2673 replies to this topic

[Aris007]

I don't want to be mean, but Amy was rather obvious. I'm sure that's not the reason why EON didn't pick her.

But Eon did pick Amy.

Did they? I wasn't aware of that!

[marktmurphy]

It does sound like they would like to have her. She does make perfect sense. Too predictable? Maybe, but it's hard to think anyone more perfectly suited right now.

Same goes for Winehouse back in 2008, but we didn't get her, did we?

No, but for reasons out of their control. As they've said, Winehouse was going to do the theme, I believe even David Arnold worked a little with her and Mark Ronson. She was the natural choice then; that's why they picked her.

[Shrublands]

It does sound like they would like to have her. She does make perfect sense. Too predictable? Maybe, but it's hard to think anyone more perfectly suited right now.

Same goes for Winehouse back in 2008, but we didn't get her, did we?

No, but for reasons out of their control. As they've said, Winehouse was going to do the theme, I believe even David Arnold worked a little with her and Mark Ronson. She was the natural choice then; that's why they picked her.

Yes, and MGW indicated a while back that if she were well enough, she was first choice for the then Bond 23 (now Skyfall). Tragically, it was not to be.

[S K Y F A L L]

It would be unfortunate if Adele never does the SF theme song because of negotiations, if there is any and I imagine there are. Adele has the potential to come back like Shirley Bassey has done, so get her while shes young.

I'm sure I don't have to worry about it, but I hope it's not Katy Perry or The Black Eye Peas who end up doing the theme song.

[Gt Munn]

It would be unfortunate if Adele never does the SF theme song because of negotiations, if there is any and I imagine there are. Adele has the potential to come back like Shirley Bassey has done, so get her while shes young.

I'm sure I don't have to worry about it, but I hope it's not Katy Perry or The Black Eye Peas who end up doing the theme song.

Holy cow. I don't know how much faith I'd have left in Barbara and Wilson if that ever came to pass.

[Vauxhall]

The impression I got from the Barbara Broccoli interview was very much that Adele is lined up for SKYFALL, and they're just waiting to cross the Ts and dot the Is before they can make it official. At the very least, I'm content that Adele has submitted a potential theme tune.

[Gt Munn]

The impression I got from the Barbara Broccoli interview was very much that Adele is lined up for SKYFALL, and they're just waiting to cross the Ts and dot the Is before they can make it official. At the very least, I'm content that Adele has submitted a potential theme tune.

Do you have a source for this specific interview? I'd be interested in reading it.

[Shrublands]

The impression I got from the Barbara Broccoli interview was very much that Adele is lined up for SKYFALL, and they're just waiting to cross the Ts and dot the Is before they can make it official. At the very least, I'm content that Adele has submitted a potential theme tune.

Do you have a source for this specific interview? I'd be interested in reading it.

Barbara will not say yes or no, but it's quite obvious that something is taking shape with Adele. Craig is being a naughty bit too

http://www.hitfix.co...ames-bond-theme

[JCRendle]

Who would write the track? Would it be the artist or would it be Thomas
Newman and his team?

[Kristian]

The impression I got from the Barbara Broccoli interview was very much that Adele is lined up for SKYFALL, and they're just waiting to cross the Ts and dot the Is before they can make it official. At the very least, I'm content that Adele has submitted a potential theme tune.

Do you have a source for this specific interview? I'd be interested in reading it.

Barbara will not say yes or no, but it's quite obvious that something is taking shape with Adele. Craig is being a naughty bit too

http://www.hitfix.co...ames-bond-theme

Had never heard Adele sing, believe it or not, until last week. Now I am fervently hoping they choose her for the song. Soulful, booming voice that rivals Shirley Bassey's. Hope they use her and over and over again like they did with Bassey....

[Nicolas Suszczyk]

Shirley Bassey!

1. It's the 50th, 2. We'll never get this chance again, 3. She sings awesome.

[Monkeyfoahead]

Shirley Bassey!

1. It's the 50th, 2. We'll never get this chance again, 3. She sings awesome.

That would be super cool, albeit unrealistic.

[The Shark]

She's lost her range.

[marktmurphy]

And she never had any subtlety to start with. I actually don't rate her as a singer; I'm not sure she doesn't over-sing Moonraker.

[Harmsway]

Bassey's over-the-top-ness is her charm, and it gave a lot of character and life to "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds Are Forever." (Though even I find Bassey's version of "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" so over-the-top as to be irritating; Dionne Warwick's rendition is vastly superior.)

I did think Bassey's most recent album showed some vocal growth for her, though, with Bassey demonstrating a bit more restraint than usual. "No Good About Goodbye" showed she could still belt out a Bond anthem if she wanted, though it's clear she's not in her prime anymore, and it certainly wouldn't be anything particularly novel. If they went back to her, it would be more for the sake of tradition than anything else, not because she's the best available talent.

[The Shark]

Bassey's over-the-top-ness is her charm, and it gave a lot of character and life to "Goldfinger" and "Diamonds Are Forever." (Though even I find Bassey's version of "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" so over-the-top as to be irritating; Dionne Warwick's rendition is vastly superior.)

I think why "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" works better for Shirley Bassey that Dionne Warwick is because it's playful, like a piece of Vaudeville theatre. She plays around with the words, their meaning, and has fun with them, whereas Warwick is constantly behind, not getting the humour out of the song.

A lesser known Barry composition that Bassey screws up is "My Love Has Two Faces" from DEADFALL.



It's a well written, very intimate piece that's meant to draw you in, but Shirley's OTT theatrics and constant shouting pushes you away. Someone like Cleo Laine would have done it justice.

[marktmurphy]

I can see the value in some of what Bassey does (I think her rendition of Diamonds is better than her Goldfinger: her voice was so shrill when she did Goldfinger that it's hard to take, classic though it is); but it's not for me. I also think Warwick's Kiss Kiss is far superior.
And yeah, Love has Two Faces is horrible. I've always wanted to like that, but she makes it nasty.

And I was listening to Moonraker the other night; she almost sings it gently but seems to forget that's what she was trying to do. I'd like to have heard someone else doing it: didn't they want Frank? He'd do it nicely.

[Royal Dalton]

There's a Johnny Mathis version, with different lyrics, sitting on a shelf somewhere, too.

[marktmurphy]

Johnny Mathis; that's it. I knew there was a name in there somewhere.

I think it's a song that would suit a smoother voice.

[smudge76]

I don't want to be mean, but Amy was rather obvious. I'm sure that's not the reason why EON didn't pick her.

But Eon did pick Amy.

Did they? I wasn't aware of that!

Yes she was picked to do the title song for QoS with M.Ronson however she pulled oput while they working on it, (due to her personal problems) so they then looked elsewhere

[Harmsway]

She plays around with the words, their meaning, and has fun with them, whereas Warwick is constantly behind, not getting the humour out of the song.

Perhaps, but Bassey's so over-the-top there that it's off-putting. She goes beyond "Goldfinger" levels of theatricality.

It's a well written, very intimate piece that's meant to draw you in, but Shirley's OTT theatrics and constant shouting pushes you away. Someone like Cleo Laine would have done it justice.

Yeah, Bassey was all wrong for that song.

[Leon]

I'd like to see something special for the 50th - Robert Plant and Jimmy Page should pen the title song! Working loosely with Newman on the general melody perhaps.

(Had to be posted)

[Bill]

I've said it before, but I will say it again--only Shirley Bassey should sing the song. She can still sing, as others have pointed out, and it is the 50th anniversary. She may not be the most commercial of singers, but can anyone point to sales of CDs or downloads of the QoS score having benefitted by the atrocious Another Way to Die, or even one person going to see the film because they did the song? For that matter Chris Cornell's song for CR does not even appear on the soundtrack, so I would also be curious as to how many CDs or downloads of just the You Know My Name song sold, and again, if anyone saw the film because he did the song.

The Bond songs should be as timeless as the films. The latest song was horrendous. The next song must be a traditional Bond song.

I know that Adele has a powerful voice, and would be a fine singer for the song. While I doubt that SkyFall would be as self referential to the past as the last anniversary film, DAD, was, Shirley Bassey belting out the title tune would be enough of a tribute without actually being an homage to anything--a new song, but written as a traditional Bond song.

The song should not be concocted by the marketing department of Sony and MGM. While I have faith in Thomas Newman's scoring ability, with all due respect to him, David Arnold should be scoring SkyFall. Perhaps he should come back to just write the song--for Shirley Bassey!

[The Shark]

David Arnold should be scoring SkyFall. Perhaps he should come back to just write the song--for Shirley Bassey!

Why? His collaboration with Bassey for NGAGB was disappointing, and SKYFALL would likely end up being another dull pastiche. All of the trademark chords and plunger muted trumpets in the right places, but none of the soul.

Time to move on.

[Bill]

I respectfully disagree, Shark. I liked NGAGB.

[marktmurphy]

Getting Bassey in would make it feel like pastiche. I really wouldn't want her to do it.

[Leon]

Getting Bassey in would make it feel like pastiche. I really wouldn't want her to do it.

I see where you're coming from, but I think it's purely down to how good the song was. It wouldn't sound pastiche if it was just really good in it's own right. Bassey has done a few songs in the series anyway.

[glidrose]

David Arnold should be scoring SkyFall. Perhaps he should come back to just write the song--for Shirley Bassey!

Why? His collaboration with Bassey for NGAGB was disappointing, and SKYFALL would likely end up being another dull pastiche. All of the trademark chords and plunger muted trumpets in the right places, but none of the soul.

Time to move on.

I respectfully disagree, Shark. I liked NGAGB.

I gotta side with Shark on this one. Feels watered down. Not bad. Certainly listenable. But ultimately forgettable. Tries too hard to be a Bond song. But at least it's better than "Our Time is Now".

I will say this for her: her voice is no longer shrill. Quite mellow now.

[Dustin]

It's quite strange, the thought of Bassey for the title song leaves me practically cold these days. I used to be a fan of the idea she should return. But recently I've realised it's probably mostly for reasons of nostalgia I wanted her back. Chances are the result might be disappointing and drift into self-parody. Moving forward is the direction needed here.

[Pussfeller]

That's why I'm not too keen on bringing her back. It just seems like a sentimental gesture, even a gimmick, rather than something that will genuinely enhance the film.