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MAY 1982
This is the date that I received the original OHMSS vinyl album. I had been wanting this soundtrack for years but it had long since been deleted and was very rare. Eventually I found one through a second hand source though had to pay £10 for the privilege, a lot of money then. When it finally arrived I couldn’t wait to get it on the turntable.
The original track listing was as follows;
1. We Have all the time in the world
2. This never happened to the other feller
3. Try
4. Ski Chase
5. Do you know how Christmas trees are grown?
6. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
7. Journey to Blofeld's Hideaway
8. We have all the time in the world
9. Over and Out
10. Battle at Piz Gloria
11. We have all the time in the world – James Bond theme
Al in all fabulous stuff and excellent to listen to. I was a bit disappointed that the Gumbold safecracking music wasn’t present but in those days it was accepted that tracks would be left out or cut. Still its probably the most solidly listened to album I’ve ever bought. It was replaced in 1990 with a CD version of the same album though the sound quality wasn’t noticeably any better. Cleraly most other fans thought this the best soundtrack but for most of the last twenty years, we haven’t been able to discuss the albums between ourselves as we can do now with the advent of the internet.
TWENTY YEARS LATER
So having gone through more incarnations of Bond and various other soundtracks. None has to date surpassed John Barry’s superb score for OHMSS. It was in 2002 that talk began to filter through that the early Bond soundtracks were to be re-released in expanded form. Even then people were sceptical as it was known that were several legal hurdles to clear first. So we really hoped for the best but wouldn’t hold our breath. In fact we weren’t really sure exactly how the album could be doubled in length. However thanks to the efforts of Lukas Kendall and others the new album finally was released in 2002 and completely fills a CD to bursting point. Bearing in mind that it has only been very recently that a CD could carry so much music. Also the original tracks have been cleaned up and remixed so they sound like they were recorded yesterday. Other Bond soundtracks have also been expanded but it is clear from the fact that this is the only new album to have a producers note that it is the flagship of the new soundtracks.
Lazenbyland(UK) was fortunate enough to obtain an advance copy of this new OHMSS CD. The cover artwork remains mostly the same (can you spot the subtle difference?) but now folds out into a synopsis of the story and a rundown of the new soundtrack. The rear sleeve has been changed listing the new tracks but the rear sleeve of the old album is still contained within the
notes.
The track listing is now as follows;
1. We Have all the time in the world
2. This never happened to the other feller
3. Try
4. Ski Chase
5. Do you know how Christmas trees are grown?
6. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
7. Journey to Blofeld's Hideaway
8. We have all the time in the world
9. Over and Out
10. Battle at Piz Gloria
11. We have all the time in the world – James Bond theme
And onto the new stuff.
12. Journey To Draco's Hideaway
13. Bond and Draco
14. Gumbold's Safe
15. Bond Settles In
16. Bond Meets The Girls
17. Dusk At Piz Gloria
18. Sir Hillary's Night Out (Who Will Buy My Yesterdays?)
19. Blofeld's Plot
20. Escape From Piz Gloria
21. Bobsled Chase
In total you now have just under 80 minutes of music from the film plus some unused sections.
However the revamped album hasn't just been a case of sticking a few new tracks onto the old version. No sir! This never happened to the other feller now opens with the gunbarrel and also includes the two bars section where Bond gets his sniper scope. Ski Chase contains the music after the avalanche and into M's office. Journey to Blofelds hideaway is the most revamped of all the old tracks and includes all
the music used in the film right up to the All the time in the world march as Bond arrives at Piz Gloria plus it has some music not used in the film. If you're wondering what happened to the original All the time in the world march its now on the new track Journey to Dracos Hideaway. Over and Out finishes on the rally used in the film rather than fading out.
The new tracks Bond and Draco and Journey to Dracos hideaway contains all the music from Tracy in Bonds room with an introduction not used in the film through to Bond and Draco with the Bond theme riff in the
All The Time In The World music through to Bonds resignation and ending with Tracy arriving at the estate in Portugal.
The long awaited Gumbolds safe is totally complete and just magnificent with an unused section which seems like it was to be used when Campbell sends up the
safecracking machine.
Bond Settles In has the music in Bonds room at Piz Gloria plus some more unused stuff.
Bond Meets The Girls is where he first talks to the girls at Piz Gloria. Full of cheeky sections and an amusing piece of music. It goes through to Bond meeting Blofeld.
Dusk at Piz Gloria is where Bond is with Ruby including the hypnotherapy music. I thought that was part of the sound effects until I heard this. Who Will But my Yesterdays is a lovely relaxing piece until Bond gets caught by Irma Bunt. Oooer!
Blofelds plot contains the cable car escape music through to the fight with the guard.
Escape from Piz Gloria has to be heard to be believed. One of the best Barry compositions ever. A fabulous piece of music but sadly reminded me how much the recent films lack Barry's touch. I'm sure Nic Raine who did a good version of this on Bond Back In Action will
be the first to admit that this track could only really be done justice by the master himself.
Bobsled Chase contains the section where Blofeld drops the grenade though hugely expanded as though it was going to be used over much more of the chase.
If that wasn't enough the sound is as crisp as you could want. You could even hear the other musicians preparing themselves on some of the tracks, particularly Journey To Blofelds Hideaway and the mouth of the flutist at the end of ski chase. Even Do You Know How Christmas Trees are Grown sounds superb.
My advice is play this CD from start to finish whilst relaxing and
avoid the temptation to go straight to the new stuff. Just sit back
and enjoy one of the finest film compositions ever written.
If you want to hear the soundtrack in film order, I think the
following programme sequence will do the trick.
2,6,3,12,13,1,14,7,15,16,17,18,19,20,5,4,9,10,21,11. As far as I know track 8, the piano version of ATTITW was never used in the film. I put this at the start of the programme as it makes a lovely introduction before we hit the actual soundtrack music. Also in this order you can see(hear?) how Barry was softening us up ready for Louis Armstrongs timeless rendition of We Have All The Time In The World. In film order it has much more emotional impact.
Fantastic listening and opening this CD was just as great a feeling as twenty years previously when I opened up the old vinyl album. The old CD was unceremoniously consigned to the trashcan but the vinyl album still has a certain sentimental value and remains in the attic.
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