THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
AVERAGE SCORE: 8.439
HIGHEST SCORE: 11 x 1 (@2014) 10 x 8 (@Andy French, @blissteria, @enjoy, @marie_05, @NecessaryVoodoo, @Oleander, @Remorque, @send photo)
LOWEST SCORE: 5.5 x 1 (@Ray)
I didn't realise until running this rate how kind of... reviled?
The World Is Not Enough is amongst a certain proportion of Garbage fans. I mean sure... it's not written by the band, instead being penned by Bond composer David Arnold and lyricist Don Black, and sure they only really wanted Shirley to feature on the track as a solo artist but I still think it's incredible with a stunning music video to boot and more than deserves its place in the Top 20 of the rate. So eat it.
David Arnold phoned Shirley and asked her to meet him for a coffee the next time she was in London. They met at a Starbucks near Garbage's hotel and talked about the possibility of working together on the next Bond theme. UK trade paper Music Week had reported that the likes of Robbie Williams, Björk, Sharleen Spiteri and Melanie C had all been considered and turned down, although David Arnold insists that he had only ever asked Shirley, and by extension Garbage. Shirley came away from that meeting with the sneaking suspicion that Arnold only really wanted her on the theme so she firmly insisted that the boys were also involved every step of the way. She explained what happened next to Canadian showbiz website canoe.com, "About a week after that we got asked if we'd be interested in recording the theme. So I don't know whether David had us in mind or whether when he met me in London thought, 'Hmmm, maybe they'd be good for the theme that I'm working on.' I don't know quite how these things work, but the stars were aligned."
After sending a rough completed demo to the band, Shirley requested a small lyric change (a couple of I's to We's) and they then spent time while on the Version 2.0 tour working on the track in mobile studios set up around tour dates, while Arnold toiled away in London. On a free day in their itinerary Garbage flew to London to work on the Bond theme, laying down bass, guitar and drums along with Shirley's vocals in front of an orchestra, before flying back to mainland Europe to continue touring.
Garbage completed The World Is Not Enough in Canada as due to a legal requirement, it couldn't be recorded in a US studio. The process had been long and drawn out and in a post on the garbage.com online journal Steve admitted, "we were just a bit tired of "The World Is Not Enough" by the time we were done mixing it up there, but we think it turned out very Bond-y, which at least makes us very happy." However back home in Smart in Madison, they did work on their own downtempo "chilled out" remix of the song which saw the band delving once again into delicious trip-hop territory, nixing Arnold's grand, overblown string arrangement and embellishing the depth charge bass and twangy guitar line with Portishead-esque scratching and atmospherics.
Speaking of trip-hop, James Lavelle's electronic music project UNKLE were commissioned to remix the track, which appeared on the single release and whereas Garbage's remix went for minimalist, Lavelle took it in the opposite direction, ramping up the melodrama and pairing it with breakbeats.
The stunning looking music video for The World Is Not Enough was shot by German director Philipp Stölzl. The band had been impressed with his work, particularly with the video for Du Hast by Rammstein which according to Shirley, "we were obsessed by". Knowing they would have to film a video, they put the director's name forward. The initial "incredible storyboard" Philipp came up with was dismissed as being too violent and Shirley butted heads with Bond film producer Barbara Broccoli over the decision. A decision Shirley thought, "was really, really peculiar being that it was for the Bond franchise." So Philipp rewrote scenes and killer robot Shirley narrative approved, the band recorded the video in London over two days. Shirley's gorgeous red satin dress was made by Armani and cost £10,000. Despite having to compromise Philippe's original vision, Shirley said earlier this year that "we're still really proud of it and it was really exciting to make".
Pumped to see and hear their work on the big screen, Garbage were pissed off to hear that in the traditional Bond stylised intro sequence of the film, a different mix of the song had been used. One which had pretty much removed everything but simple percussion, Arnold's strings and Shirley's vocals. Duke said "almost every sonic detail was gone" while Butch was incensed, "The theme song comes on, and I was like, 'Fuck!' I wanted to just leave".
@GimmeWork: Robot Shirley from the video is EVERYTHING!
@Sprockrooster: James Bond didn't deserve such a good soundtrack song. Sorry not a fan of the franchise, but most of the songs are spot on and this is no exception. It feels like a more rocked out version from the early Gladys and Shirley bond tracks and I am very much here for it.
@sfmartin: I'm so glad they chose to do this, I think they struck the perfect blend between Garbage and Bond with the strings which is a new flourish we're not usually treated to.
@send photo: I'm probably trash for liking this but whatever. Arguably the best bond theme.
@digitalkaiser: A great bond anthem, probably one of my favorites. I always loved this video, it gives me such nostalgic feelings whenever I watch it. Queen of being an android. Queen of battling herself.
@ohnoitisnathan: Nice strings, but not being a movie buff, I don't really get what all the fuss is about Bond films.
@Filler: I'm glad a Garbage Bond theme exists, but they must have like 30-odd better potential Bond themes in their discography
@Ray: It’s no "Die Another Day", is it? By which I mean I expected more of Garbage doing a Bond theme.
@AshleyKerwin: It’s amazing how they had a Bond song once. It’s great but if you listen to it on its own it’s just like “...and?”. I always thought this was on Version 2.0 when I first got into the band.
@Epic Chocolat: Classy.
@Oleander: One of the best Bond themes and the video is fantastic as well. I can totally see Shirley as a Bond character.
@constantino: That OSCAR-WORTHY video though?? I'm gagging. The song itself is giving me Portishead teas and I am NOT mad about it, not one bit.