All Time High- A forgotten Bond theme?

MayDayDiVicenzoMayDayDiVicenzo Here and there
edited April 2014 in Music Posts: 5,080
IMO, All Time High is beautiful song, being both 'suitable' for a Bond theme and being quite different to Bond themes with have previously heard. Rita Coolidge is a great singer and the song is put to good use throughout the film. All Time High is definetly in my top 10 Bond themes. However, not many people seem to discuss this song as much as Goldfinger or Skyfall, for example. I don't think I have yet seen it in somebody elses top 10. What are your views on All Time High?
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Comments

  • Posts: 2,483
    It's not a bad tune (certainly superior to the likes of TMWTGG, License to Kill, Tomorrow Never Dies, Die Another Day and Another Way to Die), but ultimately is rather forgettable, IMO. Much like Barry's score in OP.
  • Posts: 908
    IMO, All Time High is beautiful song, being both 'suitable' for a Bond theme and being quite different to Bond themes with have previously heard. Rita Coolidge is a great singer and the song is put to good use throughout the film. All Time High is definetly in my top 10 Bond themes. However, not many people seem to discuss this song as much as Goldfinger or Skyfall, for example. I don't think I have yet seen it in somebody elses top 10. Wha are your views on All Time High?

    It is together with DAF,FYEO and Moonraker (the End Version, which I find much more upbeat) my favourite Bond Song, which says a lot in a Series so blessed with great tunes.
  • It's not a bad tune (certainly superior to the likes of TMWTGG, License to Kill, Tomorrow Never Dies, Die Another Day and Another Way to Die), but ultimately is rather forgettable, IMO. Much like Barry's score in OP.

    I must agree that the title song is nothing special. Rita Coolidge's vocals are just there and she's performed better songs than this. But I feel differently about the soundtrack as a whole, I find it very memorable and the instrumental versions of ATH such as "That's My Little Octopussy" are sensual and lushly orchestrated. I'd say it's right there with AVTAK for the most part, but Barry's final Bond soundtrack in TLD is still my favorite of his three 1980's contributions to the series. I play all three quite often and never tire of them.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Matt_Helm wrote:
    IMO, All Time High is beautiful song, being both 'suitable' for a Bond theme and being quite different to Bond themes with have previously heard. Rita Coolidge is a great singer and the song is put to good use throughout the film. All Time High is definetly in my top 10 Bond themes. However, not many people seem to discuss this song as much as Goldfinger or Skyfall, for example. I don't think I have yet seen it in somebody elses top 10. Wha are your views on All Time High?

    It is together with DAF,FYEO and Moonraker (the End Version, which I find much more upbeat) my favourite Bond Song, which says a lot in a Series so blessed with great tunes.

    Indeed. I too love All Time High as a Bond theme song. Brilliant as a love song - outside of 'We Have All The Time In The World' probably the very best. It's very 1980s in tone, which is another reason to love it. Sadly, I don't think it performed terribly well in the charts - No. 47 or something, if memory serves.
  • Posts: 6,396
    I much prefer Jarvis Cocker's version of the song on Arnold's Shaken and Stirred
  • Posts: 14,797
    It is certainly forgotten. I barely remember it.
  • Posts: 908
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Matt_Helm wrote:
    IMO, All Time High is beautiful song, being both 'suitable' for a Bond theme and being quite different to Bond themes with have previously heard. Rita Coolidge is a great singer and the song is put to good use throughout the film. All Time High is definetly in my top 10 Bond themes. However, not many people seem to discuss this song as much as Goldfinger or Skyfall, for example. I don't think I have yet seen it in somebody elses top 10. Wha are your views on All Time High?

    It is together with DAF,FYEO and Moonraker (the End Version, which I find much more upbeat) my favourite Bond Song, which says a lot in a Series so blessed with great tunes.

    Indeed. I too love All Time High as a Bond theme song. Brilliant as a love song - outside of 'We Have All The Time In The World' probably the very best. It's very 1980s in tone, which is another reason to love it. Sadly, I don't think it performed terribly well in the charts - No. 47 or something, if memory serves.

    Shame on me! How could I forget We Have All The Time In The World? There really is no excuse,I'm afraid!!!
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2013 Posts: 17,727
    Matt_Helm wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Matt_Helm wrote:
    IMO, All Time High is beautiful song, being both 'suitable' for a Bond theme and being quite different to Bond themes with have previously heard. Rita Coolidge is a great singer and the song is put to good use throughout the film. All Time High is definetly in my top 10 Bond themes. However, not many people seem to discuss this song as much as Goldfinger or Skyfall, for example. I don't think I have yet seen it in somebody elses top 10. Wha are your views on All Time High?

    It is together with DAF,FYEO and Moonraker (the End Version, which I find much more upbeat) my favourite Bond Song, which says a lot in a Series so blessed with great tunes.

    Indeed. I too love All Time High as a Bond theme song. Brilliant as a love song - outside of 'We Have All The Time In The World' probably the very best. It's very 1980s in tone, which is another reason to love it. Sadly, I don't think it performed terribly well in the charts - No. 47 or something, if memory serves.

    Shame on me! How could I forget We Have All The Time In The World? There really is no excuse,I'm afraid!!!

    Don't be so hard on yourself. We're not all musical maestros. May I recommend a great book by John Burlingame on Bond music here.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,447
    ATH isn't a bad song but I do believe that, compared to most other theme songs, it is nothing special. I certainly like what Barry did with it in the score of the film and it's an easy song to listen to, but between FYEO and AVTAK, it tends to be forgotten.
  • Posts: 2,400
    Mediocre song, most inappropriate Bond theme ever. One of the worst unfortunately.

    Barry's score, however? Totally different story.
  • Posts: 5,634
    Always felt a bit indifferent to it. It's better than Sheena Easton before it or even Gladys Knight at the end of the decade but it can't compare to more vibrant or uplifting efforts from Lulu or Sheryl Crow for instance. Easily one of the better James Bond theme intro's / endings of the 1980s, but is that really saying much ?

    For a real forgotten Bond theme, maybe Patti LaBelle's 'If you asked me to', or The Pretenders, 'If there was a man' would be better examples than Coolidge with regards to the James Bond series, but Ok if you insist
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    DarthDimi wrote:
    ATH isn't a bad song but I do believe that, compared to most other theme songs, it is nothing special. I certainly like what Barry did with it in the score of the film and it's an easy song to listen to, but between FYEO and AVTAK, it tends to be forgotten.
    I actually liked the song NSNA a WHOLE lot moore. :))
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Mediocre song, most inappropriate Bond theme ever. One of the worst unfortunately.

    Barry's score, however? Totally different story.

    Yes, it does have a feeling of 'otherness' about it, as if it's a love song that doesn't quite fit with being a James Bond theme song. I still love it, though.
  • Posts: 2,400
    Dragonpol wrote:
    Mediocre song, most inappropriate Bond theme ever. One of the worst unfortunately.

    Barry's score, however? Totally different story.

    Yes, it does have a feeling of 'otherness' about it, as if it's a love song that doesn't quite fit with being a James Bond theme song. I still love it, though.

    I love how it's used in the score. It works perfectly. But whereas LALD was the most lyrically removed Bond theme, ATH is the most musically removed one. I think the circumstances hurt ATH much, much more than they hurt LALD. But again, I don't think the song's anything stellar to begin with anyway.
  • Posts: 169
    I'm not a fan of this song but I don't especially dislike it, either. Of course, our opinions of the title songs are as subjective as our opinions of the films themselves. While I think it's safe to say Madonna's "Die Another Day" is widely rejected by our community, we could probably find fans for just about any main title song. I might be among the relative few who enjoys "License to Kill" and "The Living Daylights", for example.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2013 Posts: 17,727
    Dr_Yes wrote:
    I'm not a fan of this song but I don't especially dislike it, either. Of course, our opinions of the title songs are as subjective as our opinions of the films themselves. While I think it's safe to say Madonna's "Die Another Day" is widely rejected by our community, we could probably find fans for just about any main title song. I might be among the relative few who enjoys "License to Kill" and "The Living Daylights", for example.

    I actually thought Die Another Day wasn't bad as a type of Madonna/Michael Jackson-type pop song and it kind of went with the very different Bond film that DAD turned out to be in the end. I'm no big fan of the desperately over-hyped Madonna, though. Michael Jackson is another matter.
  • Posts: 169
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I actually thought Die Another Day wasn't bad as a type of Madonna/Michael Jackson-type pop song and it kind of went with the very different Bond film that DAD turned out to be in the end. I'm no big fan of the desperately over-hyped Madonna, though. Michael Jackson is another matter.

    That's a fair point about DAD the song going along with DAD the film. Perhaps to some extent people might dislike the song as collateral damage from hating the movie.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Dr_Yes wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I actually thought Die Another Day wasn't bad as a type of Madonna/Michael Jackson-type pop song and it kind of went with the very different Bond film that DAD turned out to be in the end. I'm no big fan of the desperately over-hyped Madonna, though. Michael Jackson is another matter.

    That's a fair point about DAD the song going along with DAD the film. Perhaps to some extent people might dislike the song as collateral damage from hating the movie.

    I think that is true. Some have said Bond was thinking, "Any kind of torture but that damned Madonna song!" during the, shall we say, interactive titles sequence in DAD.
  • edited August 2013 Posts: 6,396
    I know I'm opening myself up to all manner of abuse here, but Madonna's DAD? I actually kind of like it....

    It's the only Bond track I have ever found myself dancing along to in a nightclub.

    Oh the shame, the absolute shame :-SS
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2013 Posts: 17,727
    I know I'm opening myself up to all manner of abuse here, but Madonna's DAD? I actually kind of like it....

    It's the only Bond track I have ever found myself dancing along to in a nightclub.

    Oh the shame, the absolute shame :-SS

    No, I think you are right there, actually. Though, in the words of Phil Collins, 'I can't dance...' Madonna's DAD certainly offers up something new a la the equally much-maligned Lulu's TMWTGG and 'Another Way to Die' from QoS, perhaps.
  • edited August 2013 Posts: 6,396
    Yes, I am much more a kind of 'swing your pants' kind of dancer!

    Whilst we're on the subject of forgotten themes, what about the other songs to have appeared in Bond, but aren't classed as an official song.

    The Pretenders, KD Lang, Patti LaBelle etc.? I have to say, I much preferred Lang's 'Surrender' to Sheryl Crow's effort for TND.
  • Dr_Yes wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I actually thought Die Another Day wasn't bad as a type of Madonna/Michael Jackson-type pop song and it kind of went with the very different Bond film that DAD turned out to be in the end. I'm no big fan of the desperately over-hyped Madonna, though. Michael Jackson is another matter.

    That's a fair point about DAD the song going along with DAD the film. Perhaps to some extent people might dislike the song as collateral damage from hating the movie.

    I honestly don't feel that way at all. Despite my general dislike for club music, Madonna has written and performed some good songs in her time. I respect her for that as well as managing her career in an exemplary manner. In this case, for me this wouldn't be one of them and it's only a very small part of why I dislike DAD and see it as the worst of the official 23 films to date.

  • Posts: 2,483
    Dr_Yes wrote:
    I'm not a fan of this song but I don't especially dislike it, either. Of course, our opinions of the title songs are as subjective as our opinions of the films themselves. While I think it's safe to say Madonna's "Die Another Day" is widely rejected by our community, we could probably find fans for just about any main title song. I might be among the relative few who enjoys "License to Kill" and "The Living Daylights", for example.

    I rate "The Living Daylights" very highly, indeed.

  • Posts: 2,483
    Yes, I am much more a kind of 'swing your pants' kind of dancer!

    Whilst we're on the subject of forgotten themes, what about the other songs to have appeared in Bond, but aren't classed as an official song.

    The Pretenders, KD Lang, Patti LaBelle etc.? I have to say, I much preferred Lang's 'Surrender' to Sheryl Crow's effort for TND.

    Fully agreed on that. Crow's caterwauling is the worst vocalizing in a Bond song outside of Keyes/White in AWTD. And the song itself is no great shakes. Bassey and Adele would have had a tough time making something of it.
  • Posts: 6,396
    I love hearing bits of 'Where Has Everybody Gone' throughout TLD whenever Necros is listening to his Walkman (there's one for kids) ;-)
  • Samuel001Samuel001 Moderator
    Posts: 13,350
    I love this theme but I realise why no one remembers it. It's looked upon as bland and lacking.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    edited August 2013 Posts: 17,727
    I love hearing bits of 'Where Has Everybody Gone' throughout TLD whenever Necros is listening to his Walkman (there's one for kids) ;-)

    I have a copy of the song ripped from the Internet in 2005, though I guess it must be on the TLD soundtrack which I don't own (as yet).
  • pachazopachazo Make Your Choice
    Posts: 7,314
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I have a copy of the song ripped from the Internet in 2005, though I guess it must be on the TLD soundtrack which I don't own (as yet).
    Indeed it is @Dragonpol. You should definitely get it. I don't think that you will be disappointed.

    Now then, what to say about ATH? It doesn't quite rape my ears like AWTD does but it's not a song that I find myself listening to very often either. I do like how the "We're two of a kind" line is used in the film though. So it seems appropriate enough for the film even though it probably wouldn't have been my first choice.
  • Posts: 135
    Dr_Yes wrote:
    I'm not a fan of this song but I don't especially dislike it, either. Of course, our opinions of the title songs are as subjective as our opinions of the films themselves. While I think it's safe to say Madonna's "Die Another Day" is widely rejected by our community, we could probably find fans for just about any main title song. I might be among the relative few who enjoys "License to Kill" and "The Living Daylights", for example.
    I think time has shown Die Another Day to be rejected by true fans of Bond fandom, yet to me it remains a timeless classic. To each man their own.
    Dr_Yes wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I actually thought Die Another Day wasn't bad as a type of Madonna/Michael Jackson-type pop song and it kind of went with the very different Bond film that DAD turned out to be in the end. I'm no big fan of the desperately over-hyped Madonna, though. Michael Jackson is another matter.

    That's a fair point about DAD the song going along with DAD the film. Perhaps to some extent people might dislike the song as collateral damage from hating the movie.

    I honestly don't feel that way at all. Despite my general dislike for club music, Madonna has written and performed some good songs in her time. I respect her for that as well as managing her career in an exemplary manner. In this case, for me this wouldn't be one of them and it's only a very small part of why I dislike DAD and see it as the worst of the official 23 films to date.
    On one hand, I agree with you completely - Madonna is an example performer and she is also very well-managed, yet I disagree with you completely because she conjures such terrible music, such as Die Another Day.
    pachazo wrote:
    Dragonpol wrote:
    I have a copy of the song ripped from the Internet in 2005, though I guess it must be on the TLD soundtrack which I don't own (as yet).
    Indeed it is @Dragonpol. You should definitely get it. I don't think that you will be disappointed.

    Now then, what to say about ATH? It doesn't quite rape my ears like AWTD does but it's not a song that I find myself listening to very often either. I do like how the "We're two of a kind" line is used in the film though. So it seems appropriate enough for the film even though it probably wouldn't have been my first choice.
    Me neither.
  • Posts: 615
    Mediocre song... One of the worst unfortunately.
    Agreed.

    It's just "elevator" music to me. (Or perhaps I should say "lift".)

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