Thank you for attending this TED talk on why ‘Skyfall’ sounds a bit like a great Bond theme but isn’t a great Bond theme. 1 2 The song was featured in an extended slow-motion interlude to the 1967 spoof James Bond film Casino Royale. The song is notable for its sensuality and its relaxed bossa nova rhythm. And the subject – what is it about? Skyfall is… a mansion in the film? Who sings a Bond song about a mansion? Or any kind of abode or dwelling? It’s hard for Adele to connect the song with any relatable human emotion, regardless of her demonstrable skills. ' The Look of Love ' is a popular song composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and originally popularized by English pop singer Dusty Springfield. There’s a swirling chord progression which barely moves for the entirety of the song (which is a colossal four minutes and forty-six seconds long), the dynamic level barely goes further than mezzo-forte to forte and back again.Īdele, utterly spellbinding vocal talent that she is, basically whispers the whole song. So, let’s attempt to rationalise the song with its constituent parts. Firstly, it’s the first and arguably only time rock music has been successfully weaved into a Bond theme, brass and bluster intact. As a result, the sheer relief of hearing a passable Bond theme led listeners to believe that ‘Skyfall’ was a classic. Paul McCartney & Wings - Live and Let Die (1973) We have to consider Paul McCartney’s attempt at a classic Bond song a relative success for a couple of reasons. A theory for you: by the time ’Skyfall’ came along, there hadn’t been a classic Bond theme for many, many years (since 1995 to be precise).