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DevilsShoes

War Child
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
760
Location
UK
This was the song Bono and Edge wrote for Pierce Brosnan's first Bond film in 1995, but its sang by Tina Turner. Its a great track, one of the very best Bond themes I think, up there with Goldfinger, Thunderball and Nobody Does It Better, its definitely much better than any of the themes which have followed it, Madonna's Die Another Day didn't work for me at all :yuck:

The lyrics are some of Bono's best, they really capture and describe 007 well and in some ways its a pity he didn't sing it himself, although it probably would not have been a great move career wise, it would have been interesting to see how he would have handled it. Tina Turner's great at the big belters and we all know about Bono's vocal difficulties in the mid ninties so its probably just as well he didn't.

Anyway for anyone who hasn't heard it here's the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Em54pYV_5c
 
Actually, there is a studio version of Bono on vocals somewhere about. I don't have it on me at the moment, but if I did, it wouldn't be completely out of the question for me to e-mail it to you. I'm sure there are some fine young interferencers roaming amidst that would be more than happy to send it your way.

It's a pretty cool song... love the beat. And the way Bono sings it is nifty (he's rockin' the Macphisto :wink: ).
 
Sorry to jump into this post guys but, DevilsShoes I have sent you what I have. They are labelled demo 1 and 2. I have not played them side by side (to see what the difference is) but I think one is a few seconds longer than the other is.

Enjoy
 
One of the best Bond themes, next to Live and let die and the Shirley Bassey sung ones (Goldfinger and Diamonds are forever).

Was the song written with Tina Turner in mind or was it originally supposed to be a U2 Bond song ?
 
U2girl said:
One of the best Bond themes, next to Live and let die and the Shirley Bassey sung ones (Goldfinger and Diamonds are forever).

Was the song written with Tina Turner in mind or was it originally supposed to be a U2 Bond song ?
+

Almost 100% sure that it was written specifically with her in mind. Can't remember where I read that though. I doubt it was ever intended to be used as a song for Bono to sing especially as it seems to be written from a very female perspective, a girl idolising Bond from afar.
 
Thanks so much Down Under they're great. :wave:

Its weird to hear MacPhisto sing it, I wonder why Bono didn't do it in his own voice, Tina Turners version is more dramatic, she really went for it, but Bono's is more understated, more in check. He must have written this around the time of the Pop sessions. Does anyone know if its U2 playing with him in that clip?
 
The U2 version of the song is quite odd - even funny. Bono uses his MacPhisto voice, which has a very effeminate sound to it. As such, the song works when sung that way. However, it would be very anti-James Bond to have a male hitting on him. :sexywink: The male songs used, like McCartney's "Live and Let Die", do not revolve around any infatuation (like Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better").

That said, apparently the new Bond, Daniel Craig, has had rumors swirling that he wouldn't be opposed to Bond having a male love interest. One would think that a spy of Bond's caliber would have to do, well, everyone, in order to accomplish his goals. ;) So maybe the MacPhisto version will be back!

The song was a Top 10 hit in the U.K., but did not chart here. Too bad - it's rather good. And I love the Turner remix version. She really belts out those vocals too.
 
Thanks a lot Down Under! I love MacPhisto in this song
 
Definitely one of my favorite Bond songs behind Chris Cornell's, McCartney's, Carly Simon's, and Duran Duran's.

"a View! to, a, kill!"

:rockon:
 
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