Spectre title song - Writing's on the Wall

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Comments

  • BaronSamediBaronSamedi Geneva, CH
    Posts: 1
    I like the theme from the teaser that comes at the beginning of the song and at some others moments, but I really don't like anything else :-/ I'm not a fan of Sam Smith voice and songs so...
  • edited September 2015 Posts: 11,119
    RC7 wrote: »
    Matt007 wrote: »
    I can understand the criticism. Smith has a unique voice so he is never going to sound like Tom Jones. But let's be honest thunder ball couldn't be more macho if Tom Jones sang it astride two lions. I like this one. Whether you can sing it at karaoke is lowest common denominator in terms of music criticism.

    Having heard it once an hour ago it's still going
    Round my head.

    Thunberball isn't even that good imo. This is much, much better and like you say, Karaoke? Who gives a f***.

    Music is all a matter of personal taste. Again, I don't find "Writing's On The Wall" a very strong main titles entry. It is perhaps bold and unique in the sense that this song could be the most slow-tempo main titles song entry. It's also perhaps the most refined, 'luxury', intellectual love song I've ever heard in the Bond song canon, bar "We Have All The Time In The World". Still, I'm a bit afraid that the main title experience in cinema won't be that....exciting as "SkyFall". It could leave a general feeling of "Well, glad that song is over, let's continue with the movie!!".
  • SarkSark Guangdong, PRC
    Posts: 1,138
    I'd love to get a vote going. Obviously this topic has become polarized, so I'm curious to see how many think "it's one of the best ever!" "it's pretty blah" and "it's bloody awful".
  • AntiLocqueBrakesAntiLocqueBrakes The edge
    Posts: 538
    Zekidk wrote: »
    Hated the falsetto, hated the song. Sounds like a eurovision entry from eastern Europe. Best part is the strings.

    This. 100%. His voice is just bloody awful.

    My only hope is that Mendes and co are on such a giant OHMSS vibe with this movie they decide to put an instrumental version on the opening credits and stick the vocal one at the end!

    I said the exact same thing. I suppose it's too late to pull a TND and change the theme altogether. Just pack Smith at the end and let the instrumentals do the work up front.

    20 minutes spent on the lyrics sounds about right, btw.
  • ClarkDevlinClarkDevlin Martinis, Girls and Guns
    Posts: 15,423
    It could leave a general feeling of "Well, glad that song is over, let's continue with the movie!!".
    I think this is going to be my feeling of the song as the film goes through the main title sequence.
  • Seven_Point_Six_FiveSeven_Point_Six_Five Southern California
    Posts: 1,257
    To say the least..
    I liked it, more than I expected to.

    Its also on iTunes now.
  • dominicgreenedominicgreene The Eternal QOS Defender
    Posts: 1,756
    Say what you will, but this is probably the most significant Bond theme ever. This theme is 100% about the movie and Bond, not about being catchy or poppy or Thunderball-esque as some of you expecting Thunderball 2.0 though.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    edited September 2015 Posts: 4,399
    Sark wrote: »
    I'd love to get a vote going. Obviously this topic has become polarized, so I'm curious to see how many think "it's one of the best ever!" "it's pretty blah" and "it's bloody awful".

    i dont think it's that polarizing... everyone hates it except maybe 3 or 4 people... and yes, i am one of those few who really likes it.
  • Posts: 3,164

    My take: Skyfall is better, instrumentals are top notch, approach to vocals will likely grow on me but I can see that being a problem for some people and a potential deal breaker. But I like this, to be honest. I thought it was gonna be worse. :P

    I think at this point best to wait and see what Kleinman does to elevate this with the titles. The Barry-esque orchestration will sound great on the big screen and I could like I said get used to the vocals by October 26. It for sure IMO fits well tone wise with the film.
    Say what you will, but this is probably the most significant Bond theme ever. This theme is 100% about the movie and Bond, not about being catchy or poppy or Thunderball-esque as some of you expecting Thunderball 2.0 though.

    Agreed a lot. That's part of why I like it.
  • skropper13skropper13 United States
    Posts: 117
    I don't put james bond themes on my ipod to listen to with the exception of live and let die, They are just nice little additions to the overall feel of the movie. Which I feel this will do just fine for that. Its not goldfinger or live and let die at all but its bondian enough and has its own feel to it. So I like it for a Bond theme.
  • As i do every time a new Bond song is released, I'm listening the previous songs and...God Writing's on the wall would have been better song by Adele :)
  • Birdleson wrote: »
    At this point, I agree. This is my first exposure to Sam Smith and he sounds too frail and weak to carry a Bond tune.

    He sounds too frail and weak to open a packet of crisps.

    Seriously, what were they thinking giving him the gig?
  • edited September 2015 Posts: 1,552
    HASEROT wrote: »
    i dont think it's that polarizing... everyone hates it except maybe 3 or 4 people... and yes, i am one of those few who really likes it.
    Definitely not everyone. Personally, I think it's a midrange Bond theme. It's ok, nothing overly special. I've seen quite a few comments on several forums/social media that rank it from Ok to "I like it" - so "everyone hates it except maybe 3 or 4 people" is a bit harsh.
  • DCisaredDCisared Liverpool
    Posts: 1,329
    The opening kind of reminds me of the rejected quantum of solace Bassey theme. Although I think writings on the wall Is far superior.
    I can understand people not liking the song but when they say Smith can't sing? The man has effortless soul. The emotion is there, the bondian sweeping riffs are there and the lyrics are fantastic.
  • I've purchased this on iTunes but I haven't been given the option to download yet. Anyone else able to?
  • edited September 2015 Posts: 4,599
    Before SS was announced, I posted that, considering we are dealing with Spectre and some big bad guys etc, we needed something with real power and depth to reflect that. SS's voice just does not have that and, with the falsetto in the middle? well IMHO it just does not work. He sings it how he sings his other songs rather than adapt to fit the Bond feel. The sweeping violins etc are good but thats just generic Bondian stuff. Will people be humming this to themselves in the car or whilst pushing the supermarket trolley? I really dont think so. It lacks a hook and that is essential both for the song and also as a marketing tool for the movie. Such a same
    Altogether know "Let the Skyfall...."
  • Posts: 1,552
    Well, it's certainly getting people talking - Bond is trending Worldwide on Twitter.
  • Posts: 3,333
    Say what you will, but this is probably the most significant Bond theme ever. This theme is 100% about the movie and Bond, not about being catchy or poppy or Thunderball-esque as some of you expecting Thunderball 2.0 though.

    How is this probably the most significant Bond theme ever? Such a bold statement needs some clarification to back it up. Significant how?
  • Seven_Point_Six_FiveSeven_Point_Six_Five Southern California
    Posts: 1,257
    lefraik wrote: »
    As i do every time a new Bond song is released, I'm listening the previous songs and...God Writing's on the wall would have been better song by Adele :)

    That's what I thought after listening to it for the first time.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    edited September 2015 Posts: 4,399
    JCRendle wrote: »
    so "everyone hates it except maybe 3 or 4 people" is a bit harsh.

    not based off of people's reactions rolling in... it's like watching a mobius strip..lol

    i would say right now, it's 70% to 30% (at best) for people who hate it compared to people who like it on this forum - and thats being generous.... i would be shocked if it were any closer than that.
  • DomesticKittenDomesticKitten Blofeld's Lap
    Posts: 29
    Well if they wanted to appeal to the mainstream pop audience...I think they're off to a bad start. A quick search of #writingsonthewall on twitter yields less than favourable results. I personally don't mind it, but it's not my fav
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,459
    Yes music is such a personal thing. We all have our own specific tastes.
    Here are my initial impressions ... because the BBC player (and this frickin' computer) finally gave me 2 minutes of the song; I feel sure I have not heard all of it yet. Sigh ...

    But I do feel that it is not great:
    a) it is not a strong melody, one that I will keep in my head, not catchy
    b) his voice is just okay but the true falsetto parts truly are too high and take away from the song
    c) the whole song seems underwhelming

    I will listen to it (all of it somehow!!) many times to get a fuller appreciation and firm up my opinion. The lyrics are not great, just average for me.

    What will make this song work to some extent is Kleinman's work. That can make this far better, even seeming haunting, lovely, more nuanced. This song will need that; it already quite strongly needs help. It is not powerful or immediately memorable or even a definitely lovely song. It meanders just like a yearning teenager.

    It's almost like this is the first draft, first attempt and more is still to be given it. :(

    The orchestration is almost okay; the Bondian attempt is there but insufficient. This song needs .... as said recently above ... a better arrangement and a different artist singing it.

    Which we cannot get.
    So here's hoping once finished, polished, and in the film it carries enough weight to be likable. The film itself may be stellar ... and incorporating this into the score is still important and doable (very) ... but on its own it is a fairly forgettable Bond title song.

    I liked Skyfall a whole lot better on first listen.

    I know it should be a guy singing because of the lyrics it's meant to reflect Bond. But how I yearn for Chris Cornell ... or many others ...

    Even if it grows on me, which it probably will to an extent, it does not rank as a great Bond song by any means. I don't think that will change for me, not even with dazzling titles sequence in the theater.
  • Please tell me all this is a bad dream. I cannot believe they chose same smith and that this song is so bad! Spectre is still going to be great the, I know, I can feel it.
  • dominicgreenedominicgreene The Eternal QOS Defender
    edited September 2015 Posts: 1,756
    bondsum wrote: »
    Say what you will, but this is probably the most significant Bond theme ever. This theme is 100% about the movie and Bond, not about being catchy or poppy or Thunderball-esque as some of you expecting Thunderball 2.0 though.

    How is this probably the most significant Bond theme ever? Such a bold statement needs some clarification to back it up. Significant how?

    Because it's Bond singing in a vulnerable position. If you understand Bond and what's happened in the previous films, you'll know why it feels significant. The song is all about the character and his desires and past.
  • TokyToky The Netherlands
    Posts: 8
    It's bloody awful....God, do I deteste Smith's voice....Why in heavens name would you let a guy sing a tune, while he does his best trying to sound like a woman...I feel no warmth in his voice whatsoever....
  • edited September 2015 Posts: 4,599
    Puts the Adele critics into perspective, I think many would have her back now? You need a singer with balls and Bassey and Adele win over SS in that department. How could they have made such a missjudement with so much at stake?
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Say what you will, but this is probably the most significant Bond theme ever. This theme is 100% about the movie and Bond, not about being catchy or poppy or Thunderball-esque as some of you expecting Thunderball 2.0 though.

    Agreed. This is like Carly Simon, or Wings, or Chris Cornell - it brings something else to the Bond sound. It has some genuinely beautiful moments and he doesn't trudge through the lyrics ala SF. It's melancholic, brooding, ominous, foreboding, yet strangely sexy, lush and classy. That to me is a great combo. I genuinely feel sorry for those who don't like it.
  • HASEROTHASEROT has returned like the tedious inevitability of an unloved season---
    Posts: 4,399
    80% to 20% now.
  • dominicgreenedominicgreene The Eternal QOS Defender
    edited September 2015 Posts: 1,756
    Deleted
  • Mendes4LyfeMendes4Lyfe The long road ahead
    Posts: 7,969
    I haven't heard the song yet but from peoples comments seems like a bit of a misfire. Oh well.
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