"A View to a Kill" | ||||
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Single by Duran Duran | ||||
from the album A View to a Kill (soundtrack) | ||||
B-side | "A View to a Kill" (That Fatal Kiss) | |||
Released | 7 May 1985 [1] | |||
Recorded | Early 1985 | |||
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Genre | ||||
Length | 3:37 (single version) | |||
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Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Duran Duran singles chronology | ||||
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James Bond theme singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"A View to a Kill" on YouTube | ||||
Audio sample | ||||
"A View to a Kill" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran,released on 7 May 1985. Written and recorded as the theme for the James Bond film of the same name,it became one of the band's biggest hits. It is the only James Bond theme song to have reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100;it also made it to number two for three weeks on the UK Singles Chart while stuck behind Paul Hardcastle's "19". [4] [5] The song was the last track recorded by the most famous five-member lineup of Duran Duran until their reunion in 2001 and was also performed by the band at Live Aid in Philadelphia,their final performance together before their first split.
The following year,composer John Barry and Duran Duran were nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for "A View to a Kill". Following Barry's death in 2011,the band paid tribute to him for their encore at the Coachella Festival later that year,with Simon Le Bon reappearing in a tuxedo for a pared-down version backed by an orchestra, [6] before launching into the familiar full-band hit version. [7] Bassist John Taylor introduced the song by saying,"We lost a dear friend of ours this year. A great English composer familiar to Hollywood,his name was John Barry. We're gonna play this for him." [8]
The song was written by Duran Duran and John Barry,and recorded at Maison Rouge Studio and CTS Studio in London with a 60-piece orchestra.
Duran Duran were chosen to do the song after bassist John Taylor (a lifelong Bond fan) approached producer Cubby Broccoli at a party and somewhat drunkenly asked,"If I give you a fiver,can I write a theme tune please." [9] [10] The band was then introduced to Bond composer John Barry,and also composer/producer Jonathan Elias (with whom Duran Duran members would later work many times). An early writing meeting at Taylor's flat in Knightsbridge led to everyone getting drunk instead of composing. [11]
Singer Simon Le Bon said of Barry:"He didn't really come up with any of the basic musical ideas. He heard what we came up with and he put them into an order. And that's why it happened so quickly because he was able to separate the good ideas from the bad ones,and he arranged them. He has a great way of working brilliant chord arrangements. He was working with us as virtually a sixth member of the group,but not really getting on our backs at all." [12]
Due to a clear separation of areas of responsibility,the cooperation between band and composer turned out to be largely harmonious. The band was in charge of the actual songwriting while Barry created the final arrangement,including the orchestral parts. The song was finally completed in April 1985 and released that May. In the UK,it entered the singles chart at No. 7 before peaking at No. 2 the following week,and remained at that position for three weeks. In the US,it entered the charts at No. 45,and on 13 July it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [13] It remains the only Bond theme to achieve this chart placing. [14]
The B-side of the single was an instrumental piece orchestrated by Barry with a flute solo by Susan Milan that incorporates the melody of the Duran Duran song,titled "A View to a Kill (That Fatal Kiss)",which appeared on the A View to a Kill soundtrack album as "Bond Meets Stacey (A View to a Kill)". [15]
Cash Box described the single as "a memorable and dynamic cut and easily one of Duran Duran's very best efforts" that is "melodically strong" and employs "highly sophisticated state of the art production". [16] Reviewing singles for Smash Hits ,Stephen Duffy wrote:"Quite stunning production. Producer Bernard Edwards seems to have superseded Nile Rodgers in every direction. Takes a long time to get to the hook,but very interesting." [17] As of October 2021 "A View to a Kill" was the seventh most streamed Duran Duran song in the UK. [18]
The song's music video was filmed in the Eiffel Tower and was directed by the duo of Godley &Creme. The video opens with the iconic gun barrel sequence and is centered around the scene from the film where Max Zorin's henchwoman May Day kills private detective Achille Aubergine in front of James Bond at the Tower. It then cuts to the band walking by the Tower on a secret mission:Simon Le Bon,disguised as a tourist,wearing a gray trenchcoat and carrying a Walkman;John Taylor,a long-haired tourist dressed in black;Nick Rhodes,a photographer working with a top model (Gail Elliott);Andy Taylor,a blind accordionist who plays the Bond theme on the accordion;and Roger Taylor,a supervisor inside a van. The band's actions coincide with events shown from the movie,while Bond pursues May Day through the Tower,culminating in her escape via parachute. The video ends with a beautiful young girl approaching Le Bon to question him,"Excuse me... aren't you?",where he breaks the fourth wall to say,"Bon. Simon Le Bon." However,her moving Le Bon's arm to talk to him causes him to accidentally activate a detonator concealed inside his Walkman,blowing up the Eiffel Tower. [19]
Note:
Duran Duran
Technical
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [54] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [55] | Silver | 250,000^ |
United States | — | 149,000 [56] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
DJ's Factory, a Eurodance project of German producer Bülent Aris and British keyboarder Adrian Askew, released a dancefloor-oriented version of the song in summer 1985, reaching No. 22 on the German single charts. [57]
In 1987, Shirley Bassey covered the song for her album The Bond Collection , which contained her renditions of Bond theme songs. However, she wasn't satisfied with the quality, so the album was withdrawn from sale.
In 2008, the song was covered in a bossa nova style by former Morcheeba singer Skye on the various artists compilation album Hollywood, Mon Amour, containing cover versions of songs from 1980s films.
Måns Zelmerlöw performed a live version of the song at the beginning of the Andra Chansen (Second Chance) round of Melodifestivalen 2010 in Örebro, Sweden. [58]
Further cover versions of the song have been recorded by the Welsh alternative metal band Lostprophets, [14] Canadian punk rock band Gob, [14] Australian band Custard, on the tribute album The Songs of Duran Duran: UnDone (1999), [59] and the Chilean heavy metal band Los Mox, on their album ...Con Cover (2006). Finnish melodic death metal band Diablo has covered the song, as well as Finnish symphonic metal cover supergroup Northern Kings. [14] Jay Gonzalez of Drive-By Truckers covered the song in a bossa nova style on the various artists compilation album Songs, Bond Songs: The Music of 007 (2017). [60]
In 2016, Duran Duran performed the song live at the unveiling of the 2016 Mazda MX-5 (ND). [61]
Duran Duran are an English pop rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. After several early changes, the band's line-up settled in May 1980 as Rhodes, Taylor, singer Simon Le Bon, guitarist Andy Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor.
Duran Duran is the debut studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 15 June 1981 through EMI. Produced by Colin Thurston, it was recorded in London and Oxfordshire between December 1980 and January 1981. The instrumental tracks were recorded quickly, but vocalist Simon Le Bon initially struggled to sing in the studio, leading to discussions about replacing him before EMI employee Dave Ambrose intervened.
"Come Undone" is a song by English rock band Duran Duran, released in March 1993 by Parlophone and Capitol as the second single from their seventh studio album, Duran Duran (1993). With their commercial and critical success reestablished by the previous single "Ordinary World", "Come Undone" continued to showcase more of the band's entry into the adult contemporary radio format.
Greatest is a greatest hits album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released in 1998.
Astronaut is the eleventh studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 28 September 2004 by Epic Records. It was Duran Duran's first studio album since Pop Trash (2000), and the first full album since Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983) to be recorded by the most famous five-member lineup of the band.
Seven and the Ragged Tiger is the third studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 21 November 1983 through EMI and Capitol Records. Co-produced by Alex Sadkin, Ian Little and the band, recording sessions took place in France, the Caribbean and Australia between April and October 1983 following Duran Duran's decision to record outside the UK as tax exiles. Unlike their previous two studio albums, the sessions were marred by a lack of productivity and tensions rose between the band members over its direction.
Notorious is the fourth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 24 November 1986 by EMI Records. Produced by the band with Nile Rodgers, its musical style differed from the band's previous albums with a funk rock sound. It is the first album to feature the band as a trio with singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and bassist John Taylor as drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor both left by the time the album was released. Andy Taylor would later be replaced by former Missing Persons guitarist Warren Cuccurullo, who completed recording parts of the album in addition to Rodgers and session drummer Steve Ferrone.
"The Reflex" is the eleventh single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 16 April 1984. The song was heavily remixed for single release and was the third and last to be taken from their third studio album Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983). The single became the band's first to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and their second to top the UK Singles Chart.
"Notorious" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released internationally by EMI on 20 October 1986 as the first single from their fourth studio album of the same name. It showcased a new direction for Duran Duran with a funk rock sound.
"Skin Trade" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released in January 1987 as the second single from their fourth studio album, Notorious (1986). It showcased a drastic change from their previous singles, with R&B influences, brass solos and funk guitar riffs, in addition to a Prince-style falsetto from lead vocalist Simon Le Bon.
"Save a Prayer" is a song by the English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 9 August 1982 as the third single from their second album Rio (1982). It became Duran Duran's biggest hit on the UK Singles Chart, reaching number two. As of October 2021 "Save a Prayer" is the sixth most streamed Duran Duran song in the UK.
"(Reach Up for The) Sunrise" is a song by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released as the lead single from their eleventh studio album, Astronaut (2004) and their 31st single overall. It was the first single since "A View to a Kill" in 1985 to feature all five of the original members of the band. The song was sent to US radio on 30 August 2004 and was issued physically over the following few months.
"Hungry Like the Wolf" is a song by English new wave band Duran Duran. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Colin Thurston for the group's second studio album, Rio (1982). The song was released on 4 May 1982 as the band's fifth single in the United Kingdom, and 8 June 1982 in the United States. It reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart, and received a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
"Union of the Snake" is the ninth single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 17 October 1983.
"The Wild Boys" is the twelfth single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 22 October 1984 in the United Kingdom.
"Ordinary World" is a song by English rock band Duran Duran, released in December 1992 by Parlophone, EMI and Capitol as the first single from their self-titled album (1993), commonly known as the Wedding Album. The ballad, both written by the band and co-produced with John Jones, reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Top 40/Mainstream chart, the Canadian RPM 100 Hit Tracks chart, and the Italian Singles Chart. It also peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 in Iceland and Sweden, and No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart. The song's music video was directed by Nick Egan and filmed in California.
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"The Living Daylights" is the theme song from the 1987 James Bond film of the same name, performed by Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha. It was written by guitarist Pål Waaktaar. A revised version of the song was included on the band's third studio album, Stay on These Roads (1988).
A View to a Kill is the soundtrack for the film of the same name, the 14th instalment in the James Bond film series.
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...elevating an otherwise nonsensical collage of fire and ice and fatal kisses to a new wave banger.
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