Nobody Does It Better

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This article is about the song by Carly Simon. For other uses, see Nobody Does It Better (disambiguation).

"Nobody Does It Better"
Nobody Does It Better by Carly Simon US single 1977.png
Side A of one of US single pressings
Single by Carly Simon
from the album The Spy Who Loved Me
B-side"After the Storm"
ReleasedJuly 1977
RecordedApril 1977
GenrePop rock
Length3:29
LabelElektra
Songwriter(s)Marvin Hamlisch, Carole Bayer Sager
Producer(s)Richard Perry
Carly Simon singles chronology
"It Keeps You Runnin'"
(1976) 		"Nobody Does It Better"
(1977) 		"You Belong to Me"
(1978)

"Nobody Does It Better" is a power ballad composed by Marvin Hamlisch with lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager. It was recorded by Carly Simon as the theme song for the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. It was the first Bond theme song to be titled differently from the name of the film since Dr. No, although the phrase "the spy who loved me" is included in the lyrics. The song was released as a single from the film's soundtrack album.

"Nobody Does It Better" became a major worldwide hit, spending three weeks at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 but was kept out of the top spot by Debby Boone's "You Light Up My Life" and No. 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart.[1] The song was certified Gold by the RIAA, signifying sales of one million copies in the US.[2] It also reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart, and was certified Silver by the BPI.[3][4]

Among the most successful Bond themes, the song received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Original Song in 1978, losing both to "You Light Up My Life" from the 1977 film of the same title. At the 20th Annual Grammy Awards held in 1978, "Nobody Does It Better" received a nomination for Song of the Year, and Simon was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. In 2004, the song was also honored by the American Film Institute as the 67th greatest song as part of their 100 Years Series. In 2012, the song ranked No. 3 on Rolling Stone's list, and No. 2 on Billboard's list, of the Top 10 James Bond Theme Songs.[5][6]

Background[]

"Nobody Does It Better" is Simon's longest-charting hit, as well the most successful hit of hers that she did not write herself. Her earlier hit "You're So Vain" spent three weeks at No. 1; however, its chart run was two months shorter than that of "Nobody Does It Better".[7] The title of the theme was later used for Simon's 1999 greatest hits compilation, The Very Best of Carly Simon: Nobody Does It Better.

Billboard Magazine described "Nobody Does It Better" as a "typically inventive and bombastic" James Bond theme song, stating that Simon sings it "as if she believed sincerely in the superhuman love powers of 007."[8]

Composition[]

Lyrically, "Nobody Does It Better" is a "lust-drunk anthem" about James Bond's sexual prowess.[9] In a 1977 documentary on the making of The Spy Who Loved Me, Marvin Hamilsch said that the decision to ask Carly Simon to perform the song was made after lyricist Carole Bayer Sager remarked that the lyrics sounded "incredibly vain", in reference to Simon's 1972 song "You're So Vain".

Chart performance[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 250,000^
United States (RIAA)[22] Gold 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Accolades[]

Academy Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1978 "Nobody Does It Better" Best Original Song[23] Nominated

Golden Globe Award

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1978 "Nobody Does It Better" Best Original Song[24] Nominated

Grammy Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1978 "Nobody Does It Better" Song of the Year[25] Nominated
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female[26] Nominated

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 221.
  2. ^ Grein, Paul (January 3, 2013). "Chart Watch Extra: Top Songs of 2012". Chart Watch. Yahoo Music. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  3. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard Books
  4. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums. London: Guinness World Records Limited
  5. ^ Edwards, Gavin. "Carly Simon, 'Nobody Does It Better' (1977) – The Top 10 James Bond Theme Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  6. ^ "Top 10 James Bond Theme Songs Ever". Billboard. 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2003). Top Pop Singles, 1955–2002
  8. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. January 9, 1977. p. 100. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  9. ^ Ehrlich, David (November 2, 2015). "James Bond Movie Theme Songs, Ranked Worst to Best". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  10. ^ "Cash Box - International Best Sellers" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. Cash Box. 18 March 1978. p. 63.
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Songs from the Year 1977". Tsort.info. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  14. ^ "Carly Simon: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  15. ^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on September 27, 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  16. ^ "Top 100 1977 - UK Music Charts". Uk-charts.top-source.info. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  17. ^ "Top 100 Hits of 1977/Top 100 Songs of 1977". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  18. ^ "Billboard Easy Listening Charts Singles". Billboard Magazine. December 24, 1977. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  19. ^ "Top 100 Year End Charts: 1977". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  20. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. ^ "British single certifications – Carly Simon – Nobody Does It Better". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 15, 2020.Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Nobody Does It Better in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  22. ^ "American single certifications – Carly Simon – Nobody Does It Better". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  23. ^ Oscars - 1978 ceremony (https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1978)
  24. ^ Golden Globes - Spy Who Loved Me, The (https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/spy-who-loved-me)
  25. ^ Recording Academy - Grammy Awards (https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/carole-bayer-sager/5930)
  26. ^ Recording Academy - Grammy Awards (https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/carly-simon)

External links[]

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