The Thunderball Theme

Not confident a song could be composed from the vague title or for the plot of James Bond’s fourth film, Thunderball, John Barry and Leslie Bricusse wrote the original main title theme to be “Mr. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.”  This title was taken from an Italian journalist, who in 1962 had dubbed the British secret agent as “Mr. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang.”

 

After completing “Mr. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang,” Barry had Shirley Bassey record the song, but problems with Bassey’s performance resulted in Dionne Warwick (pictured) rerecording the tune.  However, all the efforts put forth were futile as the production company requested the theme song contain the film’s title in its lyrics, resulting in both Bassey and Warwick’s performances of “Mr. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang” not being heard until the 1990s.  Once it was decided that a new song would be written for the opening titles, the plan was to use the Warwick version of “Mr. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang” during the closing credits, but Bassey sued the producers resulting in neither version being heard.  Snippets of the song can be heard as instrumental pieces throughout the film’s soundtrack.

 

Prior to a new song being selected, Johnny Cash submitted a recording to Eon Productions titled “Thunderball,” with lyrics describing the film’s plot.  You can listen to Cash's song here.

 

Now needing a new opening theme song, Barry turned to lyricist Don Black to write “Thunderball” in a rush.  Tom Jones was hired to perform and has claimed to have fainted in the recording booth after singing the final, high note.

 

For detailed information about John Barry and Leslie Bricusse, go here and here.

Don Black, born June 21, 1938, is an English lyricist, whose work includes musicals and movie themes.  Black worked frequently with Andrew Lloyd Webber and his ties to James Bond include five theme songs.

 

He started in the music industry as an office boy with a music publishing firm and later worked as a song-plugger.  He was later personal manager to Matt Monro, who sang the From Russia with Love theme song.

 

His collaboration with Barry includes 1966’s “Born Free,” which won the Oscar for Best Song, and Out of Africa and Dances with Wolves.  He received further Oscar nominations, including his work on True Grit, and he also worked with future James Bond singer Lulu for the To Sir, with Love theme.  Other film work included collaborating with Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson.

 

Black’s theatrical work has won him a Tony Award for Best Book for the musical adaptation of Billy Wilder’s film Sunset Boulevard.  Along with Webber and Barry, Black has worked with Jule Styne, Geoff Stephens, and Mort Shuman.

 

Black lives in London with his wife, Shirley, of more than 50 years.  In 2007, Black was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

 

Sir Thomas Jones Woodward, known by his stage name as Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer born June 7, 1940.  In his half-century of work in the music industry,  Jones has sold more than 100 million records, ranging from pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, soul and gospel.

 

Early influences on Jones’ singing career were American soul musicians, including Little Richard and Elvis Presley.  His singing career began in 1963 when he joined a Welsh beat group.  Jones was “discovered” in a local club by Gordon Mills, who took the singer to London and renamed him Tom Jones, exploiting the popularity of the 1963 Oscar-winning Best Picture of the same name.  Following his hiring for two film themes and a number one hit on UK music charts, Jones received the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1966.

 

Despite the accolades and critical recognition, Jones’ image was reshaped into that of a crooner and he began singing material that appealed to a wider audience.  He began performing in Las Vegas, where his sexual style of dress for the stage became a staple.  Beginning in 1967, Jones performed at least one week in Las Vegas every year until 2011, where it became commonplace for women to through underwear and room keys on the stage.

 

From 1969 to 1971 Jones had an international variety show called This is Tom Jones, which led to a Best Actor Golden Globe nomination.  A second variety show was produced in the early 1980s, titled Tom Jones.

 

Jones has had 36 Top 40 hits in the UK and 19 in the United States.  His most notable hits are “It’s Not Unusual,” “What’s New Pussycat,” “Delilah,” “Green, Green Grass of Home” and “She’s a Lady.”  Jones has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and, in 2006, received a knighthood for his services to music.

 

Despite numerous well-publicized infidelities, including Mary Wilson of The Supremes, former Miss World Marjorie Wallace, and Cassandra Peterson, better known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, Jones has remained married to his high-school sweetheart since 1957 and the couple lives in California.  The two were married, both at the age of 16, one-month prior to their son’s birth.  Jones birthed a second son with a model while touring in America.  He has shown no interest in meeting his illegitimate child.