In a new episode of the “No Time To Die: The Official James Bond Podcast,” Billie Eilish discusses her approach to the latest film in the franchise with critic James King, detailing how she wanted to add her own touch but also “honor Bond, the songs in the past and the original guitar riff.”
Episode four of the podcast focuses on the music of Bond and features interviews with composer alum David Arnold, the film’s current composer Hans Zimmer, Eillish and her producer/co-writer/brother Finneas O’Connell.
O’Connell adds that he wanted to be a part of Bond’s music history because, “The Bond songs are so cool, the franchise is so cool, the music is so cool;we wanted to be part of that.”
The second verse of “No Time to Die” nods to the iconic theme, and the two had tried recording alternate versions of the verse, with and without that very subtle homage. The theme was recorded in London and Eilish says, “There was a conversion without it, and then weputit back in.” But before that, the two sat down and watched the Daniel Craig Bond movies including “Skyfall” as a refresher. Musically, they listened to the songs including Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” from the Bond film of the same name. Says O’Connell: “We wanted to make sure, tunnel vision wise, we were on the Daniel Craig quintology.”
The film’s director, Cary Joji Fukunaga, also joined King to talk about what makes a good Bond song. His answer: “It’s so hard to say. If there was a magic formula, everyone would do it. I think a good Bond song somehow feels reflective of the time but also the film. … It directs the audience emotionally to the right sort of expectation about what the rights experience but also can operate on its own on radios and people’s iPods. A great Bond song is one that people can’t forget.”
Listen to the episode here.
