"GoldenEye"
Single by Tina Turner
from the album GoldenEye: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack from the United Artists film and Wildest Dreams
ReleasedNovember 6, 1995 (1995-11-06)
RecordedSeptember 1995[1]
StudioOlympic Sound (London, UK)
Length4:41
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Nellee Hooper
Tina Turner singles chronology
"Proud Mary"
(1993)		 "GoldenEye"
(1995)		 "Whatever You Want"
(1996)
James Bond theme singles chronology
"Licence to Kill"
(1989)		 "GoldenEye"
(1995)		 "Tomorrow Never Dies"
(1997)
Music video
"GoldenEye" on YouTube

"GoldenEye" is a song written by Irish musicians Bono and the Edge and performed by American singer Tina Turner. The song served as the theme for the James Bond film GoldenEye. Released as a single on November 6, 1995, the track was a chart hit in Europe, topping the Hungarian Singles Chart and reaching the top five in Austria, Finland, France, Italy and Switzerland, as well as number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. It was less successful outside Europe, reaching number 43 in Canada, number 63 in Australia, and number two on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100.

Background and release

Depeche Mode was initially approached in 1994 to sing the main theme song for GoldenEye, but were coming to the end of their Devotional Tour and could not meet the schedule. Instead, the producers got Tina Turner to agree to do the song. After being informed of Turner's involvement, Bono and the Edge of Irish rock band U2 were next to join, and agreed to write the song. The track was produced and mixed by British producer/remixer/composer Nellee Hooper, best known for his work with Massive Attack, Madonna, U2, and Björk. The track reached number ten on the UK Singles Chart and became a top-five hit in several European countries.[2][3]

"GoldenEye" was first released on the original motion picture soundtrack and the following year it was included on Turner's album Wildest Dreams. The song has been covered by Nicole Scherzinger for the 2010 remake of the GoldenEye 007 video game.[4]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard described "GoldenEye" as a "gloriously over-the-top James Bond theme"[5] and a "tingly, feline performance" by Turner. He found that producer Nellee Hooper "captures the essence of the movie, wrapping the track in sweeping strings and horns that are fondly reminiscent" of the 1964 movie Goldfinger, and added that U2's Bono and the Edge "get in on the fun, writing a tune that's fraught with cryptic lyrical twists and romantic intrigue."[6] James Masterton for Dotmusic said that "like most Bond themes it tends towards the sweeping style of the early John Barry efforts yet still manages to retain its own identity."[7] Nisid Hajari from Entertainment Weekly stated that the James Bond myth "certainly allows for the trinity of Sex, Danger, and Elegance to verge on melodrama." He noted the song's "self-conscious vocals and maudlin horns and strings", that "blithely crosses the line".[8]

A reviewer from Liverpool Echo commented that Turner "manages to sound like Shirley Bassey".[9] David Cook from The Michigan Daily wrote that "it's amazing how similar this song sounds to other opening songs from previous James Bond movies — there must be some magic formula to making all of the sound so Bondlike."[10] Pan-European magazine Music & Media deemed it a "perfect candidate" for the soundtrack of 007's "latest adventure", stating that Turner "and her raw R&B power easily fit in the Shirley Bassey tradition." They also noted that the composers "stayed close to the traditional James Bond sound".[11] Music Week rated the song five out of five, writing that the singer's voice "soars above a swirling orchestra in this powerful single with a classic Bond feel."[12] Jeff Farance from The News-Journal, while reviewing the movie, said that the title sequence is "pure Bond, with Tina Turner belting out the title song in the grand tradition of magnificent music for 007."[13]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "GoldenEye" was directed by English film director Jake Scott and made its debut at the end of October 1995.[14][15] It features Sudanese model Alek Wek.[16]

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
France (SNEP)[57] Silver 125,000*
Germany (BVMI)[58] Gold 300,000[59]
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[60] Gold 25,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States October 31, 1995 Contemporary hit radio Virgin [61]
United Kingdom November 6, 1995
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Parlophone [62]

Alternate rejected theme song

Like many Bond themes before it, Tina Turner's version was not the only recorded song for the film. Swedish pop band Ace of Base also recorded a song that was optioned to the studio. Ace of Base's "The GoldenEye" was later reworked into "The Juvenile" which appeared on their Da Capo album in 2002.

Samples and covers

  • In 1999, French rapper Kohndo has sampled parts of the instrumentals in his song "Survivre".
  • In 2008, Lil Mass, another French rapper, sampled it in the song "Beatdown".
  • The song appeared in an episode of MTV series Human Giant and again in the 2010 film Beatdown.
  • American singer Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer of pop group Pussycat Dolls, covered the single for the 2010 remake of the video game GoldenEye 007. The song plays during the game's introduction.
  • Finnish alternative rock band End of You covered the song for their 2008 album Mimesis.
  • Prominent DJ David Morales has performed a club remix of the song, while record producer Dave Hall has provided a more urban flavour on his remix, both versions were included on the European four-track CD single.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bego, Mark (July 29, 2005). Tina Turner: Break Every Rule. Taylor Trade. ISBN 9781461626022.
  2. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. London: Guinness World Records Limited
  3. ↑ MI6: GoldenEye (1995): James Bond 007 mi6.hq.com. Retrieved December 11, 2011
  4. ↑ GoldenEye 007 Video Game: Behind the Music with Nicole Scherzinger HD Game Trailers.com. Retrieved December 11, 2011
  5. ↑ Flick, Larry (November 25, 1995). "Dance Trax: Kervorkian's Wake-Up Call; Albanese Gets 'Happy'" (PDF). Billboard. p. 57. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  6. ↑ Flick, Larry (November 4, 1995). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 94. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  7. ↑ Masterton, James (November 12, 1995). "Week Ending November 18th 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  8. ↑ Hajari, Nisid (November 10, 1995). "Goldeneye". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  9. ↑ Liverpool Echo. November 24, 1995. p. 60. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  10. ↑ Cook, David (December 8, 1995). "RECORDS: "GoldenEye" Original Motion Picture Soundtrack". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  11. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. November 11, 1995. p. 16. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. October 28, 1995. p. 18. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
  13. ↑ Farance, Jeff (November 17, 1995). "'GoldenEye' is James Bond without peer". The News-Journal. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Site Maintenance".
  15. ↑ "Tina Turner - Golden Eye". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  16. ↑ Daily Mirror. June 4, 1997. p. 27. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  17. ↑ "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 18 Feb 1996". ARIA. Retrieved July 21, 2017 – via Imgur. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
  18. ↑ "Tina Turner – GoldenEye" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Tina Turner – GoldenEye" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Tina Turner – GoldenEye" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Discos populares en Latinoamérica". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish): 38. May 18, 1996. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2872." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2846." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 6. February 10, 1996. p. 17. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 2. January 13, 1996. p. 11. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Tina Turner: Goldeneye" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  27. ↑ "Tina Turner – GoldenEye" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  28. ↑ "Tina Turner – GoldenEye" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  29. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 5. February 3, 1996. p. 13. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  30. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (2.12.1995 – 8.12.1995)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). December 2, 1995. p. 58. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  31. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – GoldenEye". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 49. December 9, 1995. p. 14. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  33. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 51, 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  34. ↑ "Tina Turner – GoldenEye" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
  35. ↑ "Tina Turner – GoldenEye". VG-lista. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  36. ↑ "Major Market Airplay – Week 50/1995" (PDF). Music & Media. December 16, 1995. p. 27. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  37. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  38. ↑ "Tina Turner – GoldenEye". Singles Top 100. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  39. ↑ "Tina Turner – GoldenEye". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  40. ↑ "Tina Turner: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  41. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  42. ↑ "Tina Turner Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  43. ↑ "Tina Turner Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  44. ↑ "Tina Turner Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  45. ↑ "Rapports annuels 1995" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  46. ↑ "Jaarlijsten 1995" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Topp 20 Single Julen 1995" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 1995" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  49. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1996" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  50. ↑ "Rapports annuels 1996" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  51. ↑ "RPM Year End: Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 16, 1996. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  52. ↑ "Year End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1996" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 51/52. December 21, 1996. p. 12. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  53. ↑ "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 1996" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  54. ↑ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1996" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  55. ↑ "Jaarlijsten 1996" (in Dutch). Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  56. ↑ "Swiss Year-End Charts 1996" (in German). Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  57. ↑ "French single certifications – Tina Turner – GoldenEye" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved November 26, 2021. Select TINA TURNER and click OK. 
  58. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Tina Turner; 'GoldenEye')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  59. ↑ Mooij, Thessa (April 6, 1996). "Soul Empress Keeps Rejuvenating" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 11. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  60. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('GoldenEye')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  61. ↑ "Selected New Releases" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1118. October 27, 1995. p. 35. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  62. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 4, 1995. p. 43. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
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