Live and Let Die (soundtrack)
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| Live and Let Die | ||||
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| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 2 July 1973 | |||
| Recorded | 1972–73 | |||
| Studio | AIR (London) | |||
| Length | 31:14 | |||
| Label | United Artists | |||
| Producer | George Martin | |||
| George Martin chronology | ||||
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| James Bond soundtrack chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Live and Let Die | ||||
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Live and Let Die is the soundtrack to the eighth James Bond film of the same name, scored by George Martin. The title song was written by Paul and Linda McCartney and performed by Paul McCartney and Wings. It was the first Bond film score to not involve John Barry.
The music for most of the James Bond films up until Diamonds Are Forever in 1971 had been scored by John Barry. Due to Barry's work on the musical Billy, and having fallen out with Bond producer Harry Saltzman over the last title song sung by Shirley Bassey, Barry was unavailable to score Live and Let Die.[1]
Producers Saltzman and Albert Broccoli approached Paul McCartney to write the theme song and McCartney in turn asked George Martin to record it for him. Impressed with the orchestration for the finished track by Paul McCartney and Wings, "Live and Let Die", Saltzman and Broccoli considered Martin for the film's score.[2]
Martin worked closely with director Guy Hamilton who described what the music should convey in each scene as it unfolds. Only very minor changes to the finished score were asked for by Hamilton. Martin felt that this was as much for Hamilton's accurate briefing.[2]
The orchestra was conducted by Martin and recorded at AIR Studios. The soundtrack was also released in quadrophonic.
Title song
Having recorded McCartney's performance, Martin was taken aback when Saltzman asked him who he thought should sing the film's title song, suggesting to him Thelma Houston. Saltzman had envisaged a female soul singer. Martin said that it should be McCartney.[2] The recording contract had specified that McCartney would "perform the title song under the opening titles".[3] Martin nonetheless scored a soul arrangement to accompany singer B. J. Arnau for a nightclub sequence in the film.
Live and Let Die was the first time that a rock music arrangement was used to open a Bond film. It was also the first time that McCartney and Martin had worked together since Abbey Road in 1969. McCartney had been considered as title song composer for the previous Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever.[4] The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 46th Academy Awards but lost to "The Way We Were" from the film of the same name.
The ″Live and Let Die" single was a major success in the U.S.[5] and UK and continues to be a highlight of McCartney's live shows.[6] Chrissie Hynde covered the song for future Bond composer David Arnold's 1997 compilation album Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project.
