MICHAEL WALSH MUSIC CORRESPONDENT: John Barry (1933-2011) John Barry Prendergast OBE was a British composer and conductor of film music.

He composed the scores for eleven of the James Bond films between 1963 and 1987, as well as arranging and performing the “James Bond Theme” for the first film in the series, 1962’s Dr No. John Barry’s work was universal and touched us all wherever in the world we live. He left a music genre as potent as Jacques Offenbach on the Parisian theatre and his music will be as enduring. 

Limited by space it is impossible for me to list all of Barry’s theme music; he was prolific but quality was never compromised. Everyone wanted Barry including the UK taxman which is why he became a tax exile. It says much about Britain’s swingeing tax regime that a man as talented as this incredible musician was brought to his knees by tax demands.

That’s as may be but when he died aged 77 he was likely the greatest film composer of all time. Most of us know him through the arrangements behind the James Bond movies. He became something of a serial collector of Oscars winning five of the awards for scores including Born Free (I bet you are humming it now): Dances with Wolves and Out of Africa.

There was some contention over the composition of Dr No, the first James Bond film. There was no doubting his abilities when he went on to provide the scores for a further eleven James Bond films.

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In common with many great artistes, he was self-effacing, describing his music as ‘Million-dollar Mickey Mouse money.’ In truth, he was under no illusions as to his gift and was unlikely to play second fiddle to anyone.

Remembered still is his priceless encounter with Barbra Streisand (81) in the 1990s. The American-Israeli performer had commissioned him to compose the music for her debut as a film director. Her first movie was to be Prince of Tides (1991).

Never short on self-belief she began to meddle with his work at which point he resigned. He told her: “You don’t buy a dog and do the barking for it.” The star protested that she adored his music. His parting shot was; “Yup! And I wrote them all without you.”

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Barry was born John Barry Prendergast in 1933; his father owned a small chain of cinemas from one of which he ran the projector when he was a teenager. The cinemas doubled as theatres and Barry was to meet musicians such as Count Basie and Sir Thomas Beecham. He later learned how to play the piano and the trumpet; he played for a while with Stan Kenton.

Conscripted, he was an army bandsman and afterwards worked with Jack Parnell and accompanied Tommy Steel and Adam Faith on tours. The experience introduced him to composition when in 1959 he was invited to write the music for Beat Girl, starring Faith. The theme music for Juke Box Jury followed. Others such as Zulu and Midnight Cowboy stamped his name with international fame. No question about it, Barry’s music will live on. PLEASE SHARE OUR STORIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA