Actually, I think the song is pretty good, but given the emotional content it would've sounded better sung by a woman. The Guardian wrote "There’s something quite bold about a male singer using a Bond theme to convey vulnerability" although some might use a different word than bold. )
I was thinking the same thing: the song would probably work better if sung by a woman.
growing on you - just like the feeling that you must go to the loo soon?
President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited September 2015
I was startled the first time I heard it; Sam Smith can most likely shatter glass!...and was singing along to it by the second go-'round. Had to log on here and see what the buzz was...and as always, AJB doesn't disappoint )
I like the somber tone; the orchestration is lush and Bondian, and I hope that it works its way into the score proper. Having heard it just twice as I write this, on an otherwise quiet Midwestern USA morning, I have to say I like it. That said, it's landed in the middle of my "Bond...James Bond" iTunes playlist, whereas Adele jumped in at #4. Not that that means much.
We'll see how it plays after a dozen listens. For now, the world keeps rotating, and I don't think SPECTRE will be dragged down by its weight -{
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I very much like the ending - the vocal-only finish, without a huge orchestral crescendo. A nice departure.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
An opportunity wasted in my opinion. Music is first class - on its own, this could have made a memorable theme. However, when the vocals are added, with their screechy, badly enunciated qualities, the thing falls apart.
With the right singer, this could have been massive and could easily have topped Adele. Florence could have done this proud and still got the youth market to prick up their ears. I have to question the producers' judgement on their choice of SS.
Absolutely dreadful. Instrumentation at the start is okay, but as soon as his voice comes in it fall to pieces. Whiny vocals, daft lyrics and just really dreary overall. Nothing grand or Bond-like about it whatsoever. Easily one of the weakest themes of the series.
Kind of a let down.... the lyrics just seemed really silly.. juvenile really... I mean -
I'm prepared for this
I never shoot to miss
But I feel like a storm is coming
If I'm gonna make it through the day
Then there's no use in running
This is something I gotta face
Firstly I've not heard it yet, so cannot comment on the song - but I read those lyrics and yes, cones across as a love song definitely. What's concerning for me is that Sam Smith has seen the film and come up with these lyrics supposedly off the back of seeing it?!
Japanese proverb say, "Bird never make nest in bare tree".
I've only heard it once and therefore may change my opinion somewhat later on, but my initial reaction is not a positive one. The song is too slow, almost a dirge. The words are often intelligible and the high notes are grating rather than clever. Apart from the instrumentals, it just doesn't strike me as a Bond theme and from what I have seen of the PTS, I think it will be odd to go from a high impact opening to that. Hopefully it grows on me, but first impression is not a very happy one.
Pretty underwhelmed with the song and all because of the singer. The orchestration and the tune itself is quite good actually...but that horrid falsetto...eeesh. This confirmed what I was worried about when I found out Sam Smith had been given the job. Singers who have had success with Bond themes in the past sing with authority and conviction, be it male or female. Sam Smith brought weakness to the song.
First the positive. The song has a really great instrumental hook that is definitely stuck in my head, and for a decent portion of the song Smith sounds pretty good and shows a lot of promise.
Now the not so positive. I'm a big fan of a good falsetto, but that's where this song falls apart in my opinion. The first falsetto section works because it acts as a "tease", like the song pulls back just as you think it's about to go big. But the second time it happens, it just totally take the wind out of its sails and it becomes clear the song has basically already reached its peak. The lack of a strong melody doesn't help this part either.
I can't find the quote now, but there was something about him writing the song in half an hour and using the first draft (or something like that). And that's what this song feels like. It feels like a song that could be great if it was given more time to cook.
I don't think it's a bad song, especially compared to the lows of the Bond franchise, but so far it's hard to image I'll be revisiting it very often. But I'll give it a fair shot, I'm still going to listen to it many more times for the next couple of months. And I'll reserve my final judgement until I hear it during the title sequence.
chriscollins007North Somerset , England Posts: 1,158MI6 Agent
dividing opinion here , i think its very thundeballesque without the boom but thats sam smith style and it will suit the movie perfectly especially after the PTS
more of a grower than a classic
I first went to YouTube, and what was billed as the "official" song was so godawful I wanted to puncture my eardrums. Thank God it was fake. I signed up for a Spotify account to hear the real song, and it certainly seemed a jewel compared to what I'd heard. That said, I dunno. . .the falsetto parts really grated on me, and the whole thing actually sounded like something a character in "A Chorus Line" would stride downstage and sing. Maybe I'll give it time. . .
This was the first thing I heared this morning and I have to say, I'm not exactly blown away by it at all... But I'll probably be grinning and hyperventilating when I see the opening credits for the first time in the theatre's regardless :P
I wonder if the Movie version will be much different from this ?
As sometimes they do sound different, or are at least edited
differently.
Maybe, they tweaked YKMN for the film version and gave it more gusto. I doubt they'll alter this one enough to get rid of that high pitched whining though
Comments
a few times, it's growing on me. -{
I was thinking the same thing: the song would probably work better if sung by a woman.
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
I like the somber tone; the orchestration is lush and Bondian, and I hope that it works its way into the score proper. Having heard it just twice as I write this, on an otherwise quiet Midwestern USA morning, I have to say I like it. That said, it's landed in the middle of my "Bond...James Bond" iTunes playlist, whereas Adele jumped in at #4. Not that that means much.
We'll see how it plays after a dozen listens. For now, the world keeps rotating, and I don't think SPECTRE will be dragged down by its weight -{
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
With the right singer, this could have been massive and could easily have topped Adele. Florence could have done this proud and still got the youth market to prick up their ears. I have to question the producers' judgement on their choice of SS.
Liked: Piano / Orchestra
Didn't like: Voice to high that in some instants could not understand the lyrics.
Biggest problem is that it doesn't really have a hook, not very catchy at all
8-)
Or like that fungus I have under my toenail.
His voice is growing on me. At the moment it strikes me like Rita Coollidges 'Octopussy' theme...
gah! ...that awful falsetto...
Now the not so positive. I'm a big fan of a good falsetto, but that's where this song falls apart in my opinion. The first falsetto section works because it acts as a "tease", like the song pulls back just as you think it's about to go big. But the second time it happens, it just totally take the wind out of its sails and it becomes clear the song has basically already reached its peak. The lack of a strong melody doesn't help this part either.
I can't find the quote now, but there was something about him writing the song in half an hour and using the first draft (or something like that). And that's what this song feels like. It feels like a song that could be great if it was given more time to cook.
I don't think it's a bad song, especially compared to the lows of the Bond franchise, but so far it's hard to image I'll be revisiting it very often. But I'll give it a fair shot, I'm still going to listen to it many more times for the next couple of months. And I'll reserve my final judgement until I hear it during the title sequence.
more of a grower than a classic
Sounds like 5
Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
First cover version.
As sometimes they do sound different, or are at least edited
differently.
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Maybe, they tweaked YKMN for the film version and gave it more gusto. I doubt they'll alter this one enough to get rid of that high pitched whining though