Writing's on the Wall (Sam Smith song) explained

Writing's on the Wall
Cover:Writing's on the Wall by Sam Smith.png
Type:single
Artist:Sam Smith
Recorded:2015
Studio:RAK, Abbey Road, and the Pierce Rooms (London)
Genre:Orchestral pop
Label:Capitol
Producer:
Chronology:Sam Smith
Prev Title:Omen
Prev Year:2015
Next Title:Momentarily Mine
Next Year:2016

"Writing's on the Wall" is a song by English singer Sam Smith, written for the release of the 2015 James Bond film Spectre. The song was released as a digital download on 25 September 2015.[1] The song was written by Smith and Jimmy Napes, and produced by the latter alongside Steve Fitzmaurice and Disclosure.

"Writing's on the Wall" received mixed reviews from critics, some comparing it unfavourably to previous Bond theme songs.[2] [3] [4] [5] The mixed reception to the song led to Shirley Bassey trending on Twitter on the day it was released.[6] [7] Despite this, the single became the first Bond movie theme to reach number one in the UK Singles Chart. It also reached the top 10 in a few other European countries, but unlike other James Bond film themes, it was not as successful outside Europe, only peaking at number 43 in Canada and Australia and number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100. Only the instrumental version of the song appeared on the film's official soundtrack album. The song won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards[8] and the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 88th Academy Awards, making it the second consecutive Bond theme to win (after "Skyfall" by Adele in 2012).

Background and composition

"Writing's on the Wall" was co-written by Smith and Jimmy Napes[9] in a single session: they wrote it in under half an hour and quickly recorded a demo. They were so pleased with Smith's vocal performance that they used it on the final release.[10] On 8 September 2015, Sam Smith announced that they were singing the song for the James Bond film Spectre. They described performing the theme as "one of the highlights of my career".[11] The English band Radiohead also composed a song for the film, "Spectre", which went unused.[12]

The song is written in the key of F minor with a tempo of 66 beats per minute (Larghetto). Smith's vocals range from A♭3 to D♭5.[13] Smith said it was "horrible to sing" as the notes are "just so high".[14]

Critical reception

"Writing's on the Wall" received a mixed response from critics.

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote that the song attempted to capture the mood of Adele's "Skyfall", but "doesn't feel anywhere near as striking[...] the chances of it joining the pantheon of Bond themes that anyone with even a passing interest in pop music can hum seem pretty slender".[15] Chris Willman of Variety similarly noted the song was "unbecoming of a Bond movie", comparing it negatively to "Skyfall" and "No Time to Die". He ranked the song as the worst James Bond theme song.[16]

Lewis Corner of Digital Spy rated it three out of five stars.[17]

Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph called the song a "monster Bond ballad", stating, "(The song) is very, very slow and surprisingly restrained, at times floating by on resonant piano notes, the faintest brush stroke of orchestra, with all the focus on Smith's intense, tremulous vocal, rising with controlled pace and tension to an audacious chorus pay-off".[18]

Chris DeVille of Stereogum felt it was inferior to Radiohead's rejected song.[19]

Commercial performance

In the United Kingdom, "Writing's on the Wall" became the first James Bond theme to reach number one, on the issue dated 8 October 2015.[20] [21] The previous highest-charting Bond themes were Adele's "Skyfall" and Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill", which both reached number two.[22] [23] It also became Smith's fifth UK number-one single within two years. The song spent a total of 16 consecutive weeks in the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, "Writing's on the Wall" debuted and peaked at number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100, compared to the previous Bond song, "Skyfall", which debuted at number 8 in October 2012. In Canada, the song debuted at and peaked number 43. In Australia, the song performed moderately, debuting at number 44, and later peaking at number 43, but in Ireland, the song was a much bigger hit, debuting and peaking at number 9. The song has also charted in several other European countries though to a far lesser degree than its predecessor.

Credits and personnel

Recording and management
Personnel

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2015–16)!scope="col"
Peak
position
Euro Digital Songs (Billboard)[24] 1
Greece Digital Songs (Billboard)[25] 2
Iceland (RÚV)[26] 22
Japan Physical Singles (Oricon)[27] 81
Lebanon (OLT20)[28] 3
Luxembourg Digital Songs (Billboard)[29] 2
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[30] 37
New Zealand Heatseekers (Recorded Music NZ)[31] 4
Portugal Digital Songs (Billboard)[32] 10
Slovenia (SloTop50)[33] 36

Year-end charts

Chart (2015)!scope="col"
Position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[34] 88
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[35] 59
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[36] 159
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 73
UK Singles (OCC)[38] 56

Certifications

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormatLabel
Worldwide25 September 2015Digital downloadCapitol
United Kingdom23 October 2015CD single
6 November 20157" vinyl

See also

Notes and References

  1. Sam Smith's 'Writing's on the Wall' Is the Theme of New Bond Film Spectre. Time. 8 September 2015.
  2. Web site: Sam Smith Bond song splits opinion. BBC News.
  3. News: Sam Smith's James Bond theme review – 'It feels like an X Factor ballad'. Alexis. Petridis. The Guardian. 25 September 2015. 25 September 2015.
  4. Web site: Sam Smith's 'Writing on the Wall' 'Spectre' Song Hasn't Impressed 'James Bond' Fans. The Huffington Post UK.
  5. Web site: The Writing's on the Wall: Sam Smith's James Bond Spectre theme panned online. 25 September 2015. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
  6. Web site: Sam Smith's James Bond theme song 'Writing's on the Wall' makes Shirley Bassey trend on Twitter because people hate it. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/sam-smiths-james-bond-theme-song-writings-on-the-wall-makes-shirley-bassey-trend-on-twitter-because-people-hate-it-10516519.html . 7 May 2022 . subscription . live. The Independent.
  7. Web site: Sam Smith Releases New Bond Theme But Twitter Reckons He's No Shirley Bassey. MTV UK.
  8. News: Merry. Stephanie. Yahr. Emily. Golden Globes nominations 2016: Complete list. 10 December 2015. The Washington Post. 10 December 2015.
  9. Web site: Guardian music . 25 September 2015 . Sam Smith's new Bond theme, Writing's on the Wall – listen here . 25 September 2015 . The Guardian.
  10. Web site: Hear Sam Smith Break Down Their Bond Theme, 'Writing's on the Wall'. NPR. 25 September 2015. 25 September 2015.
  11. Web site: Instagram. Non-loginwalled link at bibliogram.pussthecat.org
  12. Web site: Radiohead's Bond theme the gift that fans didn't Spectre receive for Christmas. The Guardian. Agence France-Presse in New York. 26 December 2015.
  13. Web site: 'Writing's on the Wall' sheet music. Salli Isaak Music Publishing. 25 September 2015.
  14. Web site: Sam Smith 'almost regrets' Bond theme: 'It's so high that I have to grab my balls'. Britton, Luke Morgan. NME. 26 October 2015. 26 December 2015.
  15. Web site: Sam Smith's James Bond theme review – 'It feels like an X Factor ballad'. Alexis Petridis. The Guardian.
  16. Web site: Willman . Chris . October 8, 2021 . Every James Bond Theme Song, Ranked Worst to Best . February 17, 2024 . Variety.
  17. Web site: This week's new singles reviewed: Little Mix, Sia, Sam Smith, Rudimental. Digital Spy.
  18. Web site: Writing's on the Wall review: 'Sam Smith's monster Bond ballad'. The Telegraph.
  19. News: Sam Smith Doesn't Know Who Thom Yorke Is, Hasn't Heard Radiohead's "Spectre". 12 January 2016. Stereogum. 5 June 2018.
  20. Web site: Sam Smith – Our Exclusive Cover Interview With The Man With The Golden Lungs . https://web.archive.org/web/20171114215111/http://www.nme.com/features/sam-smith-our-exclusive-cover-interview-with-the-man-with-the-golden-lungs-756981 . 2017-11-14.
  21. Web site: WRITING'S ON THE WALL. 8 October 2015. Official Charts.
  22. Web site: SKYFALL. 13 October 2012. Official Charts.
  23. Web site: DURAN DURAN. 21 February 1981. Official Charts.
  24. https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0=ts_chart_artistname%3Asam%20smith&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A846&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=sam%20smith Euro Digital Songs]. Billboard. 10 October 2015.
  25. https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0=ts_chart_artistname%3Asam%20smith&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A801&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=sam%20smith Greece Digital Songs]. Billboard. 21 November 2015.
  26. Web site: Sam Smith Chart History. RÚV. 30 June 2017.
  27. Web site: ライティングズ・オン・ザ・ウォール on Oricon. ja. Oricon. 1 March 2016.
  28. Web site: The Official Lebanese Top 20 - Sam Smith . . August 8, 2022.
  29. https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?artist=sam%20smith&f[0=ts_chart_artistname%3Asam%20smith&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A913&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2 Luxembourg Digital Songs]. Billboard. 14 November 2015.
  30. https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0=ts_chart_artistname%3Asam%20smith&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A1188&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=sam%20smith Mexico Ingles Airplay]. Billboard. 7 November 2015.
  31. Web site: NZ Heatseekers Chart (23 November 2015). Recorded Music NZ. 16 November 2015. 13 November 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151115082636/http://nztop40.co.nz/chart/singles. 15 November 2015.
  32. https://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f[0=ts_chart_artistname%3Asam%20smith&f[1]=itm_field_chart_id%3A806&f[2]=ss_bb_type%3Achart_item&type=2&artist=sam%20smith Portugal Digital Songs]. Billboard. 21 November 2015.
  33. Web site: SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart. slotop50.si. 18 July 2018. 9 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160309041016/http://www.slotop50.si/Glasbene-lestvice/Tedenske-lestvice/?year=2015&week=45. dead.
  34. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2015. Ultratop & Hung Medien. nl. 1 October 2017.
  35. Web site: MAHASZ Single (track) TOP 100 – eladási darabszám alapján – 2015. Association of Hungarian Record Companies. 1 October 2017. hu.
  36. Web site: Jaarlijsten 2015. nl. Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. 1 October 2017.
  37. Web site: Swiss Year-end Charts 2015. Hung Medien. 1 October 2017.
  38. Web site: End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2015. Official Charts Company. 27 September 2017.

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