Tim Lucas’ Video WatchBlog has unearthed a James Bond title song that never was.

The blog has been in contact with former actor Stephen Forsyth, who revealed he co-wrote the title track to 1983’s Never Say Never Again with Jim Ryan. The deal was ultimately scuppered by Michael Legrand, who composed the movie’s score.

“Warner Bros informed our attorney that the song was to be used as the title song in the picture,” Forsyth said. “However, shortly before its release, Warner Bros informed us that the song could not be used because Michel Legrand, who wrote the score, threatened to sue them, claiming that contractually he had the right to the title song. So my song was never released.”

The voice behind the track was Tony Award-nominee, Phyllis Hyman. “The legendary Phyllis Hyman was my first choice to sing the song and working with her is one of the highlights of my musical career. I personally auditioned and sang the song to her while she was having breakfast in her manager’s office. After agreeing to sing the song, she arrived at the studio and, without any rehearsal and only having heard the song sung once at the breakfast audition, sang the song in one perfect take.”

Hyman, who died in 1995, reportedly called Forsyth the previous year and told him that her rejected title track to Never Say Never Again was “her best and favourite recording”.

For more information, and to hear this lost piece of musical 007 history, check out Tim Lucas’ Video WatchBlog.

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