7) GoldenEye – Tina Turner
For the only decent Pierce Brosnan Bond movie, Tina Turner (in collaboration with Bono and The Edge, who wrote the tune, bizarrely) was at her sassy best. “GoldenEye” doesn’t break the mold, but rather – with its pulsating strings and shocking brass section – proves why artists hired for the Bond theme often go back to a similar formula.
Every few years, there’s a clean break, and the Bond movies retreat to their roots. The GoldenEye theme ditches the pop sound of the 80s Bond themes and goes back to basics, sounding – like the best Bond themes – enticingly dangerous, with a clear Shirley Bassey influence in the way Turner bellows “Now I’ve got you in my sight” for what was for her probably an uncomfortable length of time.