A-ha - The Living Daylights (7'' Extended Version)

 A-ha - The Living Daylights (7'' Extended Version)

"The Living Daylights" is the song performed by A-ha for the James Bond film of the same name. It was co-written by guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Bond composer John Barry.

Barry was listed on the credits as co-writer and producer, and the initial release of the song was his version. A second version of the song, re-worked by A-ha in 1988, later appeared on their third album, Stay on These Roads. Not surprisingly, the band prefers their version of the song to Barry's.

When interviewed on a late-night show in 1987, Barry said that he found working with the band exhausting secondary to the band's insistence on using their own version of the song for release. In an interview with Hotrod Magazine, keyboardist Magne Furuholmen said that "[the band's] fight with Barry left a rather unpleasant aftertaste. Apparently he compared us to Hitlerjugend in a newspaper interview." Waaktaar-Savoy claims that Barry never contributed to the creative process, and should not have his name on the credits.

"The Living Daylights" was released in the summer of 1987 and has become one of the most successful singles ever to be released by a-ha on the rock charts. The song didn't chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but it charted in the United Kingdom where it peaked at number five. It also remains a favourite with Bond fans.

The song remains one of a-ha 's most played songs in live concerts and has often been extended into a sing-along with the audience, as featured on the live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head. In live performances, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy often included the James Bond Theme in his guitar solo.

Evan Cater of Allmusic said the song was "a strong sample of Seven and the Ragged Tiger-influenced Europop, enhanced by Morten Harket's powerhouse falsetto vocals."

The single sold over 2 million copies worldwide.