Some movie themes are so iconic that they instantly transport you into the world of the film. John Williams' two-note shark warning in Jaws, the triumphant brass of Star Wars, or Bernard Herrmann's screeching strings in Psycho—all unforgettable. But perhaps the most recognizable of them all belongs to a suave British secret agent. Since 1962's Dr. No, James Bond has been a pop-culture juggernaut across 25 official films. Even if you've never seen a single 007 movie, you know the theme. What you probably don't know is how it came to be—and it's a story that involves a scrapped East Indian musical, a man singing about sneezing, and a legal battle.
The Unlikely Origins of a Spy Classic
James Bond was born from the imagination of novelist Ian Fleming, whose first 007 book, Casino Royale, hit shelves in 1953. Nearly a decade later, Bond made his big-screen debut in Dr. No, starring Sean Connery and directed by Terence Young. The film was a smash, earning $16 million worldwide and earning a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score. It launched a franchise and turned Connery—and every actor who followed—into a household name.
But the music that defines Bond almost didn't happen. Producer Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli was a fan of composer Monty Norman's work on a play called Belle or the Ballad of Dr. Crippen. He hired Norman to score Dr. No. As Norman left their first meeting, an assistant stopped him and said, "See if you can get a good theme for this, because I reckon we've got two films and a television series out of this."
Norman worked with Count Basie and his orchestra on several potential themes, but none felt right. They all agreed something was missing—the music didn't capture Bond's essence. That's when Norman remembered a song he'd written for an unproduced East Indian musical.
From 'Bad Sign, Good Sign' to 007
Before Dr. No, Norman had drafted a stage musical adaptation of V.S. Naipaul's novel A House for Mr Biswas. The project was too expensive to produce, but one song stuck with him: "Bad Sign, Good Sign." The number featured a sitar and lyrics about a man born with an unlucky sneeze and coming into the world "the wrong way round." Pundits all agreed he was the reason for bad luck.
Obviously, a sitar-driven song about sneezing had no place in a James Bond film. But the melody was undeniably catchy. Norman dropped the lyrics, swapped the sitar for a guitar, and—just like that—the James Bond theme was born. The reworked tune perfectly captures Bond's mystery, danger, and sexiness. It's serious but fun, just like the character.
Despite creating one of cinema's most enduring themes, Norman never worked on another Bond film. Composer John Barry went on to score many 007 movies, leading the public to believe he had written the theme. The misconception became so widespread that Norman sued The Sunday Times for printing the claim as fact—and won.
Monty Norman passed away in 2022 at age 94, but his legacy lives on. Every time James Bond steps into frame, that iconic guitar riff reminds us of the bizarre journey from an East Indian musical to spy-movie immortality. For more on the 007 franchise, check out our coverage of James Bond Returns: '007 First Light' Drops May 27 with Game of the Year Buzz. And if you're a fan of iconic movie scores, you might also enjoy our ranking of The Strongest Jedi in Star Wars History.
