It is such sad news that SIR ROGER MOORE passed away yesterday, May 23, 2017. While personally I find the original James Bond films with Sean Connery more to my liking and the James Bond of today more suspenseful than the Moore films, it appears that I am in the minority as Mr. Moore was voted “BEST BOND” in an Academy Awards poll, and in 2008 still had 62% of the votes.  My thanks to Sir Roger for keeping the franchise thriving.

Sir Roger, knighted by QUEEN ELIZABETH in 2003, played Bond seven times, starting with LIVE AND LET DIE in 1973 after Connery left the role. Sir Roger continued in the role with THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974), THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977), MOONRAKER (1979), FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (1981), OCTOPUSSY (1983) and A VIEW TO A KILL (1985) when at 58 years of age Sir Roger announced his retirement from the role.

Now, what does this have to do with music one might ask? BOND has everything to do with music. After Shirley Bassey’s incredible version of GOLDFINGER which soared up the charts in 1964, most artists begged for a shot at “the title”. And here they are for better or worse, in chronological order as to see who was popular at the time. Interesting to note Shirley Bassey returned for a grand total of 3 and Chris Cornell passed away a few days before Sir Roger.

1962: DR.NO The James Bond Theme by The John Barry Orchestra

1963: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE: From Russia With Love by Matt Monro

1964: GOLDFINGER: Goldfinger by Shirley Bassey

1965: THUNDERBALL:Thunderball by Tom Jones

1967: YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE: You Only Live Twice-Nancy Sinatra

1967:CASINO ROYALE:Casino Royale-Herb Albert and The Tijuana Brass

1969:ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE: We Have All The Time IN The World-Louis Armstrong

1972: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER:Diamonds Are Forever- Shirley Bassey

1973:LIVE AND LET DIE: Live And Let Die-Paul McCartney and Wings

1974:THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN: The Man With The Golden Gun:Lulu

1977:THE SPY WHO LOVED ME: Nobody Does It Better-Carly Simon

1979:MOONRAKER:Moonraker-Shirley Bassey

1981:FOR YOUR EYES ONLY-For Your Eyes Only-Sheena Easton

1983:OCTOPUSSY: All Time High-Rita Coolidge

1983:NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN: Never Say Never Again-Lani Hall

1985:A VIEW TO A KILL: A View To A Kill-Duran Duran

1987:THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS: The Living Daylights-a-ha

1989:LICENSE TO KILL: License To Kill-Gladys Knight

1995:GOLDEN EYE: Golden Eye-Tina Turner

1997:TOMORROW NEVER DIES:Tomorrow Never Dies-Sheryl Crow

1999:THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH:The World Is Not Enough-Garbage

2002:DIE ANOTHER DAY:Die Another Day-Madonna

2006:CASINO ROYALE:You Know My Name-Chris Cornell

2008:QUANTUM OF SOLACE: Another Way To Die-Jack White & Alicia Keys

2012:SKYFALL:Skyfall-Adele

2015:SPECTRE:The Writing’s On The Wall-Sam Smith