12. You Only Live Twice - Nancy Sinatra
Description: If you think you've heard this melody before, and not in a James Bond movie, you're not wrong. Robbie Williams sampled the tune for his turn of the century hit, Millenium, and to great effect. In fact, his re-usage of the main melody is just further proof of this song's staying power, as well as its quality. Eshewing the harder sound of most Bond titles, Nancy Sinatra does her father proud by weaving a rather dream like song which follows our heroic spy's "death" on assignment. It was the first time our favorite 00 would die and be resurrected, as well as the first time we successfully heard a softer side of Bond.
Choice Lyrics: "You'll drift through the years, and life seems tame/'Til one dream appears, and love is its name." This is one way you can effectively handle romance in a Bond theme. It's especially effective because when you place this in the timeline of the Bond series, this was the installment right before On Her Majesty's Secret Service... you know, the one where Bond decides to quit and get married? Whether they had this in mind the whole time, or if this was just referring to Bond's cover marriage in the film, it's valid in both regards and adds that much more depth to the proceedings.