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John Barry

Rock and Roll, Jazz, and Film Scores
1957-1962

By Olivier Julien

John Barry Prendergast was born on November 3, 1933, in York, North Yorkshire, Great Britain. His mother, an English classical pianist, and his father, John Xavier “Jack” Prendergast, originally from Cork, Ireland, was a projectionist during the silent film era. He later became the owner of a chain of movie theaters in Northern Ireland.

John Barry was the fourth child in a family with two older brothers and an older sister. He studied at St. Peter’s School in York and took composition lessons from Francis Jackson, the cathedral organist. It was with arranger Bill Russo, a collaborator of Stan Kenton, that he was introduced to jazz, much to his father’s delight. During his military service in Cyprus with the British army, he learned to play the trumpet. After his discharge, he founded The John Barry Seven in 1957, developing his interest in composition and musical arrangements. He began working for television in 1958, as well as for the orchestras of Jack Parnell and Ted Heath. By 1959, he had contracts to arrange music for other artists, such as The Barry Sisters (no relation). He made a breakthrough with the BBC television series Drumbeat , in which he appeared with the John Barry Seven . He married Barbara Pickard in 1959, with whom he had a daughter named Suzanne. From 1959 to 1962, he was hired by EMI to arrange for their in-house artists, including Adam Faith, for whom he wrote the soundtrack for Beat Girl in 1960. John Barry then composed another film score for Adam Faith, Never Let Go (1960), then arranged the score for Mix Me a Person (1962), and composed the soundtrack for The Amorous Prawn in 1962. At that time, he transferred to Ember Records, for whom he produced and arranged various albums. He was then contacted by the team behind the film James Bond 007 vs. Dr. No , who were not satisfied with the musical theme written by Monty Norman. He then reworked the music to create what became one of the most famous themes in the world. This theme remained present in the saga’s films, and he subsequently composed eleven James Bond scores between 1963 and 1987. In 1965, he married actress Jane Birkin, with whom he had a daughter, Kate, after having another daughter, Sian, from a liaison with Ulla Larson. He married his fourth wife, Laurie, in January 1978, with whom he had a son, Johnpatrick.

John Barry was one of the first to use synthesizers for a film score on the soundtrack of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969. His compositions became a guarantee of success for the films he worked on, notably Midnight Cowboy . Another of his musical works entered collective memory: the theme for the television series The Persuaders! , which aired from 1971. It featured the use of the cymbalom and Moog synthesizers, and the piece became a hit in many countries.

John Barry also recorded several musicals, including Passion Flower Hotel (with lyrics by Trevor Peacock) in 1965 and Billy (with lyrics by Don Black) in 1974. In 1975, he moved to the United States and was then accused by a British judge of trying to avoid a tax payment of £134,000. The issue was resolved in the late 1980s, and John Barry returned to Great Britain after years of exile in New York. He also composed the music for the Bruce Lee film Game of Death in 1978.

In 1988, he suffered an esophageal rupture due to a toxic reaction, which left him unable to work for two years.

He won Grammy and Academy Awards for the films Mary, Queen of Scots (1971), Game of Death (1972), The Tamarind Seed (1974), The Cotton Club (1984), Out of Africa (1985), Dances with Wolves (1990), Chaplin (1992), and The Scarlet Letter (1995). He also received ten Golden Globe Award nominations, winning the trophy for Out of Africa in 1986. In 1999, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and recorded his last film score for Enigma in 2001, as well as the album Eternal Echoes . He then focused on public performances and co-wrote the musical Brighton Rock with Don Black in 2004.

John Barry died of a heart attack on January 30, 2011, at his home in Oyster Bay, New York, at the age of seventy-seven. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra paid tribute to him at the Royal Albert Hall with numerous guests on June 20, 2011.

Olivier Julien

© Frémeaux & Associés 2025

The John Barry seven : John Barry (vocals and trumpet), Mike Cox (tenor saxophone), Derek Myers (alto sax), Ken Golder (drums), Fred Kirk (bass guitar), Ken Richards (lead guitar) and Keith Kelly (rhythm guitar)

INTÉGRALE John Barry

Rock n’roll,
jazz et musiques de films
1957-1962

CD1

1 - John Barry and The Seven - Let’s Have a Wonderful Time (John Barry)

2 - John Barry and The Seven - Rock-a-Billy Boogie (John Barry)

33 tours 30 cm Parlophone - PMC 1047 - 1957

3 - John Barry and The Seven - Zip Zip (Barry Kaye / Harry Booros)

4 - John Barry and The Seven - Three Little Fishes (Saxie Dowell)

78 tours 25 cm Parlophone R. 4363 - 1957

5 - The John Barry Seven - Every Which Wa y (Mel Torme)

6 - The John Barry Seven - You’ve Gotta Way (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Parlophone 45-R 4394 - 1958

7 - The John Barry Seven - Big Guitar (Frank De Rosa / Robert Genovese)

8 - The John Barry Seven - Rodeo (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Parlophone 45-R 4418 - 1958

9 - The John Barry Seven with Latin-American Rhythm Accompaniment - Pancho (John Barry)

10 - The John Barry Seven with Latin-American Rhythm Accompaniment - Hideaway (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Parlophone 45-R 4453 - 1958

11 - The John Barry Seven - Farrago (Barry White)

12 - The John Barry Seven - Bee’s Knees (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Parlophone 45-R 4488 - 1958

13 - The John Barry Seven - When the Saints Go Marching in (Traditionnel)

33 tours 30 cm Parlophone PMC 1072 - 1958

14 - The John Barry Seven - Long John (Andy White)

15 - The John Barry Seven - Snap ‘n’ Whistl e (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Parlophone 45-R 4530 - 1959

16 - The John Barry Seven - Little John (John Barry)

17 - The John Barry Seven - For Pete’s Sake (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Parlophone 45-R 4560 - 1959

18 - The John Barry Seven - Little John (Live) (John Barry)

19 - The John Barry Seven - Rebel Rouser (Duane Eddy / Lee Hazelwood)

20 - The John Barry Seven and Bob Miller and the Miller Men - Good Rockin’ Tonight (Live) (Roy Brown)

21 - The John Barry Seven - Mab Ma b (John Barry)

33 tours 30 cm Parlophone PMC 1101 - 1959

22 - The John Barry Seven - Twelfth Street Rag (Euday L.Bowman)

23 - The John Barry Seven - Christella (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Parlophone 45-R 4582 - 1959

24 - John Barry and his orchestra - Mood One (John Barry)

25 - John Barry and his orchestra - Mood Two (John Barry)

78 tours 25 cm Chappell C.673 - 1960

26 - John Barry and his orchestra - Mood Three (John Barry)

27 - John Barry and his orchestra - Mood Four (John Barry)

78 tours 25 cm Chappell C.676 - 1960

28 - John Barry and his orchestra - Smoky Blues (John Barry)

78 tours 25 cm Chappell C.681 - 1960

CD2

1 - The John Barry Seven plus four - Hit and Miss (John Barry)

2 - The John Barry Seven plus four - Rockin’ Already (arrangements John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4414 - 1960

3 - John Barry and his orchestra - Beat for Beatniks (John Barry)

4 - Johnn Barry and his orchestra- Big Fella (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4446 - 1960

5 - John Barry and his orchestra - Blueberry Hill (John Barry)

6 - Johnn Barry and his orchestra - Never let Go (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4480 - 1960

7 - The John Barry Seven - Walk Don’t Run (Johnny Smith)

8 - The John Barry Seven plus four - I’m Moving’ On (Hank Snow)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4505 - 1960

9 - The John Barry Seven - Black Stockings (John Barry)

10 - The John Barry Seven - Get Lost Jack Frost (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4505 - 1960

11 - The John Barry Seven - Saturday’s Child (John Barry)

33 tours 30 cm Parlophone PMC 1130 - 1960

12 - The John Barry Seven - Magnificent Seven (Elmer Bernstein)

13 - The John Barry Seven - Skid Row (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4598 - 1961

Beat Girl Bande originale du film

14 - Main-title - Beat Girl (John Barry)

15 - The Off Beat (John Barry)

16 - I Did what You Told Me (chanté par Adam Faith) (Trevor Peacock / John Barry)

17 - Lindon Home Rock (John Barry)

18 - Time Out (John Barry)

19 - The Sharks (John Barry)

20 - The Beat Girl Song (chanté par Adam Faith) (Trevor Peacock / John Barry)

21 - The City 2000 A.D. (John Barry)

22 - The Stripper (John Barry)

23 - The Cave - Beat Girl - Kids Stuff (John Barry)

24 - Made You (chanté par Adam Faith) (Trevor Peacock / John Barry)

25 - Car chase - Night Chase (John Barry)

26 - Chicken (John Barry)

27 - Blues for Beatnicks (John Barry)

28 - It’s Legal (chanté par Shirley Anne Field) (Hyam Maccoby / John Barry)

29 - The Immediate Pleasure (John Barry)

30 - Blondie’s Strip (John Barry)

31 - End shot - Slaughter in Soho / Main Title - Beat Girl (John Barry)

33 tours 30 cm Columbia 33SX 1225 - 1961

CD3

1 - John Barry and His Orchestra - The Menace (John Barry)

2 - John Barry and His Orchestra - Rodeo (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4659 - 1961

3 - The John Barry Seven - Starfire (Jerry Lordan)

4 - The John Barry Seven Plus Four - A Matter of Who (Bob Russell)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4699 - 1961

5 - Michael Angelo and His Orchestra - Rocco’s Theme (Nino Rota)

6 - Michael Angelo and His Orchestra - Spinneree (Michael Angelo)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4705 - 1961

7 - The John Barry Seven - Watch Your Step (Bobby Parker)

8 - The John Barry Seven - Twist it (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4746 - 1961

Stringbeat

9 - It doesn’t Matter Anymore (Paul Anka)

10 - Sweet Talk (John Barry)

11 - Moody River (Gary Bruce)

12 - There’s Life in the Old Boy Ye t (John Barry)

13 - A Handful of Songs (Lionel Bart / Mike Pratt / Tommy Steele)

14 - Like Waltz (John Barry)

15 - Rodeo (John Barry)

16 - Donna’s Theme (Les Reed)

17 - Starfire (Jerry Lordan)

18 - Baubles Bangles & Beads (from Kismet) (George Forrest / Robert Craig Wright / Alexander Borodin)

19 - Zapata (Vic Flick)

20 - Rum-Dee-Dum-Dee-Dah (Les Vandyke)

21 - Spanish Harlem (Jerry Leiber / Phil Spector)

22 - Man from Madrid (Tony Osborne)

23 - The Challenge (John Barry)

33 tours 30 cm Columbia SCX 3401 - 1961

24 - Michael Angelo and his Orchestra - Tears (Robert Maxwell)

25 - Michael Angelo and his Orchestra - Theme from “The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone” (Richard Addinsell)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4800 - 1962

26 - The John Barry Seven and Orchestra - Cutty Sark (John Barry)

27 - The John Barry Seven and Orchestra - Lost Patrol (Robert Maxwell)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4806 - 1962

28 - The John Barry Seven and Orchestra - The James Bond Theme (Monty Norman)

29 - The John Barry Seven and Orchestra - The Blacksmith Blues (Jack Holmes)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4898 - 1962

30 - The John Barry Seven and Orchestra - The Lolly Theme (John Barry)

31 - The John Barry Seven and Orchestra - March of the Mandarins (John Barry)

45 tours 17 cm Columbia 45-DB 4941 - 1962