Cover of the soundtrack of the film Dr. No, in which the "James Bond Theme" premiered. Dr No (1962 is the first Film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Sean Connery as British Secret Service agent It is written by Monty Norman and performed by John Barry & Orchestra. Monty Norman (born in London, UK on April 4, 1928) is a Singer and Film Composer best known for composing the John Barry, OBE (born John Barry Prendergast on 3 November 1933 in York, England) is a renowned Golden Globe and five-time Academy

The "James Bond Theme" is a jazz instrumental tune. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States It is the main signature theme of the James Bond films and is featured in every "official" (EON Productions) 007 film since Dr. The phrase theme music usually refers to that of a radio program, Television program, or Movie. James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story EON Productions is a film production company known for producing the James Bond film series. No in one form or another. The piece was used as a sort of introductory fanfare in conjunction with the gun barrel sequence in every James Bond film except the 2006 version of Casino Royale and Dr. A fanfare is a short piece of Music played by Trumpets and other Brass instruments frequently accompanied by percussion, usually for The James Bond gun barrel sequence is the traditional opening to every official ( EON Productions) James Bond movie, beginning with the first film Dr The year 2006 in film involved some significant events Releases of sequels took place with Superman Returns, Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Man's Chest Casino Royale ( 2006) is the twenty-first film in the James Bond series; it is directed by Martin Campbell and the first to star No, the latter using it as the main title track after the gun barrel, and the former in the end credits.

The "James Bond Theme" has been used as part of the actual opening credit sequence only twice, as part of the medley that opens Dr. No and then again in the opening credits of From Russia with Love. From Russia with Love, released in 1963 is the second Film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Sean Connery as It has been used as music over the end credits for Dr.No, Thunderball, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, The World Is Not Enough and most recently for Casino Royale in 2006. Dr No (1962 is the first Film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Sean Connery as British Secret Service agent Thunderball (1965 is the fourth Spy film of the British James Bond series, and the fourth to star Sean Connery as the On Her Majesty's Secret Service, released in 1969, is the sixth Spy film in the James Bond series, and the only one to star George The World Is Not Enough is a 1999 film&mdashthe nineteenth entry in the James Bond series, and the third to star Pierce Brosnan as

Monty Norman has been credited with writing the "James Bond Theme", and has received royalties since 1962. Monty Norman (born in London, UK on April 4, 1928) is a Singer and Film Composer best known for composing the Royalties (sometimes running royalties) are usage-based payments made by one party (the "licensee" to another (the "licensor" for ongoing use of an The year 1962 in film involved some significant events Events Dr For Dr. No, the tune was orchestrated by John Barry who would later go on to compose the soundtracks for eleven James Bond films. Orchestration is the study or practice of writing Music for Orchestra (or more loosely for any Musical ensemble) or of adapting for orchestra music composed Courts have ruled twice that the theme was written by Monty Norman despite claims and testimony by Barry that he had actually written the theme. Monty Norman (born in London, UK on April 4, 1928) is a Singer and Film Composer best known for composing the Norman has consequently won two libel actions against publishers for claiming that Barry wrote the theme, most recently against The Sunday Times in 2001. The Sunday Times is a Sunday Broadsheet Newspaper distributed in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It is generally acknowledged that Barry came up with the arrangement used in Dr. No.

Norman describes the distinctive rhythm of the guitar in the first few bars of the "James Bond Theme" as "Dum di-di dum dum". Rhythm (from Greek ῥυθμός - rhythmos, "any measured flow or movement symmetry" is the variation of the length and accentuation of He claims that it was inspired by the song "Good Sign Bad Sign" sung by Indian characters in A House for Mr Biswas, a musical he composed based on a novel by V.S. Naipaul set in the Indian community in Trinidad. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A novel (from Italian novella, Spanish novela, French nouvelle for "new" "news" or "short story Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul Kt, TC (born August 17, 1932 in Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago) better known Trinidad ( Spanish: " Trinity " is the largest and most populous of the two major islands and In 2005, Norman released an album called Completing the Circle that features "Good Sign Bad Sign", the "James Bond Theme," and a similar sounding song titled "Dum Di-Di Dum Dum. " For these songs Norman added lyrics that explains the origin and history of the "James Bond Theme".

The distinctive guitar riff heard in the original recording of the theme was played by Vic Flick, who would later play guitar on the original recording of Ron Grainer's theme music from the 1967 television series The Prisoner. The guitar is a Musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles In Music, a riff is an Ostinato figure a repeated Chord progression, pattern refrain or melodic figure, often played by the Rhythm Victor Harold Flick (born 14 May 1937 in Hill Crescent Worcester Park, Surrey, England) is a Guitarist, most famous for Ron Grainer ( 11 August 1922 — 21 February 1981) was an Australian born composer who worked for most of his professional career in The Prisoner is an allegorical British 1960s Science fiction television series starring and co-created by Patrick McGoohan.

The "James Bond Theme" has been used or adapted in a number of non-Bond films including The Beatles' film Help!, and Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 Help! is a 1965 film starring The Beatles and featuring Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal, Roy Steven Allan Spielberg, KBE (Hon (born December 18 1946 is an American Film director, Screenwriter and producer. Catch Me if You Can is a 2002 Black comedy film loosely based on Frank Abagnale Jr It has also been remixed by Parodi/Fair for GoldenEye, by Moby for Tomorrow Never Dies, by Paul Oakenfold for Die Another Day, and by Art of Noise, among many others. A remix is an alternative version of a song different from the original version GoldenEye (1995 is the seventeenth Spy film of the British James Bond series directed by Martin Campbell and the Richard Melville Hall, also known as Moby (born September 11, 1965 in Harlem, New York) is an American DJ Tomorrow Never Dies, released in 1997, is the eighteenth Spy film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Pierce Brosnan Paul Oakenfold (born 30 August, 1963 in Greenhithe, Kent, UK) is a Record producer and a popular trance Die Another Day is a 2002 film the 20th in the James Bond series, and the fourth and final film to star Pierce Brosnan as fictional MI6 Art of Noise were an Avant-garde Synthpop group formed in 1983 by producer Trevor Horn, music journalist Paul Morley, and session It is also the signature tune of the all-female pop-influenced classical string quartet, Bond. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music A string quartet is a Musical ensemble of four String instruments &mdash usually two Violins a Viola and Cello &mdash or a piece Bond (often typeset as bond in deference to the owners of the 007

Within the Bond films themselves, many different arrangements of the theme have been used, often reflecting the musical tastes of the specific times. The electric guitar version of the theme is most associated with the Sean Connery era although it was also used in some Roger Moore films and in the Bond films starring Pierce Brosnan. An electric guitar is a type of Guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into an electrical current which is made louder Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born August 25 1930) is an Academy Award - Golden Globe - and BAFTA Award -winning Scottish Sir Roger George Moore KBE (born 14 October 1927) is an English Actor. Pierce Brendan Brosnan, OBE Honour and so holds an honorary OBE Most mid-to-late period Moore films as well as Timothy Dalton's first, Barry-scored film The Living Daylights, used a symphonic version with the melody played on strings. Timothy Peter Dalton (born March 21, 1946) is an English The Living Daylights, released in 1987 is the fifteenth Spy film of the James Bond series, and the first to star Timothy Dalton The George Lazenby film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service used a unique high-pitched arrangement with the melody played on a Moog synthesizer. George Robert Lazenby (born September 5 1939) is an Australian Actor best known for portraying James Bond in the 1969 On Her Majesty's Secret Service, released in 1969, is the sixth Spy film in the James Bond series, and the only one to star George The term Moog (ˈmoʊg as in 'vogue' Synthesizer can refer to any number of Analog synthesizers designed by Dr The gun barrel of the Pierce Brosnan film GoldenEye opened with a synthesized arrangement by Éric Serra (a more traditional rendition by John Altman is heard in the film during the tank chase in St. The James Bond gun barrel sequence is the traditional opening to every official ( EON Productions) James Bond movie, beginning with the first film Dr GoldenEye (1995 is the seventeenth Spy film of the British James Bond series directed by Martin Campbell and the Éric Serra (born on 9 September 1959) is a French Composer. He has often worked on the movies of Luc Besson Petersburg; this version of the "James Bond Theme" is not included in the GoldenEye soundtrack). David Arnold's gun barrel arrangements in Tomorrow Never Dies and The World Is Not Enough dropped the guitar melody line, jumping straight from the tune's opening to its concluding bars. David Arnold (born January 23, 1962) is a Grammy Award -winning English film composer best known for scoring five James Bond films Tomorrow Never Dies, released in 1997, is the eighteenth Spy film in the James Bond series, and the second to star Pierce Brosnan The World Is Not Enough is a 1999 film&mdashthe nineteenth entry in the James Bond series, and the third to star Pierce Brosnan as An electronic rhythm was added to the gun barrel of The World Is Not Enough. The Die Another Day gun barrel recalls the version in From Russia with Love but with more techno-influenced rhythm. Die Another Day is a 2002 film the 20th in the James Bond series, and the fourth and final film to star Pierce Brosnan as fictional MI6 Techno is a form of Electronic dance music (EDM that emerged in Detroit, Michigan, USA during the mid to late 1980s It also contains the typical guitar line of the "James Bond Theme". The brief quote of the theme in the pre-credits music of The Spy Who Loved Me, titled "Bond 77", featured a distinctive funky disco sound, reflecting a style of music which was very popular at the time.

For every Bond movie which John Barry scored, he orchestrated a slightly different version of the Bond theme, as can be heard during the gun barrel sequences. These specialised Bond themes reflected the style and locations featured in the movie, and the actor playing Bond.

In From Russia with Love, the "James Bond Theme" appears in the track "James Bond with Bongos". It is a slower, jazzier rendition than the original orchestration. In Goldfinger, the "James Bond Theme" can be heard on the soundtrack in "Bond Back in Action Again" (gun barrel and pre-title sequence). The "James Bond Theme" for this movie is heavily influenced by the brassy, jazzy theme song sung by Shirley Bassey. Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey DBE (born 8 January 1937 Cardiff, Wales) is a Welsh Singer. Thunderball featured a full orchestral version of the theme in the track "Chateau Flight" with another full orchestral version in the end titles of the American release of the film. You Only Live Twice featured a funereal orchestration with Bond's burial at sea sequence in Hong Kong harbour. In On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the traditional guitar line of the "James Bond Theme" was replaced by synthesizers. This new arrangement reflected the more violent and younger George Lazenby in the role of Bond. George Robert Lazenby (born September 5 1939) is an Australian Actor best known for portraying James Bond in the 1969 With the return of Sean Connery in "Diamonds Are Forever", the guitar made a comeback along with a full orchestral version during a hovercraft sequence. On the soundtrack this track is named "Mr. Wint And Mr. Kidd/Bond To Holland. " When Roger Moore came to the role, the "James Bond Theme" became a string orchestra driven piece.

The tune has been inserted into many of the films' soundtracks at various places as part of an action sequence. One unusual instance, which broke the "fourth wall" in reverse, occurred in Octopussy, when a snake charmer played a few notes of the tune for Roger Moore's James Bond. The fourth wall is the imaginary wall at the front of the stage in a Proscenium Theater, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play Octopussy (1983 is the 13th film in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Roger Moore as MI6 agent James Bond. Snake charming is the practice of apparently hypnotising a Snake by simply playing an instrument

A second piece of music called "The James Bond Theme" was written by Monty Norman for use in Dr. No prior to the composition of the more famous piece of music. A blues melody, this earlier version was not used but was included in the soundtrack album, as was a fast-paced variation called "Twisting with James" which is one of the best known James Bond melodies never to have been used in a Bond film. The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression

The "James Bond Theme" and its variations found in the movies are played during many different types of scenes. Early in the series, the theme provided background music to Connery's entrances. It was not until Goldfinger that John Barry began to use the theme as an action cue. Since then, the primary use of the "James Bond Theme" has been with action scenes.

The latest James Bond film, Casino Royale, does not feature the "James Bond Theme" in its entirety until the very end of the movie during a climactic scene. Casino Royale ( 2006) is the twenty-first film in the James Bond series; it is directed by Martin Campbell and the first to star This is not uncommon in Bond movies.

In From Russia with Love, John Barry did not intend using the version of the "James Bond Theme" recorded for Dr. No at all. It was later edited in by producers when Bond first checks into his hotel in Istanbul and is shown his room. Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey This happened on two further occasions: in You Only Live Twice, during the Little Nellie flight scene, and in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, when it was edited into the climatic fight scene at Piz Gloria. Piz Gloria is the name of the Revolving restaurant on the Schilthorn near Mürren in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. John Barry was the only composer to shy away from using the "James Bond Theme" recorded for Dr. No, even though he is credited with making the 'definitive' orchestration of the theme.

Composers (EON Productions)

Cover versions

Over 70 cover versions of the "James Bond Theme" have been recorded by artists such as:

• Ray Barretto
• Biddu
• Stanley Black
• Al Caiola
• Ferrante and Teicher
• Frank Chacksfield
• Count Basie
• Johnny and the Hurricanes
• Ray Martin
• Cannibal Corpse
• Meco
• Hugo Montenegro
• Perez Prado
• Billy Strange
• The Ventures
• John Zorn
• bond
• The Skatalites