James Bond producer recalls approaching Amy Winehouse for Quantum Of Solace theme

Jack White and Alicia Keys ended up getting the gig instead

By Katie Chow  |  September 30, 2022 | 11:32pm
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James Bond producer recalls approaching Amy Winehouse for Quantum Of Solace theme
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Amy Winehouse in 2007 Photo: Roger Kisby

Though James Bond movies are currently on hold following Daniel Craig’s exit as 007 last year, it’s still the 60th anniversary of Britain’s most famous spy hitting the big screen. Alongside the milestone, Prime Video is releasing the documentary The Sound Of 007 next month, which explores the franchise’s music throughout the decades.

The film looks back at the scores and theme songs that have become iconic parts of the beloved series. Over the years, the espionage flicks have featured contributions from artists including Louis Armstrong, Duran Duran, and Paul McCartney & Wings.

The Sound of 007 – Official Trailer | Prime Video

Of course, there are also the Bond themes that didn’t happen. Radiohead’s “Spectre” got scrapped in favor of Sam Smith’s “Writing On The Wall,” which went on to win an Oscar, as well as inspiring that whole thing where the singer didn’t know who Thom Yorke is.

At one point, Amy Winehouse was approached to do a theme for Quantum Of Solace. In 2008, the singer was at the height of her fame; her album Back To Black had topped the charts, and her cover of the Zutons’ “Valerie,” produced by Mark Ronson, was also a hit. However, Winehouse’s personal struggles were also forced out into the open, and she suffered far too publicly until her death in 2011 at the age of 27.

“Well, that was a very, very distressing meeting, she was not at her best, and my heart really went out to her,” Bond producer Barbara Broccoli says in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “She was very fragile emotionally and, you know, you understood how she could create such moving material, because she has a great depth of feeling and it was very, very tragic. What an incredible talent, what an incredible voice, what an incredible person she was, and it was very, very sad.”

Ultimately, Jack White and Alicia Keys performed “Another Way To Die” for Quantum Of Solace. The Sound Of 007 premieres on Prime Video on October 5.

 
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