You might be stunned to hear this, but we’re roughly a week out from No Time To Die’s UK debut. After all of the delays and restarts that the 007 hype machine has endured, it’s finally safe to say that we’re in the endgame of Daniel Craig’s era as James Bond. Celebration is in order, and apparently Hans Zimmer knew this as a fact, as he’s dropped two new tracks from the No Time To Die score. But one of those new songs has a very telling reference to classic Bond that’ll have fans both delighted and a bit worried.
Through various music and video platforms, such as Spotify, three tracks can now be heard from Hans Zimmer’s No Time To Die score. The previously released cue “Gun Barrel” showed the world just how the opening to this 25th Bond film might be doing things differently, through its more guitar driven sound. Now, “Matera” and “Shouldn’t We Get To Know Each Other First” have been released, with that first song containing the deep cut James Bond reference. Take a listen, and see if you can spot it:
For a movie that was once seen as a supposed speed bump in the world of James Bond, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service has gotten quite a bit of play in the Daniel Craig era. Previously, a trailer for Spectre was released that quoted the main theme from John Barry’s score to that very movie. That’s nothing compared to what No Time To Die is doing with “Matera”, which looks to be named after the Italian town that James Bond and Dr. Madeleine Swann have chosen as an initially romantic getaway.
As we know, that trip eventually turns sour, thanks to events that transpire. However, “Matera” isn’t a hard driving action tune, it’s more of a love theme. Although, it turns out to be the love theme of the 007 legacy that makes an appearance, as “We Have All The Time In The World” makes itself known musically. Slowly making way to part of the melody from No Time To Die’s title track, sung by Billie Eilish, both James Bond’s greatest romance and the darkness that awaits are signalled.
Referencing On Her Majesty’s Secret Service only brings back memories of that rare occasion where 007 was allowed to get married. Ready to leave his job and settle into a committed relationship, his enemies eventually murdered his bride Tracy, in an attempt to take him out in the process. This nod to the 1969 James Bond classic is beautiful, but comes with the suggestion that Léa Seydoux’s Dr. Madeleine Swann might be in more danger than we think.
The second tune released from the No Time To Die score is something that is much lighter, and doesn’t contain a sense of foreboding. Rather, “Shouldn’t We Get To Know Each Other First” is a track that brings back that swaggering guitar that Hans Zimmer always felt the modern Bond scores lacked. As you’ll hear in its inclusion below, that traditional 007 sound is back for what sounds to be a tremendous return.
Overall, the songs we’ve heard from No Time To Die thus far have felt like atmospheric mood setters. Foreboding, romance, and confidence are all present and accounted for, setting the table rather well for this upcoming movie’s sonic landscape. That said, as any fan of James Bond or Hans Zimmer will tell you, all that’s missing now is the hard driving action beats that have made both the franchise and its composer household names.
For our fans in the UK, you won’t have to wait too much longer to dig these sounds in a movie theater, as No Time To Die opens in that market on September 30th. Moviegoers in the US will have to wait a little longer, as early access screenings don’t start until October 6th. However, if you’re one of those music lovers that isn’t afraid of potential spoilers in the track listing, Hans Zimmer’s score is marked for release on October 1st.
