(Standalone single)
#4 in 2 days. Wow. And its only a Bond song.
Or is it only a Bond song? At the end of the day, this Adele's first new output in a year, and so for easy listening and 007 fans alike, this is an event.
Now, I'm sorry, and its not her fault, but Bond films have ridiculous names; "Octopussy", "Goldeneye" and "Dr. No" would be to name but a few. "Skyfall" is no exception and so, having stuck to the film's title, unlike previous attempts "Nobody Does It Better" for 1977's "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "You Know My Name" for 2007's "Casino Royale", is very commendable, especially when the lyric 'Skyfall' is as easy to integrate into a good song as cauliflower is to a decent meal; some say it can't be done, however, in both cases there are exceptions, and Adele's new song, is one of those rare moments in time when even an Indie fan such as myself has to stand back and simply admit that a slow, jazzy theme song has class.
At nearly 5 minutes in length, the opening titles to this film are going to feature a LOT of naked women silhouettes, but hey - Bond films just wouldn't be the same if there was no cheap 60s sex driven SFX. This lusty trivia aside, the song is great. It opens with a variation on the great suave Bond orchestration we are all used to, before shooting back to reservedness and a smooth, jazzy paino driven tempo. The opening cry from the beautiful voice announces, "this is the end", and then, with the second verse, and the introduction of a calm and simple bass line and hi-hat, the song is beginning to pick up. Then the drums crash, and the full orchestra comes back for a typical, dramatic Bond song crescendo of British jazz brilliance. Behind all of this, and briefly audible, a small fragment of the original James Bond theme played quietly on the electric guitar, and the actual original string arrangement.
Aside from being a simply lovely song by itself, the song has all the swagger and arrogance of a James Bond theme, as well as the unique and original raw emotion and beauty of an Adele track. For me, this amongst the singer's greatest efforts yet, the heartfelt pleas for the sky to fall (her sneaky way around having to include 'Skyfall' at some point in the song) engaging the listener with unparalleled and genuine bouts of emotion.
Give it a listen, and see what you think. Frankly, it's Bond songs, and also Adele, both at their very best.
★★★★★
Versions of "Skyfall"
Single Version – 4:49