*** Welcome to piglix ***

From Russia with Love (soundtrack)

From Russia with Love
From Russia With Love (movie soundtrack - album cover).jpg
Soundtrack album by John Barry
Released 1963
Recorded March 1963
Length 34:20
Label United Artists (LP)
Liberty (1980's LP Reissue)
EMI Manhattan Records (CD)
Capitol (2002 CD Re-release)
Producer Frank Collura (Reissue)
John Barry chronology
The Cool Mikado From Russia with Love Zulu
James Bond soundtrack chronology
Dr. No
(1962)
From Russia with Love
(1963)
Goldfinger
(1964)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 5/5 stars

From Russia with Love is the soundtrack for the second James Bond film of the same name. This is the first series film with John Barry as the primary soundtrack composer.

John Barry, arranger of Monty Norman's "James Bond Theme" for Dr. No, would be the dominant Bond series composer for most of its history and the inspiration for fellow series composer, David Arnold (who uses cues from this soundtrack in his own for Tomorrow Never Dies). The theme song was composed by Lionel Bart of Oliver! fame and sung by Matt Monro.

Following the decision of the producers not to use Monty Norman, though keeping his "James Bond Theme", Harry Saltzman decided on using the then popular Lionel Bart of Oliver! fame. Bart was unable to read or write music, but he offered to compose the music and lyrics for a title song to the film.

The producers chose John Barry to score the film. Barry had not only arranged and conducted the "James Bond Theme" from the previous film, but had already scored some films such as Beat Girl and Never Let Go. Barry's group also charted at No. 13 in the November 1962 UK charts with a different arrangement of the Bond theme from that heard in the film.

The title song was sung by Matt Monro. Monro's vocal version is played during the film (as source music on a radio) and properly over the film's end titles. The title credit music is a lively instrumental version of the tune preceded by a brief Barry-composed "James Bond is Back" then segueing into the "James Bond Theme". On the original film soundtrack, Alan Haven played a jazzy organ over the theme but this version was not released on the soundtrack album. The tune also appears in a soft string arrangement as a theme for Tania. In Germany, the original release featured an end title track cover version called Die Wolga ist Weit sung by Ruthe Berlé.


...
Wikipedia

...