by gaetano on 4/25/2003
favorite track: 21
 
Unlike most Bond film music fans, I am a rarity in that I actually really like George Martin's score to Live and Let Die. Next to the Barry masterpieces, it is my favourite of the Bond scores. I saw Live and Let Die on its theatrical release in 1973 at the tender age of 8 years. The film and its music had a profound effect on me at the time and when I hear the music again on the stunning remastered edition all those feelings of excitement, action, suspense and terror come flying back. Here is my take on the score...

The funky music that Martin employ's in Live and Let Die was very fashionable at the time, especially in films like Shaft, Dirty Harry and Enter the Dragon. Even though it is a bit of a departure for Bond, Martin's orchestrations manage to display a toughness that is in keeping with the best Barry scores.

WARNING Spoilers if you haven't seen Live and Let Die

1 Gunbarrel/Snakebite - The opening Gunbarrel music has a great rendition of the James Bond theme and wastes no time in segueing into the sacrificial music of the opening scene. Listen to the discordant stab of brass as the snake bites its victim and in one of many wonderful Martinesque string glissandos, the music slithers into...

2 Main Title - "Live and let Die" is one of the very best Bond songs. Paul McCartney and Wings wrote the song but the power of it is in Martin's orchestrations.The song, incidentally, forms the genesis of the music for the bulk of the score. The crashing cadential 2 note phrase following the words "Say Live and Let Die" is used in the movie in key moments of danger in the movie..i.e. just before Bond drives the double decker bus into the low bridge. The central instrumental section in G minor also is an important theme that is used throughout the movie, i.e. the death of the gangster driving the motor boat. This central theme also incorporates a secondary motif played on glissando strings which is used throughout the score to eerie effect.

3 Bond To New York - This is the first time we hear the wonderful "Solitaire's theme" and it is played with a frenetic rhythm and wah-wah guitars as Bond's flight takes off and we see Solitaire reading her cards as Bond approaches.

4 Whisper Who Dares - A sombre rendition of "Solitaires theme" starts off and woodwind but there is a sudden change of atmosphere in the funky wah-wah guitar and pounding timps as Bond struggles to steer his car. The piece ends with fantastically dissonant brass and swirling strings which has its origins in the Bond theme.

5 The Oh Cult Voodoo Shop - A groovy little tune here utilising a nice simple punchy chord progression of E minor 7th to A major 6th played on harpsichord with a funky base

6 Uptown With The James Bond Theme - A really nice funky version of the "James Bond theme"

7 Bond Meets Solitaire - Nice rendition of "Solitaire's theme" incorporated with the Bond vamp and it also underscores Roger Moore's first attempt at 'My names Bond...James Bond" which apparently, he was terrified of doing.

8 Baron Samedi's Dance Of Death - An interesting piece in that it is the only time that it's heard in the film and yet it has a strong theme itself. Its a very funky, samba-esque 12/8 groovy tune with lots of great brass and pizzicato guitars. Love that C minor 7th triplet to C minor abrupt ending!!

9 San Monique - Easy listening background music at the hotel. Quite a nice little piece, no better or worse than Barry's easy listening tracks such as "Cafe martinique" from "Thunderball"

10 San Monique (Alternate)

11 Snakes Alive - You can almost hear the snake hissing in Martin's trademark slithering glissando strings. This piece just oozes atmosphere and culminates, after a brief quote from Solitaire's theme, in the punchy brass opening of the james Bond theme as Bond burns the snake with his deodorant spray.