Under the Covers with James Bond - "Live and Let Die"
The eighth James Bond movie boasts several firsts for the series. The first of seven starring roles for Roger Moore as James Bond. The first African American Bond Girl (Rosie Carver). The first time since Dr. No that John Barry wasn't involved in the soundtrack, and the first time a rock band recorded the opening title piece. It is also likely the first James Bond title number covered by a heavy metal band, but not the one you are probably thinking of.
Written and performed by Paul and Linda McCartney and performed by Paul McCartney & Wings, "Live and Let Die" was the highest charting James Bond song in both the UK (#7) and the US (#2) to date when it released in 1973 and is still one of the most instantly recognizable James Bond title songs.
In what is arguably the best known cover of a James Bond title song, Guns N' Roses recorded it for the epic Use Your Illusion I album in 1993. G N' R however were not the first Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band to tackle Paul and Linda McCartney's rocking theme. Go back further to 1986 and you will find this wailing version by Los Angeles metalheads, Lizzy Borden.
Taken from their live album, The Murderess Metal Road Show recorded live at the legendary Country Club in Reseda, CA, Lizzy Borden as you can see and hear tears through this Bond theme with ridiculous amounts of metal ferocity (and hairspray, and leather, and riffage). It could be simply because I heard this cover when it originally released or because I'd been a fan of Lizzy Borden for two years at that point, but I've always felt this is a superior version to the more famous one by the Gunners.
That said, if you aren't a fan of The Metal, you might not find those versions very tasteful (it's cool, I get it). For something a little more in line with the original song, you need look no further than (once again) Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project album. This time around, Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders takes center stage to give new voice to a classic.
The song is very much in line with the original in terms of group and orchestration, with Hynde's performance giving this version it's own personality. Now, for a very recent and very original spin on this Bond classic, we are going to need more voices. Seven voices, appropriately enough. Brace yourselves for the vocal harmonies and chant based sound of Gregorian.
Released just last month on the Epic Chants album, German group Gregorian combine equal parts familiar Bondian music elements with their Symphonic Rock-meets-plainsong style with the results being one of the most unique James Bond covers committed to tape. (Yes, it was likely recorded digitally, but nothing will ever sound as cool as saying committed to tape, except for committed to vinyl, so there!)
For a purely instrumental rendition of Macca's "Live and Let Die", check out Britain's Got Talent finalists Escala, as they deliver a string quartet take on the song.
Escala keep the arrangement very close to the original, letting their stringed instruments take the mic as it were.
The music of James Bond will return in The Man With the Golden Gun.
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