How the hell did Tom Jones' crappy song get chosen over this? - Thunderball (1965) Discussion

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Jack_Krauser 15 years ago

We'll have to agree to disagree about Tom Jones but you're right about the Bassey version,it is better than Warwick's!

I was half joking with the Johnny Cash song although it's a masterpiece when compared to some of the recent Bond songs.

Thought I was havin' trouble with my adding. It's all right now

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[–] DC1977 15 years ago

I don't particularly like Tom Jones' song but it's better than Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. I also think calling Bond that trivialises the character.

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[–] DC1977 15 years ago

As for Shirley Bassey's version, I think it would have been better than Warwick's if she had just sung the song instead of 'performed' it.

Bassey's got a marvellous voice but for me she has an annoying tendency of spoiling songs by trying to over-perform and show off. That's why I prefer Warwick's version.

But that's just my opinion...

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[–] gusrox 15 years ago

I thought the Tom Jones version was Shirley Bassey.

How do you tell them apart?

Dick, this is nuts.

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[–] DC1977 15 years ago

Eh????

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[–] Imthemanonthesilvermountain 15 years ago

Nothing against Johnny Cash, but his thunderball doesn't fit Bond at all.

99% of the moviegoing public hasn't seen the 16 minute Avatar preview

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[–] MichaelM24 14 years ago

Of those three, I think Tom Jones' is the best. I don't care for the Dionne Warwick one, and the Johnny Cash one (while kind of cool in a way) is just way too country for a Bond movie. From the sound of it, it belongs in a western instead of an action-adventure film like Bond.

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[–] ringfire211 14 years ago

Agreed on Johnny Cash. Love the guy. Love the song. But completely inappropriate for a Bond film.

Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!

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[–] maxzorindresden 14 years ago

Not keen on KKBB or Jones' version (which seemed rushed) , YOLT was a better song imo.

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[–] TheSolarSailor 14 years ago

I am fine with Tom Jones' song Thunderball. I think it fits the film much MUCH better than Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang ever did. It lacks that "deep and dangerous" tone that another user mentioned. I love Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and prefer the Shirley Bassey version, but the song is simply not main title material. It was the right choice to replace it entirely. I wonder what Thunderball would have been like with Bassey singing it???

As for Johnny Cash, did he think Thunderball was a western or something? Yeesh.

- - - - - - -
Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

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[–] PurpleProseOfCairo 13 years ago

There was a story around at the time that Tom Jones fainted with the exertion of hitting the climactic note in Thunderball.

Awight we're The Daamned we're a punk baand and this is called Carn't Be Appy T'day!

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[–] clivey6 13 years ago

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was to be the main theme up until the last few weeks, when the producers got cold feet and wanted a song with the film's name in it, so John Barry came up with the somewhat workmanlike Thunderball. It meant changing the end of the pts a bit to tie in with the new song, it goes straight from the water jets into the main titles, whereas before you had a pan of the Aston driving away...

I've never heard of Johnny Cash being asked to come up with a song, this could almost be a joke, like Ringo's version of Goldfinger (look it up on youtube).

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[–] [email protected] 10 years ago

I heard an NPR interview with John Barry where the lyricist was having trouble with how to use the title, suggesting "S'Thunderball - s'marvelous..." (theme by George & Ira Gershwin!)

Somewhere I'd heard that Brian Wilson wrote 'Pet Sounds' as a Bond theme (unsolicited), and now I see it's true: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgoaQgwDxmY

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[–] chilidoggg (13053) 3 years ago

That's not a true story.

The true story is that his dick was so big, when he got an erection all the blood going down there would make him faint.

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[–] Nerd_in_Norway 11 years ago

The Johnny Cash-song would have been brilliant...

...If the hero was a US Marshall named Dallas Hoyt Bond and the villain an evil rancher named Wade Tex Largo, and the film starred John Wayne.

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[–] franzkabuki 11 years ago

I think the Jones track is one of the very best, most memorable Bond songs, a thing with a real sense of grandiosity that matches the film´s ambition to be bigger and grander than even the Fort Knox shenanigans from the previous year. It´s a pretty epic tune.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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[–] qormi 11 years ago

Thunderball and Goldfinger stand alone as the two best Bond themes songs.

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[–] franzkabuki 11 years ago

Both of them stand alone? Each in their own corner?

Just kidding. Either way, as far as Shirley Bassey Bond songs go, I think Diamonds Are Forever is the best.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

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[–] christomacin (4529) 4 years ago

The Top 10 Bond Songs:
"You Only Live Twice"
"Diamonds Are Forever"
"We Have All the Time in the World"
"Live and Let Die"
"Goldfinger"
"Nobody Does it Better"
"For Your Eyes Only"
"Thunderball"
"From Russia with Love"
"Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"

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[–] necoleman 10 years ago

I am formerly known as HillieBoliday......Member since May 2006:

I don't know about your ears?!!!

Tom Jones' version was spot on! The masculine, clear but signature hoarseness of his voice, not to mention his powerful delivery, was a PERFECT theme song for this movie! His phrasing, clear enunciation.....and....OMG.....the way he holds that note for 16 beats at the end is MOST IMPRESSIVE!!

If this was your first James Bond flick, the lyrics give you an immediate introduction as to how sexy, virile, smooth, suave, debonair and powerful his character is. Tom Jones literally tells "THEE" story of James Bond in this theme! The musical arrangment on this track speaks for itself...especially with the lead in of the horn section.....pure bliss!!

Johnny Cash????? I am a fan.....but Thank God they DID NOT choose that one!!

Shirley Bassey......I Love her for the JB themes that carry her brand.....but that was enough!

The strongest and iconic James Bond themes in my opinion are: "From Russia With Love," (Matt Munro); "Goldfinger," "Diamonds Are Forever," (Shirley Bassey); "Thunderball," (Tom Jones); and "License To Kill." (Gladys Knight). The rest of them, I'm sorry to say are very, very pale in comparison. You can't even understand what they are singing, their voices are weak with no dynamics, the music is mixed to high over the vocal tracks, etc.....and so......I fast forward through them!

TOM JONES ALONG WITH SEAN CONNERY/JAMES BOND......IS THUNDERBALL!!!

"OOhhhooo....I'M GON' TELL MAMA!"

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