Did You Like the Song ":Live or Let Die" by Paul McCartney?

Question

Personally I thought it was a let-down. I know Paul is capable of much more. I think he was given the task because he was a Beatle. If a lesser known musician had submitted the same song it would have been rejected. The song has no form and no beat and it relies in special theater effects. Its not really a song.

What do you say? Can You Compare this song to the Pink Panther /theme, the Peter Gun theme, the Hawaii 5-0 theme,  or Eye of the Tiger? Nope, I didn't think so. So why was it so popular?

Answer 1

Well, let's put it this way, I didn't hate it, lol. As there were many other songs I liked/like better. However, no matter what I feel this song reached number ONE on two of the three major US charts, and reached Two on the US Hot 100 for several weeks. Believe it or not It was actually Paul' McCartney and band Wings most successful of singles. And, to mention the most successful Bond theme. It was the main theme song in the 1973 James Bond film "Live and Let Die." The song was actually written by Paul and his wife Linda McCartney. There was some  really great songs with brillant artists back in 1973, that I preferred. Still I enjoy many Beatle songs, and always will.

Comments

Sandy, you stole nearly EVERY rumble of my thunder!  What a great answer!   LOL

The only thing I would add here are the Billboard rankings, which in American radio, are the rankings that constitute the "Gold Standard."

The only Bond theme to reach #1 on Billboard was Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill."

McCartney's "Live and Let Die" reached #2 and was the first Bond theme performed by the one who wrote it. (1973)

"Nobody Does It Better" by Carly Simon also reached #2.

Sheena Easton's "For Your Eyes Only" topped out at #4.

After that, the most notable song would be Adele's "Skyfall," which is the only Bond theme to have won an Oscar, but it only got to #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  It was also the most "successful" of all the Bond themes, winning a ton of awards, particularly in the U.K. 

The lowest-ranking Bond theme that made Billboard's Hot 100 was the theme from Quantum of Solace, "Another Way to Die," performed by Jack White and Alicia Keys, which made it to #81 in 2008.

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That's the problem with some people their glass is always half full. Kudos.

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I actually liked the Carly Simon and Sheena Easton songs. I didn't love them but they okay.

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 Excellent elaboration on details, Media. Thank you! And, thank you for the compliment!

  : )

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Thank you, Coolguy! 

Answer 2

I like to live and let live but then I'm that type of guy.

Comments

Lol!

Answer 3

I was never particularly into Paul McCartney/Wings.

Never liked much of his solo music or any of the other Beatles solo careers for that matter.

The exception being 2 songs by George Harrison. I’ve Got My Mind Set On You & My Sweet Lord.

I really always like the collaboration of McCartney & Lennon personally!

But, I am not a confirmed audiophile.

So, take that for what it’s worth!

Comments

On the air one day in 1974 (I think), I played "My Sweet Lord," but I was talking over the intro with a weather update and a sports score, I think.  There are about 30 seconds from the time the song starts until the opening words ("My sweet lord...."), and I had pretty much filled the time.  I realized I had a few seconds left to "talk up the intro" to the lyrics, and I was feeling a bit punchy at the time, and I said, "You know, if George Harrison gained about 50 pounds or so, we'd have to re-title this song to... "My Sweet Lard." <bing> lyrics came in on cue.  :-)  I felt VERY clever.  But since I am not the slimmest Jim in the package, I never used the line again.  LOL

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I am envious of your quick wit and gift for gab! How cool to be able to be articulate in such a timely manner!

I do much better over typing, texting and such!

There was a dj in Cincinnati whose moniker was Dusty Roads or Rhodes. Probably not his real name. lol! He had what I thought was the perfect male voice!

He could kibitz on air fluidly about any song or group that he played or was even requested.

Lol. This was way before Google! He seemed to be a human encyclopedia of all current and even past popular music. On cue he could recite who covered what song, sometimes multiple artists going back decades if the song was an “old stand by”!

This is a remarkable super talent and takes remarkable memory retrieval skills!

Awesome answer Media!

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One of my former students who was my music director at the high school radio station I ran went on to work as an on-air DJ talent, and to this day he has an encyclopedic knowledge of music. 

I sent him the manuscript for my novel, Priority A, which features a DJ being held hostage by terrorists. He was a wizard! He caught little mistakes I made with some of the music and has been an invaluable resource for me. 

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Our dj knew of nearly every band member, the instruments they played in each group and what groups they belonged to previously and the groups they went on to play with….

All this as you say… dropped into 15 seconds of dead space as the next song queued up to play! It was sheer genius!

Answer 4

I like it just fine!