DYK: The Indian connect to iconic Bond theme music

The James Bond theme music is one of the most recognisable music pieces around the world till date. First used for the 1962 American film Dr. No, the theme gradually earned an iconic status and went on to be used in all James Bond movies, in many variations. However, very few people know of the link between James Bond theme music and India.

The music theme’s original composer James Norman spoke about how he was first inspired to create the theme because of a play with Indian origins. During a media interview around the 50-year celebration of James Bond, Norman recalled being first assigned the task to compose the theme music of Dr. No, the first James Bond film ever.

Bond Theme’s tune from a stage musical

While not knowing about the commercial chances of the film, let alone the future of the film spawning a whole franchise of its own, Norman just happened to pick up an old work of his, which he had composed for a stage musical based on the much-acclaimed novel A House for Mr. Biswas. The novel, written by V.S. Naipaul, revolved around the struggles of an Indian living abroad, who has a personal goal to own a house. When A House for Mr. Biswas was being adapted for stage, Norman conceived a song titled, Good Sign, Bad Sign, for a situation where a character is talking about his sneeze.

Years later, Norman decided to use the notes of this song while creating the Bond theme music for Dr. No Norman recalled in the same interview that he thought the tune was very Asian in its very sound and feel, so he decided to split the notes. That’s when the composer realised that the whole feeling of the song suddenly changed, and felt suitable for James Bond, while still remaining exotic at its core. 

John Barry reorchestrated the iconic theme

After the basic tune got approved, the makers brought in another composer John Barry to orchestrate the final music theme. Barry took over from there, added more into the basic composition, roping in rock guitarist Vick Flick, whose electric guitar replaced the sound of the original Indian sitar giving it a re-birth, resulting in the cult James Bond theme music as we know of it today.

A few years later, there was a dispute between the creators for the credit of original composer, because Barry inadvertently ended up walking away with most of the credit. Amidst all the dispute, the little-known Indian connection to the iconic theme music has been lost somewhere as well.