Tomorrow Never Dies (song)

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"Tomorrow Never Dies"
Single by Sheryl Crow
from the album Tomorrow Never Dies: Music from the Motion Picture
B-side
  • "The Book"
  • "No One Said It Would Be Easy"
  • "Ordinary Morning"
ReleasedDecember 1, 1997 (1997-12-01)
GenreRock
Length4:50
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mitchell Froom
Sheryl Crow singles chronology
"Home"
(1997) 		"Tomorrow Never Dies"
(1997) 		"My Favorite Mistake"
(1998)
James Bond theme singles chronology
"GoldenEye"
(1995) 		"Tomorrow Never Dies"
(1997) 		"The World Is Not Enough"
(1999)
Audio sample

"Tomorrow Never Dies" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow that serves as the theme song to the 1997 James Bond film of the same name and its video game adaptation. The song was co-written by Crow and the song's producer Mitchell Froom,[1] and became her fifth UK top-20 hit, peaking at No. 12 in December 1997.

History[edit]

Another song, "Tomorrow Never Dies", written by the movie's composer David Arnold and performed by k.d. lang, was originally produced as the official theme tune. When Crow's song became the official theme, the k.d. lang song was relegated to the end credits and renamed "Surrender". The melody of "Surrender" still remains in Arnold's score.[2] In addition to lang's song, the James Bond producers solicited tracks from other artists, including Pulp, the Cardigans, Saint Etienne, and Swan Lee. These ultimately were rejected in favour of Crow's song.[3]

Reception[edit]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Entertainment Weekly[4]

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "Crow steps forward with a tune that perfectly fuses her distinctive rock/pop style with the bombastic sound that has become the Bond signature. She wails with appropriate melodrama as an array of fluid guitar riffs and swooping strings and piano lines collide at the song's climax." He added, "It's a wonderfully delicious moment that tops off a stellar, deservedly hit-bound recording."[5] Entertainment Weekly music critic Jim Farber negatively reviewed the song, explaining, "While Crow's music has the right swank and swing, her brittle voice lacks the operatic quality of the best Bond girls and boys, like Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, or even Melissa Manchester. Tomorrow Never Dies should be for her ears only." (Manchester has never recorded a song for a James Bond film.)[4] Farber called the choice of Crow "the worst hire since A-ha fronted one of these themes."[4]

Writing for Filmtracks.com, Christian Clemmensen wished Lang's song had remained, and thought Crow's "beach-bum voice and lazy performance was a disgrace to the film."[6] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote that "this is a topnotch song and a classy record. In true Bond style, it could best be described as a mini epic."[7] A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five, stating that it "strikes the right cinematic note, relying on the traditional John Barry orchestral cues and kettle drum."[8] NME also complimented the song, saying, "But, believe it or not, this is a low-key beauty and probably the best thing 'Miss' Crow has ever done. Crow has virtually reinvented the Bond theme by shrugging off the weight of history and playing it straight."[9] A reviewer from Rolling Stone was critical, believing Lang's song to be superior.[10] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror rated the song nine out of ten. He commented, "Miss Crow follows the fine tradition of Bond themery with a dreamily brilliant rock song demanding play after play."[11]

Awards and nominations[edit]

At the 55th Golden Globe Awards, "Tomorrow Never Dies" received a nomination for Best Original Song, but it lost to "My Heart Will Go On" by James Horner and Will Jennings.[12] The song also received a nomination at the 41st Grammy Awards for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, losing again to "My Heart Will Go On".[13]

Track listings[edit]

All songs were written by Sheryl Crow. Additional writers are credited in parentheses.

  1. "Tomorrow Never Dies" (full length version) (Mitchell Froom)
  2. "The Book" (Jeff Trott)
  3. "No One Said It Would Be Easy" (Bill Bottrell, Kevin Gilbert, Dan Schwartz)
  4. "Ordinary Morning"
  1. "Tomorrow Never Dies" (Froom)
  2. "Tomorrow Never Dies" (video)
  • European CD and Japanese mini-CD single[17][18]
  1. "Tomorrow Never Dies" (LP version) (Froom) – 4:47
  2. "Strong Enough" (LP version) (Bottrell, David Baerwald, Gilbert, Brian MacLeod, David Ricketts) – 3:10

Charts[edit]

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom December 1, 1997
  • CD
  • cassette
 A&M [37]
Japan February 11, 1998 Mini-CD [38]

Alternate rejected theme songs[edit]

While Sheryl Crow was ultimately selected to sing the theme to Tomorrow Never Dies, like others before it, it was not the only song recorded for the film. A top contender, alternative rock band Pulp, wrote a song for the film, which was later retitled "Tomorrow Never Lies" and released as a B-side to their This Is Hardcore album in 1998. Britpop band Saint Etienne recorded their own version of a song titled "Tomorrow Never Dies", which was later released as an exclusive to their fanclub on their Built On Sand album in 1999. Canadian country and pop singer k.d. lang's optioned theme, "Surrender", which was co-written by the film's composer, David Arnold, ended up being used as an end-title song.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Maslin, Janet (December 19, 1997). "FILM REVIEW; Shaken, Not Stirred, Bond Is in Business". The New York Times. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  2. ^ "Filmtracks: Tomorrow Never Dies (David Arnold)". Filmtracks.com. Retrieved May 8, 2007.
  3. ^ "Five Other Great Rejected Bond Themes". Vulture. August 13, 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Farber, Jim (November 21, 1997). "Music review: Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  5. ^ Flick, Larry (November 15, 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. p. 68. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Clemmensen, Christian (November 25, 1997). "Editorial Review: Tomorrow Never Dies". Filmtracks.com. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  7. ^ "Airborne" (PDF). Music & Media. November 22, 1997. p. 27. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  8. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 22, 1997. p. 12. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  9. ^ "Singles Archive 6/12/97". NME. Archived from the original on October 9, 2000. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  10. ^ "Crow, Sheryl Crow Debuts At No. 11". Rolling Stone. December 17, 1997. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  11. ^ Hyland, Ian (November 30, 1997). "Sheryl's Really Got Something to Crow About". Sunday Mirror.
  12. ^ "The 55th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1998)". Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Archived from the original on December 29, 2010. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  13. ^ "Grammys high on Hill". CNN. January 5, 1999. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
  14. ^ Tomorrow Never Dies (UK CD1 liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1997. 582 457-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ Tomorrow Never Dies (UK cassette single sleeve). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1997. 582 456-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. ^ Tomorrow Never Dies (UK CD2 liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1997. 044 067-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. ^ Tomorrow Never Dies (European CD single liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1997. 582 416 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ Tomorrow Never Dies (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Sheryl Crow. A&M Records. 1997. PODM-1071.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  20. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Tomorrow Never Dies" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  21. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Tomorrow Never Dies" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  22. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3569." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  23. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 51. December 20, 1997. p. 12. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  24. ^ "Sheryl Crow: Tomorrow Never Dies" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  25. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Tomorrow Never Dies" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  26. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Tomorrow Never Dies" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  27. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 11. March 14, 1998. p. 14. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  28. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (25.12. 1997–01.01. 1998)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). December 27, 1998. p. 47. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  29. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Tomorrow Never Dies". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  30. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 49, 1997" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  31. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Tomorrow Never Dies" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  32. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  33. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Tomorrow Never Dies". Singles Top 100. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  34. ^ "Sheryl Crow – Tomorrow Never Dies". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  35. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  36. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 100 – Vinsælustu Lögin '98". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1999. p. 34. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  37. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 29, 1997. p. 35. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  38. ^ "トゥモロウ・ネバー・ダイ | シェリル・クロウ" [Tomorrow Never Dies | Sheryl Crow] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
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