For 27 movies, James Bond has been accompanied by some of the biggest names in music of their time, and all-time. Shirley Bassey, Louis Armstrong, a-ha, Nancy Sinatra, Jack White and Alicia Keys, Duran Duran, Madonna, Adele, and Billie Eilish are just a sample of the massive names who have created songs. Songs like “Goldfinger” by 3-time Bond theme legend Shirley Bassey, “Goldeneye”, performed by Tina Turner and written by Bono and The Edge, or “Live and Let Die”, written by Paul McCartney & Wings, “Nobody Does It Better” by Carlie Simon, are iconic unto themselves. And then there is “Skyfall” by Adele, considered by many to be the greatest Bond theme of all-time. And of course, there are some absolutely terrible theme songs.
Bond theme songs are snapshots of the time they were released (think “A View To Kill” by Duran Duran (1985), or “Thunderball” by Tom Jones (1965)). Many of them integrate the iconic John Barry Bond cinematic score or the scores of their individual film composers. The theme song for a James Bond movie is a feather in the cap that many musical artists have aspired to. But, there have been plenty of alternative songs that didn’t make the cut, including some discarded ones that are baffling in their being turned down in favor of the song that made the cut.
These are the standouts from the unused theme songs.
7 Alice Cooper - "The Man With The Golden Gun" (The Man With The Golden Gun (1974))
Alice Cooper is not the most obvious candidate for a James Bond theme, and that’s partly why this one didn’t make the cut. But, credit to Cooper for a very Cooper-take upon the theme to The Man With The Golden Gun. In 1974, the glam rock era of Cooper was in high-swing, and giving him a go at a theme matches the times. The song has full-on Halloween-novelty, orchestral, and glam-rock elements. So much so, that it’s almost bad, until the chorus kicks in, and you think, “Ya know what? This is fine. Let Alice Cooper loose!”
6 Ace of Base - "Goldeneye" (Goldeneye (1995))
Every time there is a relaunch with a new actor portraying James Bond, there’s a certain expectation that the first film takes a fresh approach. The theme usually fits that requirement as well. When Goldeneye came out in 1995, Ace of Base were owning the pop charts. Their inclusion as a theme writer made lots of sense. However, the song was pulled when their label feared the movie may flop and affect the band. They later re-worked the song under the name “The Juvenile”, which was released as a single.
5 Johnny Cash - "Thunderball" (Thunderball (1965))
Thunderball, the fourth in the franchise, holds a special distinction from a musical perspective. The theme was given a runaround before the final song was chosen and performed by Tom Jones. Jones’ song became extremely popular, but it overshadowed an opportunity for Johnny Cash to release his take on a theme. This one seems way more inline for a country Western, but it’s a unique and a very Cash-like take. It is the polar opposite of Jones’ song, and a fun game of “what if?” to consider.
4 Blondie - "For Your Eyes Only" (For Your Eyes Only (1981))
Debbie Harry, lead singer and songwriter of Blondie, was hired by film composer Bill Conti to write the theme song. However, Harry became upset that Conti wouldn’t allow Blondie to write and record an original song. This version would eventually find its way onto their 1982 album, The Hunter. The theme of For Your Eyes Only would then be sung by Sheena Easton, which has a completely different feel - and frankly, isn't great, when compared to this Blondie song.
3 Muse - "Supremacy" (Skyfall (2012))
For as long as fans can remember, Muse has never shied away from epic, orchestral elements to their songs, infused with their recognizable rock sound. This song is no different. While this was not pitched by Bond producers to be a theme, Muse drummer, Dom Howard made the push for it. It’s impossible not to hear Bond elements in it, and it of course, absolutely rocks as a Muse song. While producers used “Skyfall” by Adele (the absolutely correct choice), Muse’s take is a fun one.
2 Dionne Warwick/ Shirley Bassey - "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" (Thunderball (1965))
As mentioned earlier, the twists and turns around the production of a Thunderball theme were abundant. None more so than the original theme, "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang." Originally recorded by Shirley Bassey, the track ended up being shorter than the opening credits. So, producers called in Warwick to re-record it, since Bassey was unavailable. Except then, producers worried that the theme needed to have the name of the film within it, leading to Tom Jones and his iconic take, which made this incredible song a relic of the past.
1 Radiohead - Spectre (Spectre (2015))
“The Writing’s On The Wall” by Sam Smith, the theme for Spectre is not bad. In fact, it won an Academy Award for Best Song, and it was a hit on the charts. But, what a travesty to have missed a Radiohead song as the theme! Filmmakers approached Radiohead to write a song, and the band submitted an unused song from the 1990s. Producers rejected this because it wouldn’t qualify for an Academy Award nomination, so Radiohead hit back and delivered this incredible track. However, producers felt this was too melancholy, and rejected it. From their perspective, this switch to Smith worked (awards!) but as a fan, we all missed a wondrous Radiohead moment on the big screen.