That was quite not good. I hope they put extra work on the visuals for the titles and make it look scarcely anything like what burned my retinas just now. Alicia Keys and Jack White had better not be cast in cameo roles in the movie either unless they get killed in a cross fire.
It should have been just Keys. IMHO White is the weakest link here.
The more I listen/watch the video, the more apparent it is that had Keys performed the whole thing solo, it might have even been possible to turn this one into a classic, now it's just pop of somesort ?:)
"I mean, she almost kills bond...with her ass."
-Mr Arlington Beech
It should have been just Keys. IMHO White is the weakest link here.
The more I listen/watch the video, the more apparent it is that had Keys performed the whole thing solo, it might have even been possible to turn this one into a classic, now it's just pop of somesort ?:)
If you remove White, then you'd just be left with Keyes warbling no tune and plonking some piano keys!
Seemed a very odd mix. Anyone know who produced it? Almost sounds unfinished.
The crazy oxymoron with this one is in its attempt to "not sound the same" / "break the cliches" / "keep moving on" or whatever the buzz-phrase of the day happens to be, they have:
(a) utilized possibly THE blandest title (and lyrical approach) of any Bond film so far. I mean, seriously, "Tomorrow Never Dies", "Die Another Day" - many complain, even Daniel Craig. Quite rightly, they say we NEED a title without a "Die"-type reference. We get "Quantum of Solace" and a large part of the population rejoices - or at least breathes a sigh of relief. Now time for the song: Aw crap. Couldn't we have had something less cliched? Which would mean ANYTHING else. Obviously, the title negates using it effectively as the song title, but look what they did with "Octopussy" - "All-time High". Blimey, these days it'd be changed to "All-time Die". They just couldn't leave that well alone, could they?
(b) I love Alicia - usually. But her inelegant crowbarring of the wee chunk of Monty Norman's theme on the piano is positively cringeworthy. Moving on by not bothering to find a subtler way to get a Bond feel? It's an original solution, I'll give you that. But IMHO not an effective one. Especially when the rest of the song has so little of the "feel" and atmosphere we as fans deserve to be able to expect from our Bond themes. It strikes me as an extremely dull dichotomy to be so far away from that in general and then toss off (and yes, the meaning is still intentional - we use it over here as well) more a sample than a quote, but lacking as it does the orchestral power which normally makes that phrase SO effective.
After watching the video, the overriding thought was a question? Do Alicia and Jack even LIKE James Bond movies?
I can still remember the many complaints about the Brosnan-era song titles having the word "Die" in them (how unoriginal, people said). Now comes "Another Way to Die", and there's hardly any objection to the lack of imagination that the title shows. What's up with that?
As far as Alicia's piano work, you've hit the nail on the head. I studied classical piano for more than ten years, and IMO, that is some rather crude, and simplistic work that she did there on the keyboard. I don't know whether to blame Alicia, or Jack White, who wrote the song. Perhaps he insisted that her part should be played that way.
Oh the title is awful, I agree. The word Die should be scrubbed from everyone's thesaurus. It should have been called "Phone on a Table"
I'm liking the song the more I hear it (it has replaced You Know My Name as my ringtone) but the video is not too good. Isn't Jack White the girl out of The Ring?
Also, my mum really likes it, so surely the book is now closed on the matter.
I was thinking White looked a bit like one of the fellows from The Cure. I know very little about music performers, so if he actually is, please don't rip me too deeply.
As for Alicia, at least she's got some meaty legs. Unfortunately, that's got very little to do with musical talent. Normally her style of music I hate, and I mean loathe to no end. It's only by being set to this tune that I can tolerate her.
The song is alright at best for me because I quite frankly was expecting so much worse.
I can still remember the many complaints about the Brosnan-era song titles having the word "Die" in them (how unoriginal, people said). Now comes "Another Way to Die", and there's hardly any objection to the lack of imagination that the title shows. What's up with that?
There was, but we did all that several months ago. It's a dull title, yes.
I'm still having trouble hearing the Bond theme in there myself. GoldenEye used it much more inelegantly if you ask me. Thunderball used it fairly well (hell, even the main fanfare of Thunderball is just the Bond theme with a couple of extra notes stuck on the end- and that's before you get to the Bond vamp appearing a a couple of times; Goldfinger does it too)- I can hear OHMSS in the last verse of AWTD, but not the Bond theme. And if I can't hear it it must be using it with more subtlety than Goldfinger or Thunderball.
Well, I'm not even talking about the slightly altered version they use for the riff and the "whoa whoa" parts. Though at least Thunderball and Goldfinger bothered to utilize an interesting key change! It's more the way she clunks out the R-b3-5-Maj7-min7 motif not as a version, but as a direct quote on piano. The fact she surrounds it with some rudimentary brief modulation doesn't smooth it out nearly enough for me. I'm pretty sure John Barry would have tried harder!
But he didn't: he just used the Bond theme laid bare. I still can't hear the Bond theme in AWTD (although I'm not saying you're wrong; just that it must be more used a little bit less brazenly than Barry used it). The OHMSS quote is direct, the Bond theme one is less so.
I don't think that using the Bond theme is a very valid way to criticise this track when John Barry did it much more blatantly himself. Just say you're not keen on the tune or the singing or something if you don't like it.
Personally, I don't dislike it as a song I just find the production & arrangement to be very poor.
(If I didn't know otherwise I would assume that this was a rehearsal tape)
Lyrically they seem to be assuming that their target audience will equate obliqueness with profundity but they are not the first to pull that stunt and won't be the last.
I suppose on the upside they did at least manage to get the word "solace" in there.
For my sins I still prefer it to "Die Another Day" but that is not much of a recommendation.
But he didn't: he just used the Bond theme laid bare. I still can't hear the Bond theme in AWTD (although I'm not saying you're wrong; just that it must be more used a little bit less brazenly than Barry used it). The OHMSS quote is direct, the Bond theme one is less so.
I don't think that using the Bond theme is a very valid way to criticise this track when John Barry did it much more blatantly himself. Just say you're not keen on the tune or the singing or something if you don't like it.
Nope, he altered the rhythmic values, the keys and the accents - unlike Alicia's little "quote". And let's not underestimate the importance of chronolgy - in Goldfinger and even Thunderball it was something of an original idea. I don't think the same can be said some 44 years later!
Thing is, the theme has been surfaced in one way or another in almost all of the title tunes, to the point where it becomes a little "game" for the composer/arranger to insert it in an original and interesting way. In 1964 that could be said to have been accomplished, coming as it did after only 2 movies, the first of which was the unveiling of the theme itself. The rhythmic "stabs" and chromaticism of said title theme have resurfaced with a fair consistency from movie to movie, with probably no more than a couple of exceptions. Personally, I always enjoy seeing how it will appear in the next theme. This time, quite frankly, I was very disappointed. For movie 22, a little originality would have been appreciated.
Don't get me wrong, my issue with it is certainly not the FACT that those notes were put in, but definitely in THE WAY they were put in. It sounds extremely lazy and unimaginative to me. And that lack of imagination IS precisely the no.1 reason I don't like it.
I can't believe it. I thought Sheryl Crow's was crap. That is until Madonna's version came out. I think it took 5 minutes to write that one. Now this new one is the worst I have ever heard. This is NOT a James Bond theme song in any way. Where is the sassy and sexy, high class feel like the rest of the bond songs have? It use to be an absolute honor for an artist to perform the James Bond Title song. You usually knew it was going to be a fantastic wall of sound that identified the James Bond persona. They also got the absolute top artists to perform (Bassey, Jones, Turner, etc). Now, it seems, they only get who is "hot" at the moment, no matter how out of character the artist/song is. They try to have a song that is commercially viable, but the latest bond songs haven't even charted respectfully. This song is 180% from what we usually expect, having no relation to the movie or character. Please, with the next Bond film, can we get back on track here and pick a performer (Carey, Celine, Cher, Streisand, etc.) and deliver a "Killer" Bond song with the real "Bond" feel and excitement.
Nope, he altered the rhythmic values, the keys and the accents - unlike Alicia's little "quote".
I really can't hear that- the bit used in Thunderball are simply: a) the beginning of the swing section of the Bond theme with two notes added onto the end (that's how the whole song starts) and b) the Bond theme vamp. Perhaps they're in a different key to match the rest of the song, I'm not sure, but a key change really isn't noticable unless you've got the original sitting next to it. It's simply parts of the Bond theme. As I still can't hear the Bond theme in AWTD I simply can't agree that it's utterly unchanged: are we talking about the seven piano notes she plays at various points- notably just before Jack starts singing?
And let's not underestimate the importance of chronolgy - in Goldfinger and even Thunderball it was something of an original idea. I don't think the same can be said some 44 years later!
Oh I dunno; there are so many complaints about this theme: 'it's too retro', 'not retro enough' etc. that I can't keep up with what's acceptable and what isn't. Apparently they should be more like John Barry but if there's something they've done that someone doesn't like, even if John Barry did it, then it's still not acceptable.
Don't get me wrong, my issue with it is certainly not the FACT that those notes were put in, but definitely in THE WAY they were put in. It sounds extremely lazy and unimaginative to me. And that lack of imagination IS precisely the no.1 reason I don't like it.
If you were talking about the OHMSS quote I might see where you're coming from, or even the similarity in the riff to that of YKMN (neither of which particularly offend me, though), but I simply can't hear the Bond theme in there, so I find it hard to swallow that they've quoted it in exactly the same unchanged notation, pitch, tone, rhythm etc. as it was originally recorded.
i agree I have listened to the song a few times and haven't picked up the theme in it at all. But then again my wife says I'm tone death. On the song, I'm just undecided, it starts great, but seems a bit of a mish mash, it climaxes, drops off, builds up, drops off, drops off, builds up, climaxes, climaxes, builds up. It's like different points of songs have just been mashed together.
I was never a fan of YKMN when it first came out, but it actually grew on me after a while, unfortunately, I don't think this will and I don't see elements of the song being carried on in the film like the did in Casino Royale.
Live And Let Die is hands down the best Bond song by the way.
Well, the "Thunderball" theme starts on beat 2, whereas the "James Bond Theme" starts on beat one. That's just one thing that is "arranged" rather than directly quoted. And musically, can alter a song a lot.
Speaking of "arranging", here's where chronology comes into play (nothing to do with whether or not it's "retro"!) - Barry did it first! When something's been done, if you're to do it again, you simply have to find a smarter way or you're copying. Copying a copy is even worse, I suppose. But as the arranger of the original theme, Barry has a right that others do not to unashamedly pilfer - if he had wanted - the theme. The chronology IS important. As great as "Goldfinger" was as a movie, to remake it probably wouldn't go down well. That takes nothing away from the ORIGINAL movie, though some would probably like it (for every opinion there seems to be an equal and opposite one) but it would be an idle way to bring a supposedly new movie about. I think the principle should apply to the music too. I like hearing those musical elements that give a piece a feel that some refer to as "Bondian". But I like it done tastefully. Remember all the "tribute" bits in DAD? I enjoyed spotting them, but they didn't simply cut bits of script in, it was a bit more subtle. Some hated them there, but an effort was made to at least work them in to what was already going on. That's all I'd have asked in this song.
I just feel it's a ham-fisted way to refer to the "Bond Universe" and a bit insulting to the loyal fan, TBH.
Seems that the song has stalled at no 26 in the charts over here. Is this the worst-faring Bond song in living memory? You'd have to go back to All Time High to have a less chart-topping song.
Seems that the song has stalled at no 26 in the charts over here. Is this the worst-faring Bond song in living memory? You'd have to go back to All Time High to have a less chart-topping song.
Seems that the song has stalled at no 26 in the charts over here. Is this the worst-faring Bond song in living memory? You'd have to go back to All Time High to have a less chart-topping song.
I take it that that is off download sales alone ? When is the record actually out on cd ? Lets see what happens then.
It should also be remembered that the film isn't out yet, which should give it a fillip, and the X Factor Bond special (spit) will also be a massive boost in terms of publicity.
Plus of course, the singles chart hasn't been relevant ever since mp3s were invented. Are there any shops which actually sell CD singles these days?
Personally, I don't like Another Way to Die at all. But all Bond songs live and die by the movies. If Another Way to Die accurate depicts Quantum of Solace, then I would love the song.
I think that's why Casino Royale was great. It said, hey, Bond is back, you know his name, but we're going to show you a different side of him, starting from the beginning of his 00 career. And "You Know My Name" really complemented that.
Seems that the song has stalled at no 26 in the charts over here. Is this the worst-faring Bond song in living memory? You'd have to go back to All Time High to have a less chart-topping song.
I take it that that is off download sales alone ? When is the record actually out on cd ? Lets see what happens then.
Oh, is it not out yet? I picked up a press copy some week ago so just assumed, plus it's been reviewed I think. But if it is just downloads, fair enough...
Frick, I wish they would have used The Scorpions "Humanity"
It has both the Bond spy music feel
and it is pretty much tailored for Bond...I mean, it says "You're a number not a name"
And that isn't everything. The whole song seems to be perfect for it...
I mean...Here, read it for yourself:
"Humanity
Auf wiedersehen
It's time to say goodbye
The party's over
As the laughter dies
An angel cries
Humanity
It's au revoir to your insanity
You sold your soul to feed your vanity
Your fantasies and lies
You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it
At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
And now you gotta deal with it
Humanity
Humanity
Goodbye
Goodbye
Be on your way
Adios amigo there's a price to pay
For all the egotistic games you played
The world you made
Is gone
You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it
At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
And now you gotta deal with it
Humanity
Humanity
Goodbye
Goodbye
Run and hide there's fire in the sky
Stay inside
The water's gonna rise and pull you under
In your eyes I'm staring at the end of time
Nothing can change us
No one can save us from ourselves
You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it
At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
Now you gotta deal with it
Humanity
Humanity
Humanity
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye"
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,993Quartermasters
...is the record actually out on cd ? Lets see what happens then.
The CD single is due for release this Tuesday (21st Oct), I think, with the full soundtrack released a week later. Hopefully it will overcome the ignominy of being the 26th-ranked download
I can't even begin to predict how it will do on the charts; none of the Bond themes have been true smashes on their own lately, have they? The last huge hit song is probably AVTAK...pity about the film behind it |)
I'm an absolute pushover for Bond themes...and I really like this one, as well. I've a very strong feeling that it will play well over the titles...which is really what counts, as far as I'm concerned.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Comments
The more I listen/watch the video, the more apparent it is that had Keys performed the whole thing solo, it might have even been possible to turn this one into a classic, now it's just pop of somesort ?:)
-Mr Arlington Beech
If you remove White, then you'd just be left with Keyes warbling no tune and plonking some piano keys!
The crazy oxymoron with this one is in its attempt to "not sound the same" / "break the cliches" / "keep moving on" or whatever the buzz-phrase of the day happens to be, they have:
(a) utilized possibly THE blandest title (and lyrical approach) of any Bond film so far. I mean, seriously, "Tomorrow Never Dies", "Die Another Day" - many complain, even Daniel Craig. Quite rightly, they say we NEED a title without a "Die"-type reference. We get "Quantum of Solace" and a large part of the population rejoices - or at least breathes a sigh of relief. Now time for the song: Aw crap. Couldn't we have had something less cliched? Which would mean ANYTHING else. Obviously, the title negates using it effectively as the song title, but look what they did with "Octopussy" - "All-time High". Blimey, these days it'd be changed to "All-time Die". They just couldn't leave that well alone, could they?
(b) I love Alicia - usually. But her inelegant crowbarring of the wee chunk of Monty Norman's theme on the piano is positively cringeworthy. Moving on by not bothering to find a subtler way to get a Bond feel? It's an original solution, I'll give you that. But IMHO not an effective one. Especially when the rest of the song has so little of the "feel" and atmosphere we as fans deserve to be able to expect from our Bond themes. It strikes me as an extremely dull dichotomy to be so far away from that in general and then toss off (and yes, the meaning is still intentional - we use it over here as well) more a sample than a quote, but lacking as it does the orchestral power which normally makes that phrase SO effective.
After watching the video, the overriding thought was a question? Do Alicia and Jack even LIKE James Bond movies?
I can still remember the many complaints about the Brosnan-era song titles having the word "Die" in them (how unoriginal, people said). Now comes "Another Way to Die", and there's hardly any objection to the lack of imagination that the title shows. What's up with that?
As far as Alicia's piano work, you've hit the nail on the head. I studied classical piano for more than ten years, and IMO, that is some rather crude, and simplistic work that she did there on the keyboard. I don't know whether to blame Alicia, or Jack White, who wrote the song. Perhaps he insisted that her part should be played that way.
Is that what that is? ?:) I really didn't - actually still don't - get that! Just a few simplistic piano notes to me!
I'm liking the song the more I hear it (it has replaced You Know My Name as my ringtone) but the video is not too good. Isn't Jack White the girl out of The Ring?
Also, my mum really likes it, so surely the book is now closed on the matter.
@merseytart
No, Jack White's the guy in "Shallow Hal" and "Tropic Thunder"...
As for Alicia, at least she's got some meaty legs. Unfortunately, that's got very little to do with musical talent. Normally her style of music I hate, and I mean loathe to no end. It's only by being set to this tune that I can tolerate her.
The song is alright at best for me because I quite frankly was expecting so much worse.
There was, but we did all that several months ago. It's a dull title, yes.
I'm still having trouble hearing the Bond theme in there myself. GoldenEye used it much more inelegantly if you ask me. Thunderball used it fairly well (hell, even the main fanfare of Thunderball is just the Bond theme with a couple of extra notes stuck on the end- and that's before you get to the Bond vamp appearing a a couple of times; Goldfinger does it too)- I can hear OHMSS in the last verse of AWTD, but not the Bond theme. And if I can't hear it it must be using it with more subtlety than Goldfinger or Thunderball.
I don't think that using the Bond theme is a very valid way to criticise this track when John Barry did it much more blatantly himself. Just say you're not keen on the tune or the singing or something if you don't like it.
(If I didn't know otherwise I would assume that this was a rehearsal tape)
Lyrically they seem to be assuming that their target audience will equate obliqueness with profundity but they are not the first to pull that stunt and won't be the last.
I suppose on the upside they did at least manage to get the word "solace" in there.
For my sins I still prefer it to "Die Another Day" but that is not much of a recommendation.
Nope, he altered the rhythmic values, the keys and the accents - unlike Alicia's little "quote". And let's not underestimate the importance of chronolgy - in Goldfinger and even Thunderball it was something of an original idea. I don't think the same can be said some 44 years later!
Thing is, the theme has been surfaced in one way or another in almost all of the title tunes, to the point where it becomes a little "game" for the composer/arranger to insert it in an original and interesting way. In 1964 that could be said to have been accomplished, coming as it did after only 2 movies, the first of which was the unveiling of the theme itself. The rhythmic "stabs" and chromaticism of said title theme have resurfaced with a fair consistency from movie to movie, with probably no more than a couple of exceptions. Personally, I always enjoy seeing how it will appear in the next theme. This time, quite frankly, I was very disappointed. For movie 22, a little originality would have been appreciated.
Don't get me wrong, my issue with it is certainly not the FACT that those notes were put in, but definitely in THE WAY they were put in. It sounds extremely lazy and unimaginative to me. And that lack of imagination IS precisely the no.1 reason I don't like it.
Exactly.
And welcome to AJB! {[]
I really can't hear that- the bit used in Thunderball are simply: a) the beginning of the swing section of the Bond theme with two notes added onto the end (that's how the whole song starts) and b) the Bond theme vamp. Perhaps they're in a different key to match the rest of the song, I'm not sure, but a key change really isn't noticable unless you've got the original sitting next to it. It's simply parts of the Bond theme. As I still can't hear the Bond theme in AWTD I simply can't agree that it's utterly unchanged: are we talking about the seven piano notes she plays at various points- notably just before Jack starts singing?
Oh I dunno; there are so many complaints about this theme: 'it's too retro', 'not retro enough' etc. that I can't keep up with what's acceptable and what isn't. Apparently they should be more like John Barry but if there's something they've done that someone doesn't like, even if John Barry did it, then it's still not acceptable.
If you were talking about the OHMSS quote I might see where you're coming from, or even the similarity in the riff to that of YKMN (neither of which particularly offend me, though), but I simply can't hear the Bond theme in there, so I find it hard to swallow that they've quoted it in exactly the same unchanged notation, pitch, tone, rhythm etc. as it was originally recorded.
I was never a fan of YKMN when it first came out, but it actually grew on me after a while, unfortunately, I don't think this will and I don't see elements of the song being carried on in the film like the did in Casino Royale.
Live And Let Die is hands down the best Bond song by the way.
Speaking of "arranging", here's where chronology comes into play (nothing to do with whether or not it's "retro"!) - Barry did it first! When something's been done, if you're to do it again, you simply have to find a smarter way or you're copying. Copying a copy is even worse, I suppose. But as the arranger of the original theme, Barry has a right that others do not to unashamedly pilfer - if he had wanted - the theme. The chronology IS important. As great as "Goldfinger" was as a movie, to remake it probably wouldn't go down well. That takes nothing away from the ORIGINAL movie, though some would probably like it (for every opinion there seems to be an equal and opposite one) but it would be an idle way to bring a supposedly new movie about. I think the principle should apply to the music too. I like hearing those musical elements that give a piece a feel that some refer to as "Bondian". But I like it done tastefully. Remember all the "tribute" bits in DAD? I enjoyed spotting them, but they didn't simply cut bits of script in, it was a bit more subtle. Some hated them there, but an effort was made to at least work them in to what was already going on. That's all I'd have asked in this song.
I just feel it's a ham-fisted way to refer to the "Bond Universe" and a bit insulting to the loyal fan, TBH.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
ouch
I take it that that is off download sales alone ? When is the record actually out on cd ? Lets see what happens then.
Plus of course, the singles chart hasn't been relevant ever since mp3s were invented. Are there any shops which actually sell CD singles these days?
@merseytart
I think that's why Casino Royale was great. It said, hey, Bond is back, you know his name, but we're going to show you a different side of him, starting from the beginning of his 00 career. And "You Know My Name" really complemented that.
Can't wait till Quantum of Solace comes out!
Oh, is it not out yet? I picked up a press copy some week ago so just assumed, plus it's been reviewed I think. But if it is just downloads, fair enough...
Roger Moore 1927-2017
It has both the Bond spy music feel
and it is pretty much tailored for Bond...I mean, it says "You're a number not a name"
And that isn't everything. The whole song seems to be perfect for it...
I mean...Here, read it for yourself:
"Humanity
Auf wiedersehen
It's time to say goodbye
The party's over
As the laughter dies
An angel cries
Humanity
It's au revoir to your insanity
You sold your soul to feed your vanity
Your fantasies and lies
You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it
At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
And now you gotta deal with it
Humanity
Humanity
Goodbye
Goodbye
Be on your way
Adios amigo there's a price to pay
For all the egotistic games you played
The world you made
Is gone
You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it
At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
And now you gotta deal with it
Humanity
Humanity
Goodbye
Goodbye
Run and hide there's fire in the sky
Stay inside
The water's gonna rise and pull you under
In your eyes I'm staring at the end of time
Nothing can change us
No one can save us from ourselves
You're a drop in the rain
Just a number not a name
And you don't see it
You don't believe it
At the end of the day
You're a needle in the hay
You signed and sealed it
Now you gotta deal with it
Humanity
Humanity
Humanity
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye"
The CD single is due for release this Tuesday (21st Oct), I think, with the full soundtrack released a week later. Hopefully it will overcome the ignominy of being the 26th-ranked download
I can't even begin to predict how it will do on the charts; none of the Bond themes have been true smashes on their own lately, have they? The last huge hit song is probably AVTAK...pity about the film behind it
I'm an absolute pushover for Bond themes...and I really like this one, as well. I've a very strong feeling that it will play well over the titles...which is really what counts, as far as I'm concerned.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM