30 replies to this topic

[Navy007Fan]

Does anyone know the official reason Sheryl Crow's song was used vice k.d. lang's? Did the powers that be feel Ms. Crow would be more marketable? Did the producers just like Crow's song better?

[jaguar007]

I think you are correct about Crow being more marketable and mainstream. It is very unfortunate because the KD Lang song is FAR superior.

[JADSTERSDAD]

This decision was CRAZED! We have one of the most montonous Bond songs (but, of course, not THE most monotonous one. Die..... etc. etc.) vs. the outright best non-Barry Bond song.

Marketing. Has to be. End of story.

[DamnCoffee]

It said on a James Bond music documentary and i quote "Who would like a nice, brunette singer with a lot of class singing a Bond theme apposed to a short, bald lesbian?", which i think is very unfair , KD is a way better singer and Surrender sounds much more Bondain.

[Navy007Fan]

It said on a James Bond music documentary and i quote "Who would like a nice, brunette singer with a lot of class singing a Bond theme apposed to a short, bald lesbian?", which i think is very unfair , KD is a way better singer and Surrender sounds much more Bondain.

Thanks Matt, this is as close to an official explanation as I can expect. Do you remember who specifically said this? I like both songs, but I agree that lang's is superior.

[Qwerty]

It said on a James Bond music documentary and i quote "Who would like a nice, brunette singer with a lot of class singing a Bond theme apposed to a short, bald lesbian?", which i think is very unfair , KD is a way better singer and Surrender sounds much more Bondain.

What James Bond music documentary was this?

[tdalton]

k.d. Lang's "Surrender" was a vastly superior song to Crow's "Tomorrow Never Dies". It's a shame that it was relegated to the end credits of the movie, just as I always thought it was a shame that Patti LaBelle's "If You Asked Me To" was forced to the end credits of LTK when it would have made a much better theme song than did Gladys Knight's song.

[LadySylvia]

Although I found k.d. lang's version a lot "brassier", I wouldn't exactly view it as superior to Sheryl Crow's version. Both versions are . . . "okay" to me.

[DamnCoffee]

It said on a James Bond music documentary and i quote "Who would like a nice, brunette singer with a lot of class singing a Bond theme apposed to a short, bald lesbian?", which i think is very unfair , KD is a way better singer and Surrender sounds much more Bondain.

What James Bond music documentary was this?

The one that was recently broadcast, during the release of Casino Royale

[Qwerty]

Ah, that one I have not seen.

[DamnCoffee]

I think it was only broadcast in the UK, but i might be wrong. If you really wanna see it, try Youtube - it'll probably be on there.

[sharpshooter]

That comment is rather foolish.

It does not matter, in my opinion. It matters what song sounds better. Surrender does. Pretty good job for a "short, bald lesbian"

[Qwerty]

I think it was only broadcast in the UK, but i might be wrong.

Nope, you're correct.

[DamnCoffee]

well if its broadcast again, i'll record it and maybe put it on Youtube - if its not on already.

[Brock Samson]

It said on a James Bond music documentary and i quote "Who would like a nice, brunette singer with a lot of class singing a Bond theme apposed to a short, bald lesbian?", which i think is very unfair , KD is a way better singer and Surrender sounds much more Bondain.

Bald?


And as for class? Well, that's just a matter of taste. Fools.

[Shaun Forever]

Tomorrow Never Dies, the song just seems like a bit of a mess, anyone else find that Sheryl Crow cannot hit the right notes? "until the daaaay" just does not sound right.

[Trident]

I have to confess that TND for me was the beginning of a considerable decline in Bond themes. I can't even remember it poperly any more and couldn't do so 5 minutes from leaving the cinema back then. A serious let-down.

Moreover, by the time I left the cinema I was also too disappointed by the whole movie to really appreciate k.d.'s song although I also felt it would have been the better choice for the main titles.

If only I had known then what was to come during the next few years, I'd have considered myself blessed.

[MarcAngeDraco]

Personally, I'm not a big fan of either song. Both are mediocre in their own way.

[Zorin Industries]

Homophobia and a lack of artistic ambition on the part of some Sheryl Crow friendly studio head....

I do not include Eon Productions in that by any stretch though. If that was the case, they wouldn't have allowed David Arnold to write and assume the song was for Ms Lang.

Sheryl Crow's song IS the worst Bond title song. No 007 title tune should sound like some cowgirl's lament delivered from the back of a pick up truck. It also has the worst lyrics with not a jot of enigma or class ("Martinis, girls and guns" anyone....?). Bond songs should not be about the cult of Bond, but a veiled lament from someone who has either lost or wants the character for him or herself...

Edited by Zorin Industries, 17 July 2007 - 12:56 PM.

[plankattack]

I don't know what the "official" reason was for Crow's song replacing the Arnold (and Don Black, I think) and Lang song, but there was a story that someone very high up at MGM was also involved with Crow's record label and felt that her name would be be more marketable/wanted to do Crow a favour/had some other contractual interest in Crow being involved.

The Crow theme was recorded quite close to release and without the involvement of Arnold - hence the fact that it's never echoed in his score. A very similar situation to Madonna's involvement in DAD - potential marketing overuling any artistic reason.

[bonded56]

David Arnold's score has bits of SURRENDER throughout.

[Shaun Forever]

Indeed, goes quite well I think.

I don't know what the "official" reason was for Crow's song replacing the Arnold (and Don Black, I think) and Lang song, but there was a story that someone very high up at MGM was also involved with Crow's record label and felt that her name would be be more marketable/wanted to do Crow a favour/had some other contractual interest in Crow being involved.

The Crow theme was recorded quite close to release and without the involvement of Arnold - hence the fact that it's never echoed in his score. A very similar situation to Madonna's involvement in DAD - potential marketing overuling any artistic reason.

I heard that's what put John Barry off continuing work after TLD soundtrack, he'd had enough of all the requests to make it more commercial.

[marktmurphy]

I dunno, Crow's one is a lot more original than Surrender, which is just a Bond Song pastiche, really.

[Double-Oh Agent]

I like them both, but Surrender is the better song--and more Bondian. One of the best-ever 007 songs.

I like Sheryl Crow and her music but in this instance, kd lang should have had the main theme with Surrender.

For some reason when I hear certain parts of Tomorrow Never Dies I get an impression of the Perry Mason TV theme song. Anybody else get that impression?

I also find it ironic that lang's Surrender has the phrase "tomorrow never dies" in it three or four times more often than in Crow's main theme does and yet Crow gets the movie title for her song's title.

[Jamie Bond]

I didn`t like Sheryl Crow theme Tomorrow Never Dies, it just sounded like she was screaming through the song.

[Qwerty]

Topics merged.

[Jamie Bond]

I like sherly crow but I didn`t think must off the song she did for tomorrow never dies it just didn`t cut it with me or the film.

[Qwerty]

What are your thoughts on k.d. Lang's 'Surrender'?

[Jamie Bond]

I have to say I haven`t heard K.D Lang one but she a good singer and if its any better than Sherly Crow, then why didn`t they not use it in the first place....

[Qwerty]

You should definitely give it a listen some time. It plays at the end of Tomorrow Never Dies.