1942 replies to this topic

[dtuba]

At first I was "...eh...." and now that I've listened to it a few times, I  like it. It is a lovely song and Sam Smith's vocal styles are not my favorite, but I can live with it.

 

Definitely not in the upper tier of theme songs, but I still rank it above FYEO/ LTK/ GE/ TND (the Sheryl Crow version) and naturally, that steaming turd of a "song" that is DAD.

 

But, how hard would it have been to slip the word "Spectre" somewhere in the lyrics? Really, Sam Smith? You DO know what the actual title of this film is...don't you?

 

Even Jack White was able to get "solace" into his song. Tsk tsk.

[Double-Oh Agent]

I didn't think I could dislike this song more, but after seeing it ruin a perfectly good otherwise title sequence... For the first time ever I think I'll be fast forwarding the titles when the film comes out on Blu Ray.

Don't limit yourself Jamie. Just put it on mute. Then you can enjoy the visuals of main titles without the falsetto making your ears bleed.

 

As for me, the song has grown on me a little. But every time I start to think that Writing's On The Wall is actually pretty good, here comes the falsetto and it totally jerks me back to reality and I find myself saying, oh yeah, that's why I have it near the bottom of the Bond themes.

 

I will say that the song works about as well as could be expected in the main titles. But for some reason the falsetto doesn't seem as piercing/annoying there as it does just by itself. Could Daniel Kleinmann or the production team have toned the falsetto down somehow during the main titles or am I so wrapped up the visuals that I just don't notice it as much?

[Professor Pi]

 

But, how hard would it have been to slip the word "Spectre" somewhere in the lyrics? Really, Sam Smith? You DO know what the actual title of this film is...don't you?

 

Even Jack White was able to get "solace" into his song. Tsk tsk.

 

I met Bill Conti at a Bond convention in 1994 and he was commenting on the difficulty of incorporating "For Your Eyes Only" into the lyrics. Dude, it's not like you had "Octopussy"!

[dtuba]

 

 

But, how hard would it have been to slip the word "Spectre" somewhere in the lyrics? Really, Sam Smith? You DO know what the actual title of this film is...don't you?

 

Even Jack White was able to get "solace" into his song. Tsk tsk.

 

I met Bill Conti at a Bond convention in 1994 and he was commenting on the difficulty of incorporating "For Your Eyes Only" into the lyrics. Dude, it's not like you had "Octopussy"!

 

The late Hal David had no problem writing a song called Moonraker. My guess is that John Barry/Tim Rice just said, no way will you be getting a song with "Octopussy" in the lyrics. Full stop.

 

Although it's far from my favorite, I thought Conti did an OK job with the FYEO theme.

Edited by dtuba, 14 November 2015 - 08:04 PM.

[TheREAL008]

I like it. It fits with the movie quite well. At least it's not another All Time High. lol

[sharpshooter]

The song was OK. And while not terrible, I think the main title sequence was Kleinman's weakest so far. I didn't think the imagery was as strong as previous entries.

[Dustin]

Indeed, I was a bit underwhelmed by the titles. The song actually does possess - to me at least - a quality that makes it stick in the head, I have to give Smith that.

[Professor Pi]

 

 

 

But, how hard would it have been to slip the word "Spectre" somewhere in the lyrics? Really, Sam Smith? You DO know what the actual title of this film is...don't you?

 

Even Jack White was able to get "solace" into his song. Tsk tsk.

 

I met Bill Conti at a Bond convention in 1994 and he was commenting on the difficulty of incorporating "For Your Eyes Only" into the lyrics. Dude, it's not like you had "Octopussy"!

 

The late Hal David had no problem writing a song called Moonraker. My guess is that John Barry/Tim Rice just said, no way will you be getting a song with "Octopussy" in the lyrics. Full stop.

 

Although it's far from my favorite, I thought Conti did an OK job with the FYEO theme.

 

 

Indeed, For Your Eyes Only is one of my favorite songs.  Moonraker is nice too, as a ballad from Dame Shirley contrasts to the bombast of her previous two (but really three.)

[The Shark]

 

Nice arrangement by the legendary Carl Davis, performed at the Watford Colosseum.

[Hockey Mask]

Boy, that is straight up Bond.

[AMC Hornet]

Y'know, the more I hear it, the better I like it.

 

Probably comes from not being determined to hate it before I ever heard it, and from waiting to hear it with the film titles.

[Harmsway]

The song was OK. And while not terrible, I think the main title sequence was Kleinman's weakest so far. I didn't think the imagery was as strong as previous entries.

It's not his best, but I much prefer the SPECTRE titles to TND, TWINE, or DAD.

[Professor Pi]

 

The song was OK. And while not terrible, I think the main title sequence was Kleinman's weakest so far. I didn't think the imagery was as strong as previous entries.

It's not his best, but I much prefer the SPECTRE titles to TND, TWINE, or DAD.

 

 

Indeed, GoldenEye and Skyfall are Kleinman's masterpieces.

[Dustin]

The song was OK. And while not terrible, I think the main title sequence was Kleinman's weakest so far. I didn't think the imagery was as strong as previous entries.

It's not his best, but I much prefer the SPECTRE titles to TND, TWINE, or DAD.

Don't know what exactly gave me the idea - the rumours surely didn't support it - but seeing this imagery I somehow got the idea Bond would turn out to be a tool of Spectre. The titles this time had a bit of a 'comic'/'horror' feeling to them. Perhaps I'll like them better on second sight...

[dtuba]

 

 

The song was OK. And while not terrible, I think the main title sequence was Kleinman's weakest so far. I didn't think the imagery was as strong as previous entries.

It's not his best, but I much prefer the SPECTRE titles to TND, TWINE, or DAD.

 

 

Indeed, GoldenEye and Skyfall are Kleinman's masterpieces.

 

Those are good but IMO nothing will ever top the playing card motif of CR. I also disliked the titles for TND/TWINE (too cluttered and "computer- animatey"). As for DAD, it was creepy but ruined by the horrible song.

 

SP is probably my least favorite of his Craig-era sequences. Too much squishy octopus.

Edited by dtuba, 17 November 2015 - 10:12 AM.

[Orion]

Havn't seen his SPECTRE one yet (life has gotten in the way alas) but, for me, Goldeneye and Casino Royale are his best.

[DaveBond21]

 

Nice arrangement by the legendary Carl Davis, performed at the Watford Colosseum.

 

 

That is great. Thanks for posting that, Shark.

 

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[Dustin]

It does have a ring to it, doesn't it? Love the arrangement.

[DaveBond21]

I keep on listening to both Sam Smith's version and the instrumental from the soundtrack and really like both.

[sharpshooter]

I think WOTW is much like SPECTRE. Better than QoS, but just a rung under SF and CR. 

[Professor Pi]

It does have a ring to it, doesn't it? Love the arrangement.

 

Wish they would have completely taken out Smith's vocals though.  Can't help but think that was a bit unprofessional to release it like that.

[Surrie]

I have grown to like the song, the lyrics are fitting and it works better than I thought with the title sequence. However, I do not like the vocals! I wish EON would not choose an artist based on their likelihood of topping the charts, but rather someone who has a voice better suited to a Bond track. 

[Harmsway]

Sean Grady has done an excellent job of editing Lana Del Rey's "24" to fit the title sequence.



It's a massive improvement.

[Hockey Mask]

Sean Grady has done an excellent job of editing Lana Del Rey's "24" to fit the title sequence.

It's a massive improvement.

its well done but that song is horrible.

[tdalton]

Thankfully EON didn't choose that for the title song.  As bad as Smith's effort is, Del Rey's is worse.  

[Harmsway]

Suit yourselves.

I like the Del Rey song. It's no classic (too pastiche-y for my tastes; I'd have preferred something more unhinged and raw, like Del Rey's "Off to the Races"), but it has a decent melodic line and a catchy chorus, which is much more than can be said for Smith's song.

[Dustin]

I'm not too happy with either. Currently I'm thinking the titles themselves do nothing for me. And as you say, something like Off to the Races would be a more interesting choice. Or let her write something especially titled Spectre with nothing but Bond in mind and see how that turns out, I think she can do better.

[thecasinoroyale]

Well, that Del Ray song is god-awful. Thank god they kept Smith!

 

What did I just say?

 

I only say that however as the lyrics, music and opening titles do all gel to make the whole song fit better and be far more palatable.

[sharpshooter]

I'm not that bothered with the Smith song, to honest. It's fine. I think AWTD is on another level of awful. 

[tdalton]

I'm not that bothered with the Smith song, to honest. It's fine. I think AWTD is on another level of awful. 

 

I think it would have managed to rise to the level of being just barely serviceable had it been a duet.  The falsetto is really the biggest anchor around the neck of the song, dragging it down to an even lower level of quality than the song was already operating at.  I think that, had they brought in a female singer to perform the falsetto, which would have also allowed them to play off of the Bond/Madelaine relationship a bit in the song, that it could have managed to rise out of the cellar of the Bond song rankings.  As it currently stands, though, I'd say it's the worst song, although still better than anything that Lana Del Rey most likely could have managed.