While attending a Sixth Form College in Luton, Arnold became friends with director Danny Cannon. Cannon initially created short films for which Arnold was asked to write the music. The two made their respective major film debuts with The Young Americans. "Play Dead", a song from the film with singer Björk, charted #12 in the UK. The following year he scored Stargate and Last of the Dogmen, with excerpts from the former ranking third in the most commonly used soundtrack cues for film trailers.
Arnold then composed music for Stargate director Roland Emmerich's next two movies, Independence Day and Godzilla, as well as four movies for director John Singleton. In addition, he has scored various comedies, dramas, and nineteenth-century period pieces, as well as providing music for several British television shows including the 2000 remake of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Little Britain. During film production, his compositions are conducted by Nicholas Dodd. In 2010, he composed the music for Come Fly With Me, a British television series from the producers of Little Britain.
He is a member of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA). On Thursday 29 November 2012, Arnold received an honorary degree from University of West London. Now a university honorary, he will work closely with the University in particular London College of Music, a faculty within the institute. In 2014, he appeared as himself in The Life of Rock with Brian Pern.
He has collaborated with such musical acts as Cast, Kaiser Chiefs, Massive Attack, and Pulp, and solo artists Natasha Bedingfield, Melanie C, Björk, Chris Cornell, Shirley Manson, Mark Morriss, Nina Persson and in 2009 produced Shirley Bassey's album The Performance.
In 2001, he provided a new arrangement of Ron Grainer's Doctor Who theme music for the Eighth Doctor audio dramas from Big Finish Productions. His version was used as the Eighth Doctor theme starting with 2001's Storm Warning until 2008, when it was replaced with a new version arranged by Nicholas Briggs starting with Dead London. Arnold's theme returned to the Eighth Doctor releases with the 2012 box set, Dark Eyes.
Arnold is the second cousin of Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice, and is an ambassador for aid agency CARE International in the UK. He has made minor appearances in two different episodes of Little Britain as separate characters.
In February 2011, it was announced that he was appointed Musical Director for the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
In May 2011, he was part of the United Kingdom's jury for the Eurovision Song Contest 2011.
Arnold took part in a tribute to John Barry on 20 June 2011 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, singing a song that was composed by Barry and playing the guitar part of the James Bond theme.
In 2014, Arnold teamed up with Richard Thomas, to write the music and lyrics for the new West End musical Made in Dagenham.
In October 2015 he collaborated with Lethal Bizzle and Sinead Harnett to create a song combining orchestral, grime and soul elements. The song, 'Come This Far', was performed live at a special event at One Mayfair, as part of Bulmers Cider's LiveColourful LIVE promotion, and made available as a free download from Bulmers' website. He and Sherlock co-composer Michael Price also composed the music for ITV's Jekyll and Hyde television series which premiered in October 2015.
In September 2016 the Royal Albert Hall hosted an orchestral performance of Independence Day with the score performed live to picture, David Arnold gave a pre-show talk.
Die Another Day
David Arnold Lyrics
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With the slick
Trigger finger
For her majesty
Another one
With the
Golden tone voice
And then your fantasy
From a killer
Turned a thrill
Into a tragedy
Yeah, a door left open
A woman walking by
A drop in the water
A look in the eye
A phone on the table
A man on your side
Someone that you think
That you can trust is just
Another way to die
Another tricky little gun
Giving solace to the one
That will never see
The sunshine
Another inch of your life
Sacrificed
For your brother
In the nick of time
Another dirty money
Heaven sent honey
Turning on a dime
Well, a door left open
A woman walking by
A drop in the water
A look in the eye
A phone on the table
A man on your side
Someone that you think
That you can trust is just
Another way to die
Hey
Wo-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Another girl
With her finger
On the world singing
Do what you want here
Another gun thrown down
And surrendered
Took away your fear
Hey
Another man
That stands right
Behind you
Looking in the mirror
A door left open
A woman walking by
A drop in the water
A look in the eye
A phone on the table
A man on your side
Someone that you think
That you can trust is just
Another way to die
It's just another way
It's just another way
Baby Baby
The lyrics to David Arnold's song "Another Way to Die" are full of mystery and suspense, fitting for a song that was written as the theme song for the James Bond movie, "Quantum of Solace". The song is a collaboration between Jack White and Alicia Keys, and their contrasting vocal styles serve to create a tense and brooding atmosphere that befits the movie and its central character. In the first verse, the song introduces two characters, one with a "slick trigger finger" and another with a "golden-tone voice", who are most likely spies or assassins who work for the queen. The next line references "your fantasy", which could indicate that the song is talking about the character's own inner desires, possibly even a death wish. The following verse introduces another character, a "killer" who has turned a "thrill" into a "tragedy". The chorus serves to tie these disparate characters and scenarios together, drawing attention to the idea that no one can truly be trusted, and that peril can emerge from unexpected places and situations.
The bridge of the song introduces a series of scenarios that underscore this idea of betrayal and danger. A "tricky little gun" that gives "solace to the one that will never see the sunshine" suggests that the song's characters are willing to take drastic measures to escape their troubles. The lines "Another inch of your life, sacrificed for your brother in the nick of time" hint at the idea of selflessness and duty amongst the characters, but also the idea that they are willing to put themselves in harm's way to protect others. The next line "Another dirty money heaven sent honey turning on a dime" references a "honey trap", which is a common espionage term for when an attractive person is used to lure someone into a compromising position.
Overall, "Another Way to Die" is a haunting and atmospheric song that serves as a fitting accompaniment to the dark and suspenseful world of James Bond.
Line by Line Meaning
I know the player
With the slick
Trigger finger
For her majesty
I am aware of the person who is skilled in gun shooting and is an agent of the queen.
Another one
With the
Golden tone voice
And then your fantasy
There is another person with a honeyed voice who could be a great partner for you.
Another bill
From a killer
Turned a thrill
Into a tragedy
Another receipt from a murderer who turned your excitement into misery.
Yeah, a door left open
A woman walking by
A drop in the water
A look in the eye
A phone on the table
A man on your side
Someone that you think
That you can trust is just
Another way to die
These are the small things in life that seem harmless but can lead to your death when someone with ulterior motives makes use of it.
Another tricky little gun
Giving solace to the one
That will never see
The sunshine
Another inch of your life
Sacrificed
For your brother
In the nick of time
Another dirty money
Heaven sent honey
Turning on a dime
There are also dangerous objects like guns that offer comfort to a person who is never going to be happy again. You keep risking your life bit by bit, slowly but surely, for your loved ones, saving them just in time. Furthermore, there is illegal money offered to you that could cost you dearly.
Another girl
With her finger
On the world singing
Do what you want here
Another gun thrown down
And surrendered
Took away your fear
Hey
Another man
That stands right
Behind you
Looking in the mirror
Another girl who has the world under her control and can do what she wants, another gun surrendered that gives you relief from fear, another man stands right behind you, looking at himself in the mirror.
It's just another way
It's just another way
Baby Baby
All of these situations are just different pathways that lead to death, my dear.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JACK WHITE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind