This was always going to be a hit: it just has so many hooks. Once heard never forgotten.

The band’s name (apparently an abbreviation of Epsom Mad Funkers) always made me think of voltage (emf, or electromotive force, is measured in the same unit – volts. Oh, the joys of a scientific training.)

EMF: Unbelievable

Not that you would necessarily have thought that Tom Jones would have taken it up for his own shows.

Here’s the man himself singing with the band (after a wee chat with two of them.)

EMF and Tom Jones: Unbelievable

After From Russia with Love we were treated to the big bashing of both Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones in Goldfinger and Thunderball respectively in subsequent Bond theme songs. By the time of You Only Live Twice things had been dialled down a bit. I must say I like the guitar counterpoint under the verses (mirroring the strings in the intro but extending the melody by a few notes.) Robbie Williams, of course, paid homage to this theme in his hit Millennium.

By the way. Is it heretical to be of the opinion that Nancy Sinatra was a better singer than her dad?

Nancy Sinatra: You Only Live Twice