In the wake of "Global James Bond Day" and the 50th anniversary of the first appearance of James Bond on the silver screen, many are celebrating the beloved franchise including its iconic music. Since debuting in Dr. No, the music and the playboy spy have forged an inseparable association.
Though composer John Barry arranged the theme, it was actually Monty Norman who composed the riff which, when performed by guitarist Vic Flick, enthralled audiences in 1962. The theme went on to become the signature musical piece of every Bond film.
Monty Norman originally created the tune for his musical based upon V. S. Naipual's novel A House for Mr Biswas. The song, called "Good Sign, Bad Sign," was meant to be performed more slowly and on a sitar. Norman decided not to pursue the project, but the tune would resurface when producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman asked him to compose a theme for Dr. No.
Because John Barry had sometimes been credited as the composer, Mr. Norman has headed to court on more than one occasion to successfully protect his title as author of the theme. It is to Mr. Norman that multiple generations of Bond fans worldwide offer a grateful nod for 50 years of one of the most memorable tracks to one of the most widely known and loved franchises in film history.