V.A. - "James Bond Greatest Hits" Vinyl, LP, Compilation, UK, 1982 (Liberty)

As our deeper pleasures are being taken away from us, James Bond is a treasure of passions that are buried deep into the cinema goers consciousness.  The appeal of Bond is a man who serves a common good for his culture, but also never eliminates the joys of the flesh and the alcohol.  In other words, he has a win-win situation.   Most of us customers only have a win-lose-win something in our lives, and Bond can express one who has it all.  The treatment of the world is not based on fact, but on desire, and therefore seeing a Bond film is like being on a vacation.  But one that only lasts for two hours or so.   Equally important to the entire Bond package, is the music.  John Barry served his master (Bond) as well as to the customer.  It's hard not to hum or whistle the Bond theme or whatever the main title song was of that time of that particular Bond film. 

The truth is, the best part of a James Bond film is the first 15 minutes.  Here you get the action sequence that is usually fantastic, and then the great montage that announces the title, and of course, the mixture of Monty Norman's Bond theme, mixed in with Barry's music.   To be honest, one can leave the theater after the opening and be pleased like after having a great meal.  The rest of the product is tourism, women, fight scenes, and the character (each different by various actors playing Bond).  The next best thing after seeing the film is having the soundtrack albums.  In 1982, Liberty Records put together a great compilation of Bond theme songs as well as some of its wonderful incidental music used in the films.   My personal favorites are "From Russia With Love" by Matt Monro, with lyrics by Lionel Bart (one of the more fascinating characters to come out of the 1960s music world) and John Barry.  And of course, "Goldfinger" sung by Shirley Bassey, written by Anthony Newley, Barry, and Leslie Bricusse.  Which by the way, I strongly recommend that you find Newley's recording of "Goldfinger," because it's incredible.

There are other in-depth Bond compilations out there, but this one is a favorite because it was the first for me, and second, Barry and others have done their best work, regarding serving the master, that is James Bond. 

Various - "The Best of James Bond" CD, Album, Compilation, 1992 (EMI)

There are great John Barry compilations out there that focus not only on his James Bond work but the music he wrote for other films and even TV commercials.  On the subject of Bond, this CD package is my favorite.  It's a double disc set, with CD 1 focusing on the major Bond themes throughout the years, and the reason I purchased this particular copy is that of CD 2. 

The second CD is songs that didn't make the grade or instrumental suites put together for the incidental music scenes in the Bond films.  For example, the one masterpiece here is Anthony Newley's version of "Goldfinger."  I'm going to get shot for writing this, but I prefer Newley's version than the great Shirley Bassey.   Minimal with a jazzy/British beat, Newley conveys the villain's world as if he was a member of the Kray gang.  Perhaps this is my favorite Newley moment of them all.  And he made some impressive sounds/visuals throughout his short (died way too young) career.  The other great song on this collection is Louis Armstrong's "We Have All The Time in the World."   A Hal David lyric with Barry melody and then adding the great and aging Armstrong vocal, it's a moving performance.  Also noted is Bassey's "Mr. Kiss Bang Bang."   Also are radio spots for "Dr. No" and "Thunderball."  This collection is perhaps the best thing out of the Cold War era.  

Kenny Graham - "The Small World of Sammy Lee" Vinyl, LP, Album (Trunk Records) 2014

For a guy who lives in Los Angeles, I'm obsessed with the subject matter of 1960s London, especially the years before the Fab Four (Beatles) hit the scene. One of the key figures in that time was an entertainer, songwriter, performer Anthony Newley. An inspiration to a young David Bowie, Newley struck me as an eccentric artist. But that thought is mostly due that I'm an American, and the British, even though we share a language (of sorts), our cultures are distant apart. Nevertheless, there is an obscure film made in 1963, "The Small World of Sammy Lee," starring Newley as a nightclub owner in Soho London, who owes money to his bookie. He has a certain amount of hours to find that money, and there we have "The Small World of Sammy Lee."

The other interest in this little narrative is the soundtrack to this film. Composed by British Jazz musician Kenny Graham. I know one other Graham recording, and it's "Moondog and Suncat Suites." An album that is a mixture of Graham's compositions as well as songs by the great New York City composer Moondog. If that is not odd enough, that album is engineered by Joe Meek! The thought of Meek was working on Moondog's music ... It is mind-blowing.

Johnny Trunk, the brains and power behind Trunk Records, is a Kenny Graham fan. He located this 'lost' soundtrack through Graham's daughter, who had it stored away in her attic. Trunk found a box that said "Sammy, " and five years later, he has this release on his label. "Soho at Dawn," the opening cut for this album, and I presume the film, is a beauty. It smells like Soho at that time of the day, and I get a sense of a chill as if I was walking a Soho street. The rest of the album is just as cinematic with evident jazz touches. Still, it's very focused on its theme of urgency, yet sadness at the same time — a moody work.

There is not a whole lot of information on Graham. Just a handful of vinyl releases through the years, and although he seems to be a man at the right spot and time, his place in history appear to pass him by, which is a shame. I have also read that he wrote essays about music, and was very much an anti-rock n' roll guy. Yet, he was intrigued with electronics, and I have a feeling that, in an aesthetic sense, must have worked will with Meek. "The Small World of Sammy Lee" doesn't have that much information on it, with respect to who played what on the album. Was Meek involved? I doubt it since it was recorded in 1963, and I think at that time, it was the height of Meek doing what he's famous for. On the other hand, it's wonderful to have this obscure and slightly eccentric album in my hands and through my ears.

Anthony Newley - "The Decca Years 1959 - 1964

Anthony Newley - The Decca Years 1959 - 1964

CD, Compilation, 2008

Decca Records

My strong interest in U.K. life right before The Beatles hit the world made me buy this collection of Anthony Newley early recordings.   I knew of him, because he was on American TV a lot during the late 60s and 70s.  Also years later I read that David Bowie was a fan of his, due to the fact that he sang with an English accent, just like his other singing idol Syd Barrett.  

Newley is an interesting figure in 20th Century pop.  Hardcore show biz figure but one with a lot of personality, especially in the songs he wrote and covered.  He had a personal touch, the voice always had that quiver quality but I feel he was singing for the great masses and not to that one sole individual in the audience or by the record player.  He was the Cockney version of Sammy Davis Jr.  A true song and dance man in the world of the swinging 60s. 

 “Bee-Bom” is a fantastic piece of recording.   A fantastic piano riff is played with Newley doing a British version of Broadway doing rockabilly.  Overall his music is very conservative but still, there is something ‘there’ that is interesting.  In my imagined world, Bowie would have produced him.   Or maybe even Morrissey?   If you are going to get a Newley album, I think this is the one to get.  Also on a personal note, I bought this CD at HMV on Oxford Street, while working on the “Sparks-Tastic” book, so it has deep importance to my life