Billie Eilish Releases Her James Bond Theme Song... IS IT GOOD?
What do we think? What do you think? Good? Bad?
My short opinion: I think it's... good? Not my favorite, though. I like the back half of the song a ton, but I wish it had a little more going on in the beginning. Regardless, I can already see this slipping into a very dramatic retired-Bond intro to the movie.
Most of the worst James Bond songs have all been from the last 20-30 years, or so (we will get to them in a second). In the end, the song doesn't have much to do with the success of the movie, but you'd love it if the movie is solid and it is paired with a killer song. I wouldn't call myself a massive Billie Eilish fan, but I do think she's a talented artist. Nevertheless, I was a touch skeptical when they announced her as the artist behind the song for 'No Time To Die'. Whether you like it, or not, this will be an early front-runner for Best Original Song at the Oscars next year.
But again, history doesn't really clue us in on who will be good, or bad, for the Bond theme song (more on that in a second). Here are the three BEST and WORST James Bonds songs according to my irrelevant opinion:
#1 BEST - "Skyfall" by Adele from 'Skyfall'
It's the GOAT, plain and simple, no recency bias. You couldn't pump out a better James Bond theme if you cooked one up in a specially-made James Bond song laboratory. The intro is also just incredible and the perfect opening to an amazing movie.
#2 BEST - "Goldfinger" by Shirley Bassey from 'Goldfinger'
There's a sound here that is unlike anything you hear from any of the James Bond themes. The key to a good Bond theme is hearing the first few notes and knowing immediately what movie it is from. That is exemplified to the max with 'Goldfinger'.
#3 BEST - "Live and Let Die" by Paul McCartney & Wings from 'Live and Let Die'
It's fucking Paul McCartney, man! It's iconic, recognizable and sets a perfect tone for the movie.
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#1 WORST - "Another Way to Die" by Jack White and Alicia Keys from 'Quantum of Solace'
Terrible movie, worse song. What the fuck were they thinking here? It also reminds me of song that would maybe work with 'Die Another Day' (trash movie). My brain melts every time I hear this terrible song from two fantastic artists. An all-time swing and a miss.
#2 WORST - "Die Another Day" by Madonna from 'Die Another Day'
Hahaha, oh man, the only reason this isn't in last place is because it at least sounds a little bit like a coherent song. Unfortunately, it's a bad-coherent song. The movie was also a gassy fart.
#3 WORST - "Writings on the Wall" by Sam Smith from 'Spectre'
This song is just… annoying? It's hard to describe for me, but I really dislike. "Writings on the Wall" is also one of the least deserving Oscars winners of all time. Sam Smith has a really cool and unique voice, but it didn't work with the vibe of the movie at all for me.
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So much about a good James Bond song has to do with whether or not it fits into the movie. So, for now, we wait…
What do you think about the song? The movie releases in April…