Sam Smith, the rapidly rising UK singer and songwriter revealed today that he has been tapped to write the theme song for the new Bond film ‘Spectre.’ (Photo: Sam Smith)
Smith, 23, who also won a Grammy for best new artist, revealed over Facebook that he had been tapped to pen the tune.
Smith revealed in a BBC interview that he’d been working on his track, “Writing’s on the Wall,” in complete secrecy for the past year. He said he penned the song in only 20 minutes. Jimmy Napes is listed as a co-writer.
“I just want to do the best for the legacy,” he said. “I don’t want to do Bond if the song isn’t Bond.”
He was a darkhorse amid speculation about who who win the honor. Most of the money at British wagering houses was on Radiohead or UK singer Ellie Goulding, according to British press reports.
The honor was not lost on Smith.
“I am so excited to be a part of this iconic British legacy and join an incredible lineup of some of my biggest musical inspirations,” he wrote on his Facebook page today.
Pop contemporary Adele wrote the title track for 2012 Bond movie, “Skyfall.” She earned an Academy Award, a Grammy and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.
Shirley Bassey sang the theme songs for 1964’s “Goldfinger” and 1971’s “Diamonds Are Forever” and also won an Oscar for best original song.
Most famously, McCartney co-wrote with wife Linda McCartney the theme song for 1973 film “Live and Let Die.” He performed it with his band Wings.
The ex-Beatle was nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar but did not win. The award went to Marvin Hamlisch (music) and Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman (lyrics) for “The Way We Were.”
Hamlisch wrote the music for “Nobody Does It Better” with lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager. It was the theme song for the 1977 movie “The Spy Who Loved Me.” He was nominated for an Oscar, as well, but did not win.
Madonna received a co-writing credit and sang the theme song, “Die Another Day,” for the 2002 movie by the same name. She was nominated for a Golden Globe, but did not win.
In perhaps the most off-beat choice, rocker Jack White wrote and performed “Another Way to Die” for the 2008 Bond movie “Quantum of Solace.”
The Best Song Oscar that year went to “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire.”
Winning an Oscar would solidify Smith as a major artist, but as it is, he’s already joined a rare club.
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