Live And Let Die Title Sequence

Stats

Title sequence created by Maurice Binder

'Live And Let Die' performed by Paul Mccartney & Wings, written by Paul and Linda McCartney

Featured in Live And Let Die (1973)

Visuals

After the final departure of Sean Connery, Roger Moore steps into the fray in Live And Let Die with his first appearance in the gunbarrel. In complete contrast to the Diamonds Are Forever titles, there is plenty of striking imagery. Featuring women's faces spontaneously combusting into skulls, alongside strong fire and voodoo imagery, all the themes used in the titles closely resemble the nature of the film to follow. There are of course the customary silhouette girls, with multi-coloured hands dancing to the music also featuring.

Theme

With John Barry unavailable for the score, Paul McCartney is brought in to sing the Live And Let Die title theme » along with his band, Wings, and Beatles producer George Martin. The result was the first Rock and Roll Bond theme that would prove highly popular with fans and critics alike. Starting with a soft piano build-up, suddenly in come the guitars, keyboards and instrumentals to create a very dynamic sound, completely different to what had been heard before in a Bond title theme.

While some question the silly, meaningless lyrics, or indeed the actual choice of McCartney to sing the theme, you can't deny the songs popularity or how it has become one of the most recognisable of the title themes.

Live And Let Die charted at number 2 in the USA, alongside number 9 in the UK, making it the most successful theme up to this point. The song was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Theme Song, however lost out to the film 'The Way We Were'.

Lyrics

When you were young and your heart was an open book, you used to say live and let live, (You know you did, you know you did, you know you did) but in this ever changing world in which we're living, makes you give in and cry,

Say live and let die! Live and let die, live and let die, live and let die.

What does it matter to ya, when you've got a job to do, you gotta do it well, you gotta give the other fellow hell!

You used to say live and let live, (You know you did, you know you did, you know you did) but if this ever changing world in which we're living makes you give in and cry,

Say live and let die! Live and let die, live and let die, live and let die. §