Sam Smith's new hit single, "Writing's on the Wall" is tearing up the international music charts ever since its premiere a few weeks ago, marking another milestone for James Bond theme songs in a long history of addicting opening numbers for the spy movies - but how does Smith's theme live up to the other 23 songs from the franchise? Considering the fact that he allegedly wrote the song in 20 minutes doesn't really help his case, but just comparing his theme for Spectre to its Academy Award-winning predecessor, "Skyfall" by Adele, is placing it with amazing company. Let's take a look at the six 007 themes that are clearly better than the Grammy winner's 2015 song.
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We're taking a look at some of the best theme songs from the 24 James Bond films because, honestly, "Writing's on the Wall" had a lot to live up to, and fell short in many ways. Yes, it reached the number one spot on UK charts, which is impressive for any Bond theme, but overall we're disappointed. Sorry, Sam.
MorphSuits, a leading costume company in the United Kingdom, created an impressive infographic for a new blog post listing the top ten 007 theme songs. While we agree with most of the songs on this list, we have our own list to share with you today. Check out six theme songs (in no particular order) from the film franchise that make Sam Smith's Spectre song seem like a flash in the pan!
"Skyfall" performed by Adele for the 2012 film Skyfall. (Composed by Adele and Paul Epworth)
The world fell in love with this soulful singer thanks to her tremendous voice and emotional pop numbers, so it was only fitting that she take on the theme to the Sam Mendes-directed 007 thriller. While Skyfall brought the Daniel Craig-led rebooted franchise back into the right direction of plot and feel, Adele's song reminded us that these songs could stand as the most important element of these films. She won an Oscar for this song, too!
"You Know My Name" performed by Chris Cornell for the 2006 film Casino Royale. (Composed by Cornell and David Arnold)
Casino Royale was the beginning of Daniel Craig's stint as the world's most popular secret agent and this song introduced us to the new take on Bond films. The powerful voice of the Soundgarden frontman created an element of anticipation coming straight out of one of the coolest opening chase scenes in the movies' history, showing us that we had an explosive ride ahead of us.
"Goldfinger" performed by Shirley Bassey for the 1965 film Goldfinger (Composed by John Barry, Leslie Bricusse, and Anthony Newley)
When many people think of James Bond, they think of Sean Connery in Goldfinger. Therefore, this theme song gets stuck in your head pretty much straight away. Admit it; Bassey's voice is repeating the film's title right now in your head, right? Arguably Connery's best performance as the iconic spy, this theme song is probably the most important song of the franchise!
"Live and Let Die" performed by Paul McCartney and Wings for the 1973 film Live and Let Die. (Composed by Paul and Linda McCartney)
This was definitely the first time a theme song trumped the film for which it was composed. The former Beatle embraced souring orchestral work with complicated tempo changes that pretty much embodied the experience of Roger Moore's career as Bond. Sorry, Roger.
"The World is Not Enough" performed by Garbage for the 1999 film The World is Not Enough. (Composed by David Arnold & Don Black)
We're not sure why this song didn't make the inforgraphic linked above, but boy was that an oversight. Pierce Brosnan's James Bond experienced some bizarre adventures, but this film brought us back to the franchise's heydays both with plot, characters and, of course, a great theme from one of the quintessential '90s bands, Garbage. Frontwoman Shirley Manson was born to sing this song and revamp the 007 series' music. Plus, this song dropped at the height of music videos, making for an incredible visual stimulant!
"Nobody Does It Better" performed by Carly Simon for the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me. (Composed by Carole Bayer Sager and Marvin Hamlisch)
There's no denying how perfect this song is. Simon's sexy, heart wrenching vocals perfectly capture the viewpoint of the femme fatale "Bond Girls" from every film in the franchise. This is a song that makes me feel so bad for the deaf.
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