As Everyone Speculates Over The Mystery Singer For ‘Spectre,’ The Best And Worst Bond Themes

Singing a James Bond theme song is a high honor for any singer. And with Spectre-fever now running high, everyone is wondering not just who will play James Bond’s latest villain, but whose pipes will open the film.

It’s already been settled that Christoph Waltz will be our next Bond villain (which one is more the question), and apparently so has Spectre‘s theme song. Director Sam Mendes says the tune has already been recorded, Radio Times reported.

The question is, by who? Mendes is dangling the answer like a carrot.

In the resounding silence, people are putting some interesting names out there. The favorite for a long time was crooner Sam Smith, who has a decidedly James Bond-y voice, but alas, he quashed those rumors a while ago, BBC News reported.

“People seem to think I’m doing it but I have no idea what’s going on. I’m being deadly serious. I think I would know by now. I heard Ellie Goulding was going to do it, it’s definitely not me.”

Goulding seems far too breathy and precious for Spectre, however, but the evidence seems to be swaying in her direction. She posted a tantalizing tweet recently, hinting that Smith may have it right — Ellie will open Spectre with the same high-pitched, sexy voice that gave Fifty Shades of Grey its flavor.

Other options are Adele, whose decidedly stronger voice provided the theme for Skyfall, so impressive she won an Oscar — maybe she can do the same for Spectre. Old-school Lana Del Rey is an option, as is Kanye West, neither of which sound promising. Then there’s Taylor Swift, whose star power may draw her younger fans to see Spectre.

And in keeping with Spectre‘s possible reboot of an old Bond villain in Waltz (more on that later), why not bring back a woman who’s sung to audiences in three films: Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, and Moonraker. That would be the legendary Shirley Bassey.

Choosing a singer for this honor isn’t a feat to be taken lightly, as filmmakers have made the wrong choice plenty of times before. So, the pressure is on for Spectre.

Madonna left much to be desired when she sang the theme for Die Another Day in 2002.

Sheryl Crow’s “shrill, scratchy voice,” as Consequence of Sound described it, wasn’t a very good match for the film franchise, either.

And Jack White and Alicia Keys weren’t a match made in heaven when they joined forces for Quantum of Solace, Daniel Craig’s second turn as 007.

But they’ve also gotten it right plenty of times (mostly with Shirley Bassey), which means whoever sings in Spectre has some big shoes to fill, especially considering that Spectre may be both Mendes’ and Craig’s last film in the series.

Duran Duran did it very right in 1985’s A View to a Kill.

Who can beat Paul McCartney and Wings, with “Live and Let Die” in 1973.

And finally, the queen herself, Shirley, singing Goldfinger. It doesn’t get much better than that. The Spectre honor should really go to her.

Those of us eagerly awaiting Spectre‘s November release do know one thing: Waltz, who plays villains so well that it’s eerie, will take a turn as Spectre‘s antagonist. Vanity Fair contended he’ll “almost certainly (be) playing classic Bond villain Blofeld.”

The evidence: at one point in Spectre‘s trailer, a voiceover (who sounds quite a lot like Christoph) tells the super spy “You came across me so many times, yet you never saw me. What took you so long? Then the man himself appears to add: “It was me, James. The author of all your pain,” the Christian Science Monitor reported.

But the actor himself denies that he’s playing Blofeld in Spectre — whose resurrection will echo the return of other bad guys in Hollywood’s most recent film reboots — saying with defiance that his character is Franze Oberhauser, a ski instructor and friend to Bond.

Apparently, we’ll just have to wait and see when Spectre is released this fall. As for the theme song, Mendes promises the world will know that answer very shortly.

Any thoughts on who should sing the opening credits to Spectre? Do you have any favorite past themes? Any stinkers? Let us know in the comments.

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