30 replies to this topic

[danielcraigisjamesbond007]

Before I even saw the film, I got the chance to listen to the Jack White/Alicia Keys theme song for Quantum, "Another Way to Die." At first, I thought that the song was horrendous. But over time, I grew to like the song, and think that it is one of the best that I've ever heard.
I was wondering what everyone else thought about the song? Did you like or hate it? Why?

[0012]

I feel the exact same way you do. The problem with the song is that it's so...unmusical. It doesn't work as a casual listen. Like the movie, it's strangely editied and mixed. On repeat listens, you discover what' good in it. High points include the cords and Alicia Keys wailing. Low points: The lyrics, which have a very Man with the Golden Gun/Lulu quality. Although I've come to appreciate "shoot em dead bang bang bang bang" just because of the way Alicia Keys does it.

[Eurospy]

I'm actually one of those rare beasts who loved it the first time.

It combines different arrays of intruments in an effective way, and it feels Bondian, although in a fresh kind of way. And kudos for not trying to imitate other Bond theme songs in any way.

[staveoffzombies]

I enjoy the song; I just wish it had been paired with a better title sequence.

[Poker Face]

I heard it before too, and for me it's the same thing that Die Another Day. Since i saw the TS i love it !!

[danielcraigisjamesbond007]

So, for those people who didn't like the song, is it because of the song itself? Would it be better if sung by someone else? Or should the song have been scrapped altogether?

[ImTheMoneypenny]

I enjoy the song. I heard it as a mono track, before the release and liked it, though I'm not a fan of either performers. I love the down and dirty vibe. It's grown on me a good deal. I play it back to back with YKMN.

[Ozzman313]

I hate it with a passion, sorry!

[Commander Shaun]

I had the exact same feelings as yourself.
When the song was released before the film, I didn't like it that much and thought it did not fit in with the James Bond series.

After time, I grew to like this song and found it fit in perfectly with the title sequence in the film.

[AgentBentley]

The song is the only thing I really hate about QoS.
Too loud, too unmelodic, too unstructured, too un-Bond. If they can only come up with that kind of song, I'd rather have the classic Bond theme during the credit sequence.

[BlackFire]

It has grown tremendously on me.. it's my most listened song according to my ipod.

[Harmsway]

The song itself is neither the best or worst Bond song. It's just there, and goes in one ear and out the other. It's got a sort of retro-camp thing going on, which is interesting.

My biggest complaint is that I don't think it (or MK12's title sequence, for that matter) really fits the surrounding film.

[sharpshooter]

My biggest complaint is that I don't think it (or MK12's title sequence, for that matter) really fits the surrounding film.

True. A haunting ballad with evocative imagarey would have been more suitable.

[NDP]

Another Way to Die is growing on me with repeat listening.

[Double-0-Seven]

It has grown on me a lot. I think it's a good song, but I'm not a fan of the arrangement.

[Jose]

First listen- Wtf is this?
Second listen- I hope the movie is good.
Then eventually- This song's pretty good!
At first it reminded me A LOT of TMWTGG. Apparently, I'm not the only one.

[MattofSteel]

There's a lot going on in terms of the interesting philosophy behind it, or the approach. Unfortunately, the finished product just isn't desirable. It's one that works in context, but I don't listen to it casually, like YKMN, which I still play on average daily. 2 years on. That's a Bond tune.

Doesn't help my opinion that while Alicia Keyes is like a contemporary Dame Shirley, I consider Jack White to be one of the most overrated performers I've ever heard. Did anyone else catch his appearance on Conan O'Brien's final hosting of Late Night? It was barely what I'd consider music.

[[dark]]

Six months on, and I'm still not a fan. Six months after being disappointed by "You Know My Name" and I had decided it was pretty much the best Bond song of all (an opinion I'm unchanged on).

There are a handful of elements in "Another Way to Die" that I like, but as a whole, the song jostles with "Die Another Day" for last spot in my rankings. The title says it all, really - bland, uninspired and irrelevant. What I like about the other songs that don't share their names with their respective films, is that they all brilliantly capture the spirit of Bond himself: "Nobody Does It Better", "All Time High", "You Know My Name"... "Another Way to Die"... what?

Pity; a duet done well could have been fantastic.

[blueman]

Love it, one of my favs.

On a related note, anybody know where to get the shorter version used in the film?

[danielcraigisjamesbond007]

The first time that I'd actually heard the song was when it was shown over the images of football players (Does anyone remember it? anyone?). My ex-roommates had ESPN on and all of a sudden, I heard "Bum bum bah bum, bah bum bah bum." I thought to myself, (remember, this was the first time I'd heard the song) "What have they done?!?! They've ruined the film!!!" I was completely disgusted with it. Then, when the single came out on iTunes, I said, maybe it's worth another listening to. So, after several (and I mean SEVERAL) times, the song's really started to grow on me.

It has grown tremendously on me.. it's my most listened song according to my ipod.

Darn, I just checked my iPod. AWTD's my no. 6 most listened to. BTW, no. 1 goes to "Time to Get Out."

[Shadow Syndicate]

Makes me sick

[SecretAgentFan]

YKMN is better. But AWTD is okay.

[The Ghost Who Walks]

I think the build-up to the song is kick a**, with that unbelievably cool guitar riff. However, the refrain is the main problem for me, since it feels a bit, well, noisy to me, like Keys and White are trying to compete with each other on who can sing loudest.

[eddychaput]

I think the build-up to the song is kick a**, with that unbelievably cool guitar riff. However, the refrain is the main problem for me, since it feels a bit, well, noisy to me, like Keys and White are trying to compete with each other on who can sing loudest.

I couldn't agree more. On the odd occasion that I listen to the song (it's not my favourite by a long shot but has grown on me to a small degree) I sometimes find myself lowering the volume of my Ipod when th refrain kicks in. The worst part is I'm not even kidding. I don't absolutely loath the refrain, so I don't lower the volume out of disdain necessarily, but there is this screetching quality to their voices as they sing it that beats the bejesus out of my ear drums.

I don't know if I've mentioned it on these boards or not, but if I feel like hearing the music of the theme song, I simply play the instrumental version. I kind of like it to be honest.

[__7]

Just like the film, the song just keeps getting better every time I listen to it. I now think it's one of the very best. A View To A Kill is still #1 though.

[Mr. Blofeld]

Love it, one of my favs.

On a related note, anybody know where to get the shorter version used in the film?

I put a version of the music video up on YouTube with the song shortened to the film version; problem is, I had to do it myself.

[Judo chop]

The song, I think, is rather poorly mixed. It's very cool in concept, but the final product I thought was more than a little shabby.

I'm still not sold on it as a Bond song. Or at least, not this Bond's song. It doesn't feel "Quantum of Solace" at all. Feels more "Live and Let Die".

[Blonde Bond]

Funny you should say that, as I feel this song is somehow related to 'Live and Let Die'. Mixing this dirty 70's retro sound with something... more contemporary.

I wonder if that's why I love the song. Anyway, I loved it the first time I heard it and now some odd 5 months later I still dig it, daddy-o!

[Captain Tightpants]

I'm still not sold on it as a Bond song. Or at least, not this Bond's song. It doesn't feel "Quantum of Solace" at all. Feels more "Live and Let Die".

I kind of get what you mean, but it's funny because I like AWTD, but not LALD. I find LALD cuts between up-tempo music and down far too frequently and without warning.

[MattofSteel]

I always felt like the song's concept was "Take LALD and Goldfinger, merge them together into some kind of equal parts in philosophy love child, and then thrown out the notion it has to be catchy."

Meh.