Goldfinger – SOUNDTRACK****

Goldfinger-Into Miami/Alpine Drive-Auric’s Factory/Oddjob’s Pressing Engagement/Bond Back In Action Again/ Teasing The Korean/Gassing The Gangsters/Goldfinger(Instrumental)/Dawn Raid On Fort Knox/The Arrival Of The Bomb & Count Down/The Death Of Goldfinger

The soundtrack album from the third James Bond movie Goldfinger topped the US album chart, staying for over a year. Based on the Ian Fleming spy novel the film starred Sean Connery. The music was scored by John Barry, and the title track was a No. 8 hit single for Shirley Bassey in the States. Was this the best ever Bond film? (US:1)

"Goldfinger in many ways is the definitive Bond soundtrack and score. Shirley Bassey's vocal of the title tune is not only the best of the series, it is one of the great show tunes of all time. The score is excellent as well; Bond Back In Action is a particular delight which includes the James Bond theme opening and then presents a kind of mini-score from the pre-title sequence."

"Goldfinger established Barry as the master in this genre, and made clear his enormous talents in film scoring. Moreover, this score became the standard by which all Bond scores have been and will be measured."

"The Goldfinger theme music is Barry all the way, and it's as close to a perfect movie song as there is. Mix the bombast of Barry's horn-soaked arrangement, the over-the-top lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Tony Newley, and of course the powerful delivery by vocalist Shirley Bassey, and you have a theme song that's a thriller in itself."

"The soundtrack reaches its powerful peak in Dawn Raid On Fort Knox and The Arrival Of The Bomb & Countdown. Each has violins and horns building upon each other dramatically to a finish that leaves you tingling."

"The Goldfinger main title is the best song in the James Bond film series. Into Miami is a great jazz intro. Alpine Drive is very good in the way it combines the main title with fragments of the James Bond beat in the background. However, my favourite cut has always been Bond Back In Action Again. Goldfinger has to be the best James Bond soundtrack. It not only has the best James Bond theme song but the score is one of the best. They don't compose them like this any more. It brings back fond memories."