goldfinger and wondered if the same singer followed up with the themes to Diamonds are Forever and Moonraker, you have a very astute ear! All themes were sung by multi-award winning Welsh singer Shirley Bassey. Awards include acknowledgement by the EMI awarding her for her 20-years as a recording artist as well as being decorated with the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) honors in 2000. And when it comes to her 1964 United Artists single for the theme from Goldfinger, that was also recognized in 2008 when it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. For those of you who have been drawn to her voice from the moment you heard its seductive quality on the Goldfinger theme, you’ll be pleased to know she recorded a new album in 2009 with James Bond composer David Arnold as a co-producer along with Mike Dixon. Several prominent artists like Manic Street Preachers, KT Tunstall, the Pet Shop Boys and Nick Hodgson (of the Kaiser Chiefs) contributed to the song writing of the album titled The Performance. Reviewers of the album have commented that it includes many tracks that could have easily been “Bond themes,” so you may want to check it out.