621 replies to this topic

[doubler83]

Another god awful song written by an man trying to imitate John Barry
Another hell for my ears courtesy of Jack White and Alicia Keys
Another misplaced attempt to sound like Bond from the 60's
Another pop artist tries to do Bond and fails miserably.

Well this song is really bad, in fact its horrible
Amy would be better, so would Jethro Tull
This son is a joke it almost can't be true
Is this really the best that Jack White can do?

See how easily I did that.

[JADSTERSDAD]

80 % of how many posts, actually?

A message board does not figure into any real statistic thinking. This is just the 10 to 20 hardcore fans or people who like to write on boards.

It's up to 33 pages of comments now, actually! Someone with more time than I could trawl through and poll the responses. I'd buy that for a dollar! ;-)

[NATO Sub]

Steve Wright about to play AWTD on Radio 2 in a few mins...

[JADSTERSDAD]

I think 80% negative is a bit too high...

In the poll in the other thread, we have:
67 votes liking the track
18 disliking it
41 reserving judgement

It's certainly a mixed reaction, but probably leaning on the more positive side at the moment.

This is a hardcore Bond fan site. In other words... people's hope triumphing over expectation. Or just not being brave enough to be negative. Lets poll again when the movie has been out a while.

[Bradley De La Cloche]

What next? One of the Bond girls turning and pointing at Bond and screeching: "That mah baby daddy right there! Put a cap in his !!"

Didn't we get that in Die Another Day?

[double o ego]

Seriously, this song sounds like end credits music. Please, God, let them just use the instrumental for the opening credits.

[Vauxhall]

This is a hardcore Bond fan site. In other words... people's hope triumphing over expectation. Or just not being brave enough to be negative. Lets poll again when the movie has been out a while.

Yep, but I think the fact that this is a Bond fansite is more likely to push people towards the negative end of the scale, because this is very unlike what one may consider a "traditional" Bond theme. Obviously, it all depends on where you conduct a poll: I'd expect the general public to look upon the tune slightly more favourably than here, a Jack White fansite to love it, and an Alicia Keys fansite to hate it.

[danslittlefinger]

I think it's a very brave (not necessarily the right one though)choice, personally fits in with what I am gleaning so far of the film. It's catchy though.

I was wondering when Bond was going to get urban and bling bling but I would have liked more horns and blues.

God what's next, Bond wearing a big clock around his neck or some gold fillings?

I can see it now, instead of "Bond will Return" at the end of the credits, they should show Dan just saying "Word to your mother"...

Edited by danslittlefinger, 18 September 2008 - 03:44 PM.

[JADSTERSDAD]

Let's leave the love/hate debate awhile and talk about the song itself. These are the main things that struck me:

Lyrics....not too bothered. As many have pointed out, lots of Bond lyrics are daft.

Singing....too much 'wailing and moaning' (they admitted they were doing it!)

Melody....pretty much non-existent. It's a rhythm that supports a half rap/half soul delivery. It directly references YNMN at one point! Homage...? Or theft?

That piano motif.....terrible! Sounds like it was a child's idea of a Bond riff. No doubt only there to ram home the point that it's Alicia KEYS (who I normally like).

Those three descending notes.... however you listen to them, it's depressing. Perhaps that was the idea? Too literal? Bond's state of mind after losing Vesper?

The horns.... Memphis horns? Lets all swoon! Ok, for a moment I thought they sounded good, but then I remembered the brass in all of Barry and Arnold's tracks. This doesn't even come close. Still... they're the best part of the song.

At the moment, I'm torn whether to put it next to worst or TND. We'll have to see what the film edit/arrangement is like and view it with the titles to say more. But I can't see it having the raw impact of the CR titles.

[The Dove]

Its too bad that so many people will bitch and complain about the song without taking into account that Another Way To Die is supposed to be different than what we've been used to in the past. Frankly, I'm really starting to love the song and am glad we didn't get another generic theme tune in the style of Tomorrow Never Dies or The World Is Not Enough.

[mattbowyer]

if nobody's posted this yet...direct link to song minus bbc

[Mister E]

The issue is more "bad singers in Bond songs," although in Dame Bassey's case I'd say it was a good singer (as evidenced by DAF and MR) having a severely off day.

What off day for GOLDFINGER ? Are we even listening to the same song ? She hit every note perfectly.

Personally, I'm comparing it to LALD to the extent that it's so bizarre and eclectic. I don't like it as much as LALD, but then again this isn't as much of a rock song. There's more of a soul/R&B touch. I'd say the best approximation for it is if you scrambled Alice Cooper's TMWTGG with Gladys Knight's LTK.

I know but it still isn't much in that area either. This song's goal is just to appease the MTV generation.

[Publius]

As for it not having a melody, I remember the same charge being leveled against YKMN. "You can't whistle to it!" was the refrain I heard. This has one, although I'm sure it'll be a while before everyone can instantly recognize or recall it. It's probably a little harder to discern given that YKMN was straightforward, while this is extremely eclectic, but it's there.

The issue is more "bad singers in Bond songs," although in Dame Bassey's case I'd say it was a good singer (as evidenced by DAF and MR) having a severely off day.

What off day for GOLDFINGER ? Are we even listening to the same song ? She hit every note perfectly.

Her vocals were way too loud and grating. Sorry, but there you have it. She has a lovely voice, but it's obnoxious to listen to when she belts it out (at least in that song, maybe she does it better elsewhere). A more subdued approach, like she took for DAF and MR, would have made GF far better (it's great as an instrumental). As it stands, her vocals sink it.

[[dark]]

New poll added now that we've heard the official release version of the track.

[Jim]

New poll added now that we've heard the official release version of the track.

Robert Mugabe

[ElFenomeno]

this song is so good. i like it. a worthy follow-up to YKMN.
good job Alicia Keys and Jack White !

[Mister E]

Her vocals were way too loud and grating. Sorry, but there you have it. She has a lovely voice, but it's obnoxious to listen to when she belts it out (at least in that song, maybe she does it better elsewhere).

Sorry, but your wrong. GOLDFINGER was anything but a subtle song, it's dramatic and classy. The energy in her voice hit those notes perfectly and works well with Barry's music, it's called good singing. Any other approach would have been incorrect.

A more subdued approach, like she took for DAF and MR, would have made GF far better (it's great as an instrumental). As it stands, her vocals sink it.

Those are different songs. To take the same approach in GF would have made no sense. Especially not the MR way which was her most subdued Bond yet and I found it to be her poorest.

[Vauxhall]

Quite an upsetting comment about the song on YouTube:

"I think the song Die Another Day is better."

[The Dove]

Quite an upsetting comment about the song on YouTube:

"I think the song Die Another Day is better."

Oh dear.. LOL!! As the Joker said in The Dark Knight.." Ohh very poor choice of words!! "

[Arbogast777]

I'm not sure if this has been covered yet because there's so many threads/posts going on about AWTD now, but did anybody notice how the first few bars are taken directly from "Casino Royale"? Put on "Blunt Instrument" and go to 1:42... it's note for note AWTD!!!

[double o ego]

I agree with Mister E.

[MrMoneypenny]

Wow, I so wanted to love this song. Was actually very excited when I heard some of it in the Coke Zero commercial. So I listened to it a first time. Kinda liked it. Then listened to it a second time, a few hours later and came to the horrible conclusion that this song is CRAP!!!!! Number one, why call it a duet but it doesn't even sound like one??? It's like two totally different songs mixed together! Alicia Keys' voice is great in it, but Jack White's? WTF??? While it has great, bombastic music here and there, it is never, EVER consistent! That song is just all over the place!

I have always liked any Bond song. Yep, I'm one of those that actually likes Madonna's DAD and Crow's TND. But something major is going to have to happen before I like THIS!

Why they never went with Duffy is beyond me.

Edited by MrMoneypenny, 18 September 2008 - 09:43 PM.

[Mr_Wint]

"Love it or hate it - and there’s plenty of feedback on BBC’s Forums to indicate both are popular opinions "

I am reading on the BBC forum now and it seems like the "hate it" opinion is dominating completely!

Good, then it's not just me.

[pgram]

As for it not having a melody, I remember the same charge being leveled against YKMN. "You can't whistle to it!" was the refrain I heard. This has one, although I'm sure it'll be a while before everyone can instantly recognize or recall it. It's probably a little harder to discern given that YKMN was straightforward, while this is extremely eclectic, but it's there.

The issue is more "bad singers in Bond songs," although in Dame Bassey's case I'd say it was a good singer (as evidenced by DAF and MR) having a severely off day.

What off day for GOLDFINGER ? Are we even listening to the same song ? She hit every note perfectly.

Her vocals were way too loud and grating. Sorry, but there you have it. She has a lovely voice, but it's obnoxious to listen to when she belts it out (at least in that song, maybe she does it better elsewhere). A more subdued approach, like she took for DAF and MR, would have made GF far better (it's great as an instrumental). As it stands, her vocals sink it.

I think this last comment explains perfectly why you liked AWTD so much...

[BlackFire]

I can't listen to it because I must install Real Player -which I won't- so I'd searched on [Popular Video Website] and found this [link removed]
Is this it?

Edited by Mister Asterix, 18 September 2008 - 05:11 PM.

[Publius]

Sorry, but your wrong. GOLDFINGER was anything but a subtle song, it's dramatic and classy. The energy in her voice hit those notes perfectly and works well with Barry's music, it's called good singing. Any other approach would have been incorrect.

Those are different songs. To take the same approach in GF would have made no sense. Especially not the MR way which was her most subdued Bond yet and I found it to be her poorest.

Uh oh, the Bond police are after me.

Look, disagree all you want, but you're not right. For someone who brings a valuable insight to many discussions around here, you have a nasty habit of veering into troll behavior. For your own good, stop.

Anyway, I'm not asking for a performance as subdued as she gave in DAF or MR, but she didn't have to go as over-the-top as she did. She had a lot of energy, she hit the notes, and so on... but her voice was just off. One can be bombastic without being irritating.

I think this last comment explains perfectly why you liked AWTD so much...

We get it, you don't like the song. I find it humorous that several people who agree with you feel the need to troll incessantly and put others down. Yes, I've seen some proponents of the song do it too, but it seems one "side" is far more bitter than the other.

And why are so many of those who hate the song... angry? You don't like it, okay. Move on. The world keeps on spinning.

[doubler83]

Here's hoping they just use the music for the opening credits and not the singing.

[NMMan]

It might grow on me with repeat listens, but YKMN wasn't thoroughly liked at first either. When we hear the song as it's arranged in the opening credits, people might warm up to it more.

[Mister E]

Anyway, I'm not asking for a performance as subdued as she gave in DAF or MR, but she didn't have to go as over-the-top as she did. She had a lot of energy, she hit the notes, and so on... but her voice was just off. One can be bombastic without being irritating.

But Golfinger was an over the top song, obviously. Anything less would not have worked. I also don't know why you keep saying her voice of "off", it didn't crack and worked with the music.

[Publius]

But Golfinger was an over the top song, obviously. Anything less would not have worked.

I doubt the song would have lost its power if the volume was dialed down to the level of Tom Jones in TB and if they had told Shirley Bassey to enunciate. Seriously, I think half of my problem with her vocals is that whole "Goald-feengah!" way of saying everything.