James Bond. I don’t think there is another name that can be dropped that correlates with danger, sex, action, and all around coolness. Whether or not you are a fan of this larger than life character of cinema, literature, and videogames, you know who he is. You understand that every man wants to be him and every woman with him. A character that is dangerous enough to take down ninjas, Nazis, and nukes yet still have the delicate hand to bed just about every woman in each respective story, regardless if they are distressed damsels or delectable double femme fatale agents. Bond just may be one of the most influential characters in our modern pop culture. There have even been books written about his appeal in itself. It’s the only film franchise where the sequels aren’t inevitable but an actual sure thing. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, I’m pretty sure it was a Bond film that first used the after-credits promise “James Bond Will Return”. A twenty two film deep franchise that has such confidence that the producers actually promise his return!
Part of the excitement of the next installment of the James Bond franchise in the last thirty years, has always been what the next theme song will be. Aside from the John Barry/Monty Norman theme (you know, that killer guitar riff that plays during the opening scenes, through the barrel of a gun while cartoon blood covers the screen) the actual movie theme song, is one of the most important aspects of each film. Most set up the feeling and mood in which the film relies on. Lyrically they sing about aspects of lies, killing, and escaping danger, at the same time infusing sexual innuendos of landing the girl (or guy, depending on the singer) you know you are not supposed to. There have even been Bond songs centered around the perspective of the film’s respective villain. The constant back and forth between danger and temptation is always creating tension, much like the dance of elegance and urgency of the character of Bond himself, is what makes not only the film interesting, but the character itself. These theme songs embody what we enjoy about the movies and the audience demand a certain standard to be met. Just how Bond must use the “Shaken, not stirred.” and “Bond….James Bond” catch phrases in order get the viewer to wail in applause, the same troupes are expected from the film’s theme song. Songs must feature either explosive crescendos or delicate elegance. Super sized brass ensembles invoking the urgency of the actions sequences with sultry seduction of forbidden intimacy. This is what James Bond sounds like.
That’s not to say that every single James Bond theme are instant classics. There are more than a few of them that are not only low points for the franchise, but low points in music period. I can’t listen to Rita Coolidge’s “All Time High” without cringing during it’s ‘the 70s aren’t really dead yet’ production, or the lyrically awkward “For Your Eyes Only” from Sheena Easton. The less said about A-Ha’s “Living Daylights” the better; A recording session so horrible that James Bond staple John Barry swore to never score a Bond song for the rest of his life…yes, it’s that bad. Then there’s the head scratchers like odd pairing of Jack White and Alicia Keys with their theme “Another Way To Die,” which sounds exactly like what you would expect, or Madonna’s laughable “Die Another Day” (which I’m inclined to believe there is a somewhat passable song underneath all of that early 2000’s dance pop production somewhere, but we’ll probably never hear it) But even with these embarrassingly bad songs, the good out weigh the bad. How can you call yourself a film or music fan and not like “Diamonds Are Forever” from Shirley Bassey, or “Live and Let Die” from Wings? Some of these songs go beyond the restraints of Bond songs and become very good songs on their own legs! Looks at Duran Duran’s “A View To A Kill” for example. Not only does it deliver all the expectations of a decent Bond theme, but it was also one of the better songs from the band, and up until Adele’s “Skyfall” in 2012, it was the only theme to reach number one on the charts. I literally cheered the first time I heard the opening notes of Chris Cornell’s “You Know My Name,” not only is he one of my favorite singers, and the bombastic nature of the song signified the beginning of a new, rough around the edges Bond, but to me it just sounded like what a decent Bond theme should sound. The marriage of character and the film it carried.
Here we are in 2015 eagerly awaiting the release of the next James Bond film Spectre, and it’s theme song “Writing’s On The Wall” from Sam Smith has been officially released. Many music fans winced when they heard Smith was giving the reigns of such musical importance. Many hoped it would be Muse or the much rumored Radiohead, even Lana Del Rey seemed like a logical choice, but instead we are given arguably the least expected performer since the Jack White and Alicia Keys announcement for 2008’s Quantum Of Solace. However, with the success of Adele’s theme a few years ago, hindsight, it seems only right that the producers wanted to continue down a path of class and elegance, which I’m not opposed to. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Adele’s “Skyfall” but her vocal style and presence did harken back to the times of earlier themes like Bassey or even Tom Jones.
Starting things off “Writing’s On The Wall” opens with a thunderous roar of strings and urgency letting us know we are about to hear a Bond theme. Smith has a great voice and it’s no surprise his song “Stay With Me” was an instant hit. He has the kind of style and class that I think a lot of male solo singers are missing these days. When looking at other solo artists such as the over-the-top douchery of Robin Thicke, or the ‘Would you please grow up and act like an adult’ antics of Justin Timberlake, Smith does in fact rise to the top with a certain level of sophistication. So he has that aspect down but sadly, after the intro, it’s sort of down hill soon after.
Vocally, the performance is spot on during the verses. Smith has plenty of nuance and poise in what’s the first Bond song performed by a male solo artist since Tom Jones’ “Thunderball” in 1965, but by the time the chorus comes in, his shortcomings as a powerful singer take center stage and the production gobbles him up. As masterful as his falsetto is, it’s no match for the song’s lush instrumentation. While there is no real hook, the lyrics are also somewhat spotty and strange for a James Bond theme. Going back to the standard lyrical tropes of sex, danger, and murder, Smith tosses them out in favor of lyrics of pain, guilt, and running away. It’s hard to critique the lyrical subject matter without seeing the film, and being the Daniel Craig era films have been delving into the psychological inner workings of the character, the lyrics of “Writing’s On The Wall” could very well be just that; the proverbial writings on the wall telling how the character becomes into being the James Bond character we know and love. Smith gets a pass on the melancholy lyrics until I’ve seen the film and how it stacks up to the feel of the movie, but that doesn’t mean he gets a pass on crafting a pretty boring song.
On it’s own legs, much like the Bond themes of the 1960s through the early 1970s, they are far too stylistic to venture onto mainstream pop radio. Over produced, brooding, drum-less tracks of sulking and running away from loneliness don’t do very good business in the days of two minute club inspired dance anthems, and unlike the soulful heartiness of Adele, Smith’s song falls apart when it needs to soar.
“Writing’s On The Wall” is not a terrible song, and while it does feel like a James Bond theme in the early verses, there isn’t much here that holds up with the best of the themes. I’ve listened to it nearly ten times and I still can’t get the tune in my head enough to sing it to myself. Even the most boring of Bond songs such as “License To Kill” from Gladys Knight, has a well enough hook to decipher it from other songs. The first two songs from the Craig era Bonds “You Know My Name” and “Another Way To Die” used the unorthodox synergy of orchestra and rock n roll as a means to define a new age for a classic character, (with mixed results) Adele’s “Skyfall” went for the classic approach, and now Smith’s “Writing’s On The Wall” looks to have found itself on the pile of ‘not bad but forgettable’ Bond themes with the likes of Tina Turner and Sheryl Crow respective attempts at something current yet classic. It’s a shame too because with Spectre possibly being the final outing for Craig as this incarnation of James Bond, it just feels like the arc should have ended with an explosion.
Rating: 2.5/5