JAMES BOND
the themes of the film, with the chorus ending: ‘a man on your side/someone you think you can trust/is just another way to die’. White has said of the track: ‘The whole song is about trust. After reading the script, I started to focus on Bond and his inability to trust anyone, even himself . . . Then I had the idea of Alicia being involved and us doing a duct, and that got me on to having male and female takes on the same idea.’
It may seem like a strange union, but while they’re in different fields White and Keys have plenty in common, and it makes sense that they should be admirers of each other’s music. Few women in American R&B actually play an instrument, write their own material and take inspiration from the likes of Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone, but Alicia Keys has managed to carve out a place as those divas” obvious heir in a business that rarely allows time for artists to grow, change or take risks.
Like White, Keys has steadily built a following, picked up tons of awards, started an occasional acting career and developed a reputation for writing odd, ambitious popular music with real
soul. She also has a voice that makes many of
her contemporaries look very ordinary. As ‘Another Way to Die‘ is produced, written and mainly played by White (he even plays drums here, so watch out Meg, now he really doesn’t need you) it does sound more like him than her. But as in the best Raconteurs songs, the dual vocal really works, with the occasional wailing and ad-libbing that sometimes spoils Keys” solo material reigned in here to good effect.
The singer has admitted she had hoped to work
with White for a while. ‘When the idea of
24 THE LIST 3() Oct ~13 Nov 2008
Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry in Die Another Day, Madonna, Garbage
fi
‘IT'S GOT A DIRTY, UGLY, BUI' VERY KIND OF SEXY FEEL TO IT'
collaborating with Jack White on this theme came up I was very excited because I’m a very big White Stripes fan, and I’ve always wanted us to work together.’ White agrees, adding, ‘We’re both coming to the world of Bond from different places, so we both had our eyes wide open.’
Not everyone likes ‘Another Way to Die’ of course, but among Bond aficionados it seems to have enthusiastic approval. Alright, so Noel Gallagher hates it, but his problem seems to be more about the fact that he wants to write a Bond theme himself, and doesn’t like the fact that ‘the greatest British agent of all time has to be soundtrackcd by a bunch of fucking Ameficans.’ Well, perhaps Bond fans should be thankful the Americans took over. Since Noel hasn’t gotten around to finishing his attempt yet, someone had to step in. And after the famously aborted Winehouse idea the odds were on a Leona Lewis ballad for a while there. Think how bad that could have been . . . and rejoice!
Dr No, Die Another Day, For Your Eyes Only, From Russia With Love, Live and Let Die and Thunderball are all available on Blu-ray from MGM & “ventieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Quantum of Solace is out on Fri 31 Oct.
BUILD YOUR OWN BOND MOVIE
Exoticiocatione Cubanbeaches.
Jamaican' waterfalls.
floatinglncfianpalaces- - meietsetfingsuper-spy notcheswanaverageof
-- .‘F‘ n . " i 43 three countries per film, and his missions can occasionally even lead him
intoouterspaceordownavolcano.
Thehotglrl Coveredingoldpaintor wavingaridingcrcp.no 007fllmiscomplete
HollyGoochead.Mary GoodnigmandHoneyRyderhaveallfallenforthe charmsof‘Oh.James’,butrarelymanagetomelt theheartunderthehairychest.
The evil villain Making twisted plans in an underground or underwater lair. Bond ' caddies generally have a physical detect (a bleeding tear duct, webbed hands. three nipples) which might explain the deep-seated inferiority complex that drives them towards world domination. They tend to work with henchmen — Oddiob and Jaws et al and protracted. ill—conceived killing methods are also a trademam—including laserbeams. buzzsaws. nuclear bombs or alligators.
Clever gadgets Like Caractacus Potts in
Bondlovesaclevergadget. Dittoveryimpressive cars. Technical genius Qwon't beappearing in Quantum of Solace though. norwill Miss Moneypenny.Thefamouslines‘Bond.James Bond'or‘Shaken. not stirred'.havealsobeen chopped.asapparentlytheywerestartingto soundalittiecomy. Bond?ComY?
Bad puns 1heassassinlovesawisecrack.particularlyafter hehasjustmbbedoutastubbomvillain.See‘He blewafuse’ (electrocutingOddiobin Goldfinger), ‘He had an inflated opinion ofhimself' (force feedinganaircapsuletoKanangainUveandLet Die).or'lthadacrushonme’(aboaconstrictorin Moonraker).
lnterruptedlove scenes Everthecharmer.Bond normallyfinishesofia \” harddayoffoiling
mastermindsandkilling
terroristswithalittie romance. OO7getsthegirl,andthengetsiton. underaparachute. orbiting outer space. floating onaraft...Cueaphonecallataninapprcpriate time.andsomepainfullygooddoubleentendres. (ClaireSawers)