The Living Daylights (soundtrack)

rdf:langString The Living Daylights (soundtrack)

rdf:langString The Living Daylights

rdf:langString The Living Daylights .jpg

rdf:langString Paul O'Duffy, Jason Corsaro

rdf:langString Soundtrack

rdf:langString The Living Daylights is the soundtrack title for the film The Living Daylights and the eleventh and final Bond soundtrack to be scored by composer John Barry. The soundtrack is notable for its introduction of sequenced electronic rhythm tracks overdubbed with the orchestra – at the time, a relatively new innovation. The title song of the film, "The Living Daylights", was recorded by Norwegian pop group A-ha. As of 2017 this is the only Bond film where the title song has not been performed by either British or American artists. A-ha and Barry did not collaborate well, resulting in two versions of the theme song. Barry's film mix is heard on the soundtrack and all three of A-ha's best-of compilations. The A-ha preferred mix can be heard on their 1988 album Stay on These Roads. However, in 2006 A-ha's Paul Waaktaar-Savoy complimented Barry's contributions "I loved the stuff he added to the track, I mean it gave it this really cool string arrangement. That's when, for me, it started to sound like a Bond thing". Originally, British pop duo Pet Shop Boys was asked to compose the soundtrack, but backed out when they learned that they should not provide a complete soundtrack but merely the opening theme song. In a departure from conventions of previous Bond films, the film uses different songs over the opening and end credits. The song heard over the end credits, "If There Was a Man" - which acts as the film's "love theme" - was one of two songs performed for the film by the Pretenders (led by lyricist/lead vocalist Chrissie Hynde). The other song, "Where Has Everybody Gone", is heard as source music in the film (from Necros's Walkman). The Pretenders were originally considered to perform the film's title song. However, the producers had been pleased with the commercial success of Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill", and felt that A-ha would be more likely to make an impact in the charts. In the event, "The Living Daylights" was a hit in many countries. The original soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records featured only 12 tracks. Later re-releases by Rykodisc and EMI added nine additional tracks, including an alternate instrumental end credits.