Search - John Barry :: You Only Live Twice (Soundtrack)

The Best James Bond Soundtrack

hille2000 | USA | 06/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"References to `The James Bond Theme' are at a bare minimum on this CD. (That was not the case in the film however). This CD is all John Barry and he uses four central themes to build the score upon. The `You Only Live Twice" main title is heard in vocal by Nancy Sinatra on track 1. On track 12 it is used instrumentally in the finale, which leads up to the end title again done in vocal. The main title is again used ingeniously in track 3 as Bond fights his way across `Kobe Dock' and into the arms of `Helga." In track 7 the main title is heard in all its haunting beauty in `Mountains and Sunsets' one of John Barry's best compositions from the entire James Bond series. His `Geisha' theme is heard on track 8 `The Wedding.' This same theme is more poignantly played and significantly realized on track 6 `The Death of Aki' which masterfully blends love, death, loss and sorrow. Barry's `Action' theme is in full force on track 5 `A Drop In the Ocean." It is again heard on the intro to track 11 as Bond fights off Blofeld's henchman, Hans. Bon appetite! John Barry's real tour-de-force on this album is his `Space March' which is a suspense piece that is so eerily unsettling that no one can forget the image of the astronaut whose life line was cut and whose lifeless body drifts off into the vastness of space. That was an impressive scene and can be heard on track 2 `Capsule In Space.' Barry's `Space March' and variations on it are heard on tracks 9, 10 and 11 as Blofeld's plot is unveiled and James Bond penetrates his lair. The `Space March' is a musical technique that John Barry latter employed for Blofeld's satellite in "DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER" and again latter for Hugo Drax space shuttles' flight in "MOONRAKER." Track 4 `Tanaka's World' was not used in the film, but it is a very good mood piece that seems to rise and fall but never reaches a conclusion and is a very good example of John Barry's talents. Some fans do not totally embrace this album because of its lack of a prominent `James Bond Theme' (there are references to it at the beginnings of tracks 10 and 11). I find this to be one of the better Bond albums because as much as Sean Connery was James Bond and that time so was John Barry and that's what we get."

My Favorite John Barry 007 Soundtrack

gobirds2 | New England | 06/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"John Barry wrote a brilliant score. His music for the "Capsule in Space" was eerily ominous. He also incorporated sections of the "James Bond Theme" very effectively subsequent to Henderson's death and the fight in Osato's office. Barry's "Mountains and Sunset" went beautifully with Freddie Young's Cinematography. This and his score for "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" were the last to contain his best action pieces for the series. These were little snippets here and there written to give the action a little more punch. This is a brilliant soundtrack balancing beauty, action and suspense. One of the best!"