Writing’s On The Wall

The harmony of 'Writing's on the Wall' achieves its effect through deliberate simplicity. Four diatonic-adjacent chords in F minor carry the entire song, with the natural V (C major) reserved for the chorus as the sole point of real harmonic tension. That economy is a compositional choice: the key of F minor sits at the top of Smith's range, so the arrangement keeps the harmony static to concentrate every ounce of drama in the voice. The result is a Bond theme that sounds monumental without being complex — closer to Shirley Bassey's starkness than the chromatic sophistication of John Barry's arrangements.

Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes wrote 'Writing's on the Wall' in a single session, finishing the song in under thirty minutes. They immediately recorded a demo, and Smith's vocal take was strong enough to serve as the master. Smith announced the commission on 8 September 2015, calling it 'one of the highlights of my career.' Radiohead also recorded an unused Bond theme titled 'Spectre' for the film, and Lana Del Rey submitted an unsuccessful pitch.

Written by Smith and Jimmy Napes in a single session lasting under thirty minutes, 'Writing's on the Wall' is a spare orchestral ballad in F minor that pushes Smith's upper-register vocals to their limit. Despite polarizing reviews that sent Shirley Bassey trending on Twitter, it swept the 2016 awards season with both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song. Its UK chart performance set a record that no previous Bond theme had managed.