Paul McCartney Once Took on a Bond Theme With the Help of This Familiar Collaborator in 1973

Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” brought together the singer, Wings and Beatles producer George Martin for the 1973 James Bond film. The collaboration produced one of the best-regarded Bond themes and gave Wings a timely boost when its first two albums had received a lukewarm response.

McCartney had declined an earlier offer to write a theme for 1971’s *Diamonds Are Forever*, as he was forming Wings. He wrote the new song after reading the book in a day, with his wife Linda contributing its reggae middle section; Martin produced the band and orchestra recording at his London studio. Film producers initially mistook the finished track for a demo, and the song later earned an Academy Award nomination, though it lost to “The Way We Were”.