This is the world's most visited unofficial James Bond 007 website with daily updates, news & analysis of all things 007 and an extensive encyclopaedia. Tap into Ian Fleming's spy from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig with our expert online coverage and a rich, colour print magazine dedicated to spies.
Credits
Music By: David Arnold
Orchestrated & Conducted By: Nicholas Dodd
James Bond Theme: Monty Norman
Song Written By: Chris Cornell, David Arnold
Song Performed By: Chris Cornell
Album Label: Sony Classical
Single Label: A&M Records / Polydor
Highest Chart Position: 2 (Denmark)
History
Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced on July 26, 2006 that Chris Cornell, the former Audioslave and Soundgarden lead singer, composed and would sing "You Know My Name" the Casino Royale title song. Cornell collaborated with David Arnold who composed the film's score.
Various names were reported in the media prior to the announcement, some reports going so far as to have the performers apparently claim they were working on the theme. This list included Tina Turner, who previously sang "GoldenEye" for the 1995 Bond film of the same name, and crooner Tony Christie.
The Casino Royale title song "You Know My Name" is the first theme song since 1983's "Octopussy" to use a different title than the film, and Cornell is the first male performer since a-ha in 1987's "The Living Daylights".
It is only the fourth Bond theme (after the opening medley of 'Dr. No', the instrumental theme from 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' and "All Time High" from 'Octopussy') to make no direct reference to the title of the film. The soundtrack was completed early in the morning on October 11, 2006. The soundtrack was released on November 14, 2006.
"You Know My Name" is the first Bond theme not to be included on its film's soundtrack album and was released separately as a single and on Cornell's album "Carry On".
Cornell declared that it happened because he wanted the song to be "his", and since he wrote "You Know My Name" in midst of recording the solo album Carry On, he felt that the song belonged to the album. In 2008, the song was included in the compilation "The Best of Bond...James Bond". The video for the single premiered on MTV's Making the Video on October 31, 2006.
However, motifs from the song serve as Bond's theme throughout the film, for example the tracks "I'm the Money" and "Aston Montenegro" feature two different instrumental renditions of its chorus. The "You Know My Name" CD single was released on December 11, 2006.Chart | Peak # |
Danish Single Chart | 2 |
Finnish Single Chart | 3 |
Italian Single Chart | 4 |
UK Downloads Chart | 4 |
Norwegian Single Chart | 5 |
UK Singles Chart | 7 |
Dutch Single Chart | 10 |
Swiss Single Chart | 10 |
Irish Singles Chart | 11 |
German Single Chart | 15 |
Swedish Single Chart | 21 |
Austrian Single Chart | 28 |
French Single Chart | 51 |
US Billboard Hot Digital Songs | 57 |
US Billboard Pop 100 | 64 |
US Billboard Hot 100 | 79 |
Three versions of the song were produced: the original (referred to as the "Rock Version"), the version used in the video and released on the Carry On album (referred to as the "Pop Version") and a pitched-up version used in the films opening and closing credits.
The first version of the song, the grittier one which was leaked and not used in the movie, was made available for download on iTunes Store on November 13, 2006. This version debuted on the UK Single Download Chart at number 20 on November 22, 2006. It was released as a stand-alone single on December 14, 2006. The single features a new acoustic version of the Soundgarden song "Black Hole Sun" as a B-side. The German, Dutch and Australian versions of the single offer a second version of "You Know My Name" (called the Pop Mix) as a B-side.
Cornell won both the Satellite Award and the World Soundtrack Award for "You Know My Name" in 2007, and garnered a Grammy Award nomination for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media the following year. The song also received a first-round nomination in the "Best Original Song" category for the 2006 Academy Awards, but did not qualify for the final list of nominees.
Some cues for the movie which did not make the final selection of tracks for the soundtrack album are available as bonus track downloads in iTunes from the iTunes Store. The traditional James Bond Theme builds throughout the film before appearing in its full form over the end credits as track 25 "The Name's Bond... James Bond" on the official album.
Soundtrack Listing
1. "African Rundown" (6:52)
2. "Nothing Sinister" (1:27)
3. "Unauthorized Access" (1:08)
4. "Blunt Instrument" (2:22)
5. "CCTV" (1:30)
6. "Solange" (0:59)
7. "Trip Aces" (2:06)
8. "Miami International" (12:43)
9. "I'm the Money" (0:27)
10. "Aston Montenegro" (1:03)
11. "Dinner Jackets" (1:52) *
12. "The Tell" (3:23)
13. "Stairwell Fight" (4:12)
14. "Vesper" (1:44)
15. "Bond Loses It All" (3:56)
16. "Dirty Martini" (3:49)
17. "Bond Wins It All" (4:32)
18. "The End of an Aston Martin" (1:30) *
19. "The Bad Die Young" (1:18)
20. "City of Lovers" (3:30)
21. "The Switch" (5:07)
22. "Fall of a House in Venice" (1:53)
23. "Death of Vesper" (2:50)
24. "The Bitch Is Dead" (1:05)
25. "The Name's Bond... James Bond" (2:49)
iTunes Bonus Tracks
1. "License: 2 Kills" (2:38)
2. "Reveal LeChiffre" (1:25)
3. "Mongoose vs. Snake" (1:16)
4. "Bombers Away" (0:27)
5. "Push Them Overboard" (0:27)
6. "Bedside Computer" (0:41)
7. "Beep Beep Beep Bang" (0:37)
8. "Inhaler" (0:27)
9. "Brother from Langley" (1:41)
10. "Prelude to a Beating" (1:17)
11. "Coming Round" (1:11)
12. "I'm Yours" (1:04)
13. "Running to the Elevator" (0:28)
Track Order In The Film
1. "License: 2 Kills"
2. "You Know My Name (Main Title)" – Chris Cornell (David Arnold/Chris Cornell)
3. "Reveal Le Chiffre"
4. "Mongoose vs. Snake"
5. "Bombers Away"
6. "African Rundown"
7. "Nothing Sinister"
8. "Push Them Overboard"
9. "Unauthorised Access"
10. "Blunt Instrument"
11. "CCTV"
12. '"Bedside Computer"'
13. "Solange"
14. "Trip Aces"
15. "Miami International"
16. "Beep Beep Beep Bang"
17. "I'm the Money"
18. "Aston Montenegro"
19. "Dinner Jackets"
20. "The Tell"
21. "Inhaler"
22. "Stairwell Fight"
23. "Vesper"
24. "Bond Loses It All"
25. "Brother from Langley"
26. "Dirty Martini"
27. "Bond Wins It All"
28. "The End of an Aston Martin
29. "Prelude to a Beating"
30. "The Bad Die Young"
31. "Coming Round"
32. "I'm Yours"
33. "City of Lovers
34. "The Switch
35. "Fall of a House in Venice"
36. "Running to the Elevator"
37. "Death of Vesper"
38. "The Bitch Is Dead"
39. "The Name's Bond... James Bond"
40. "You Know My Name (End Title)" – Chris Cornell (David Arnold/Chris Cornell)
Notes
* Dinner Jackets - was provisionally titled "Dinner Jackets & Dinner Jackets"
* The End of an Aston Martin - was provisionally titled "The End of an Aston Martini"
Total Time (Official Album only): 74:20
Total Time (iTunes Bonus Tracks only): 13:39
Total Time (Official Album and iTunes Bonus Tracks): 1:27:59