I’m taking yesterday’s news that Alicia Keys is the “top contender” to sing the theme song for “Quantum of Solace” with a grain of salt. I’ve had my eye on this story for a while, and since initial frontrunner Amy Winehouse became a hazy prospect, any number of names have been thrown into the pot.
First it was (God help us) Beyonce. Then the Bond producers were apparently “set on” Leona Lewis. Then Duffy, a soul revivalist in the Winehouse vein, began dropping hints that she had the gig. Then Duran Duran. (You tell me why.) Then Annie Lennox. Even Jack White’s name has been bandied around. Now Keys.
The Keys rumour appears moderately more credible than some of the others, but if so, she strikes me as an odd choice. All the best Bond themes (“Goldfinger,” “You Only Live Twice,” “Nobody Does It Better,” since you asked) project a sense of danger, sex appeal even, amid the lush arrangements. Keys’ edgeless, uber-earnest R&B just doesn’t fit the bill, to my mind.
The names put forward so far suggest that the producers are looking for more of a throwback sound after the last two attempts at modernising the formula (Chris Cornell’s oddly dated-sounding “You Know My Name” and Madonna’s plain dismal “Die Another Day”) didn’t exactly set the world alight. The arrival of the Bond theme used to be an event in itself – the amount of press over this installment’s vocalist suggests the producers are trying to recapture that level of anticipation.
You’d expect the year’s most discussed movie song to be a cinch for an Oscar nomination, whoever lands the gig, but history suggests otherwise. Only three Bond themes (“Live and Let Die,” “Nobody Does It Better,” and – ugh – “For Your Eyes Only”) have ever been nominated, all unsuccessfully. But with the slate of Best Song contenders this year looking sparser than usual, and “Casino Royale” having given the franchise a major boost in cred, the odds of a nomination look better than usual. The producers should therefore be especially canny about who they choose.
The Academy has shown a marked shift in taste in this category over the last few years, favouring quirkier, more independent-minded artists – be it Jorge Drexler, Three 6 Mafia, or Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – over the Celine Dion juggernauts of yore. (Bear in mind also that for the last nine years running, the Oscar has gone to a song at least co-written by the performer.)
With this in mind, I can’t get Amy Winehouse out of my head. As far as I can see, she represents the Bond theme’s best shot at an Oscar nod – you just know that Gil Cates would kill to have her perform at the ceremony for all the press buzz she would bring. Whatever her personal issues, she’s a pretty ideal choice: broad appeal, faintly controversial but not alienating, with the sense of drama and wit that the Keyses and Beyonces of the business lack. Daniel Craig has endorsed her for the gig. Ditto Paul McCartney.
I admit it, I’m a fan. But I also think it would be nice to see a Limey at the microphone again for what is still essentially a very British franchise. Regardless, with just over three months until the release date, they’d better settle on someone soon. Those title sequences don’t animate themselves, after all.
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10 responses to “Bond song battle goes on… and on”
I am quietly still rooting for Barry and Robin Gibb writing a Bond theme and winning an Oscar for it some day. Just to make up for the Saturday Night Fever snub.
Anyhow, got a little carried away there, but I hate Ms. Whinehouse. Her behaviour is just sickening and she should be locked up somewhere and treated for her insanity (=addictions). I rather liked Cornell’s song, it had a certain class to it.
A bit extreme, perhaps, Jonathan ;)
I don’t think it’s fair to judge someone on their personal weaknesses like that – by that token, you could say the same thing about Billie Holiday or Janis Joplin.
Anyway, I’m not saying she’d be my own #1 choice – Goldfrapp would do something incredible, but that ain’t gonna happen. But I’m more interested in what she’d come up with than any of the other names mentioned thus far – save for Jack White, but I think that was a wild rumour.
Why is no one even considering The Last Shadow Puppets? They just produced an album of 12 Old Fashioned Bond Songs!!! Going to see them in August… hope it carries over…
Actually, you’re not the first person to have suggested them, Bradley – I remember some interview recently where Alex Turner joked that he was offered the gig.
Personally, I’d like to see it go to someone with a bit more stature. Franz Ferdinand would do a killer theme. Bjork too. If only the producers would think a little outside the box.
I was thinking Franz as well, especially after seeing them perform in Bristol Thekla the other week… Got the sense of grandiose about them, and after hearing their new songs, I’d love to see what they could do.. and as for Bjork… well we can only dream a long, long dream…
Goldfrapp would really be fantastic, but are they mainstream enough? I only know a handful of people who know who they are here in Brazil… I actually liked “You Know My Name” a LOT… but yeah, there aren´t that many artists that fit the whole “Bond song” style anymore (I don´t think Amy Winehouse should do it either, ’cause then it wouldn’t be about the song, but how high she was when she wrote it, etc).
just to shake things up… how about Radiohead?
I thought about Radiohead, particularly as they’ve been leaning towards lusher instrumentation lately. Maybe still too sombre though.
This has now been running through my head all day. Rufus Wainwright, Erykah Badu, The Flaming Lips, Sharon Jones, Lily Allen… any number of options more exciting and appropriate than Alicia Keys’ corporate soul.
I like Chris Cornell’s song a lot, and would put it up there with the best of Bond. The lack of nominations in that category is appalling. No Goldfinger? No Moonraker? But For Your Eyes Only?! Eergh!
Supposing all hope of Amy Winehouse suddenly getting her act together is out the window, I’d love to hear Duffy over the opening titles. Or, if all else fails, they can just use Shirley Bassey’s “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”, recorded yet unused for Thunderball.
I know it sounds crazy but Michael Buble is a good choice. What do you think?
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