Music - GoldenEye

Credits
Music By: Eric Serra
James Bond Theme: Monty Norman
Main Theme Performed By: Tina Turner
Main Theme Written By: Bono and The Edge
Album Label: EMI / Virgin
Single Label: Parlophone / Virgin
Highest Chart Position: 2 (France)

Additional
"Stand By Your Man" by Billy Sherril and Tammy Wynette performed by Minnie Driver (heard in Zukovsky's nightclub).

History
The soundtrack to the 17th James Bond film by EON Productions was composed by Éric Serra, best known for his collaborations with French director Luc Besson on Le Femme Nikita, The Professional, The Fifth Element, and The Big Blue.

The most prolific composer of the Bond series, John Barry, reportedly turned down an offer to return, feeling the 80's and 90's films had become imitations and were too formulaic.

Serra composed and performed a number of synthesizer tracks, including the version of the James Bond Theme that plays during the gun barrel sequence, while John Altman and David Arch provided the more traditional symphonic music. It was released on CD by EMI on November 14, 1995.

Above: Album cover artwork (top) and the "GoldenEye" CD single sleeve.

Serra's score is often slammed by Bond fans and received a mauling by critics at the time of release, and is considered the farthest departure from a traditional Bond score in the series history. Whilst the use of synthesizers was met with disdain by almost everyone except his ardent fans, Serra did manage to use his usual London Session Studio Orchestra for the romantic scenes in the movie. The Bond motif is only used twice in the score - the least in the franchise except 'Casino Royale' where David Arnold deliberately teased listeners until the final scene. Serra also neglected to use anything from the movie's title song.

The producers later hired the score's conductor John Altman to provide the music for the tank chase in St. Petersburg. Serra's original track for that sequence can still be found on the soundtrack as "A Pleasant Drive In St. Petersburg". The incidental music for the film has thus far been the only collaboration on a James Bond film. Altman's track was not included on the CD release.

The song was written especially for Turner by Bono and The Edge of U2 when they learned that she had been offered to sing the theme to the upcoming Bond movie, and the track was produced and mixed by renowned British producer/remixer/composer Nellee Hooper, best-known for his work with Massive Attack, Madonna, U2 and Björk.

The GoldenEye theme became one of the highest-charting hit singles of Turner's career, reaching #10 on the UK Singles Chart and a Top 5 hit in most European countries. It as released as a cassette and CD single by Parlophone in the UK and Virgin in the US. Prominent DJ, David Morales, has performed a club remix of the song, while record producer Dave Hall has provided a more urban flavour on his remix, both versions were included on the European 4 track CD single. "GoldenEye" was released on the original motion picture soundtrack and the following year it was included on Turner's album Wildest Dreams.

The film features the song "Stand By Your Man" by Tammy Wynette. The song is performed in the film by Minnie Driver in the scene in which Bond confronts Zukovsky. Intended to be a comic moment, Driver intentionally sings the song off-key in an exaggerated Russian accent.