Spotify Playlist: Bond Without Barry

This Spotify playlist features a selection of tracks from soundtracks to James Bond films that were not composed by the great John Barry.

Barry is the musical maestro behind the Bond movies. His arrangement of Monty Norman's James Bond is definitive and his contribution to the sub-gnre genre is unquestioned. He composed the music for no less than 11 Bond movies.  His final score was for The Living Daylights. This list comprises of those composers who plugged the odd gap where he, for whatever reason, was not available.

I've not included the David Arnold soundtracks for two reasons. Firstly because he is the successor to Barry and not a replacement. Secondly because none of his Bond soundtracks (Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, Die Another Day, Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace) are not available on Spotify.

It is for the second reason that I have only been able to include one track from Bill Conti's For Your Eyes Only. Anyone familiar with that particular film's soundtrack may regard this as a blessing in disguise.

I hope you'll agree that the playlist contains some cracking tunes from some fantastic musicians. George Martin's work on Live And Let Die has some truly memorable themes, as does Marvin Hamlisch's on The Spy Who Loved Me. Alas I can't say the same with Michael Kamen's Lethal Weapon clone Licence To Kill (although Ivory's "Wedding Party" is OK).

Eric Serra's Goldeneye remains distinctive, bold and beautiful, if not entirely popular with the all the punters. It is for this reason that I have broken the chronology and place George Martin's awesome version of the James Bond theme at the very end so as to round things off with some stonking authenticity. I hope you enjoy it.

To listen to this playlist you must download Spotify (assuming you do not have it). Once you have done that, click here to listen to the playlist.

If you feel I've made any serious omissions. Please let me know. At some point I will attempt to put together a definitive (at least in my ears) John Barry James Bond playlist.

Posted via email from redduffman