The UK Guardian has done a fun roundup of alternative versions of the James Bond movie themes that either were pitched or commissioned but ultimately swapped out for the ones you know …

Johnny Cash singing Thunderball?

Alice Cooper – Man with a Golden Gun?

Blondie – For Your Eyes Only?

Check out the article plus lots of YouTube links of the alt versions or non-selected tracks overlayed to the opening credits them …

Photo courtesy of the 007 Magazine site – for fans of all things James Bond.

My choice for the Top 5 James Bond Theme Songs? (opens iTunes)

The James Bond Theme-John Barry

(ok, d’uh and frankly, the various short, long & medley versions of the versions really take up about 5 of the Top 10 … it’s just great and perfect and iconic and now just screams cool 1960’s).

Goldfinger – Shirley Bassey

The perfect singer and the perfect version for this song.

You Only Live Twice – Nancy Sinatra

Great performance that elevates this song.

We Have All the Time in the World – Louis Armstrong

Okay, you’d be hard pressed to find a Louis Armstrong that isn’t interesting but a great performance nevertheless.

A View to a Kill – Duran Duran

Fairly horrible Bond movie, a title that makes very little sense but somehow Duran Duran managed to make it a great 1980’s time capsule song.

You could argue that Nobody Does it Better should belong here too – it definitely holds up pretty well.