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Hear Sam Smith’s James Bond Theme ‘Writing’s on the Wall’

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Sam Smith is making good on all those Adele comparisons he received early on in his career by landing a James Bond song of his own. After initially denying that he was taking over the coveted theme-song duties from the “Skyfall” singer, Smith debuted on Friday the full version of “Writing’s on the Wall” from the upcoming Bond film Spectre, due in theaters Nov. 6. The sweeping ballad keeps it fairly traditional—you won’t find the glitched-out vocoder weirdness of Madonna’s “Die Another Day”—and it’s already gotten the approval of Sir Roger Moore, the actor who played 007 for seven movies between 1973 and 1985. You can get the track here.

See Every Singer of the Bond Theme Songs

Coupland And Norman
Monty Norman is one of the composers, and also sang the theme of Dr. No.Topical Press Agency/Getty Images
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John Barry composed the scores many of the earlier Bond films.GAB Archive—Redferns/Getty Images
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Matt Morno, together with John Barry, sang the theme song for From Russia with Love.David Redfern—Getty Images
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Shirley Bassey sang the theme songs for the films Goldfinger; Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker.John Pratt—Getty Images
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Tom Jones sang the theme song for the film Thunderball.Terry O'Neill—Getty Images
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Nancy Sinatra sang the theme song for You Only Live Twice.Redferns/Getty Images
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Louis Armstrong sang the theme song for On Her Majesty's Secret Service.Afro Newspaper/Gado/Getty Images
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Paul McCartney and Wings sang the theme song for Live and Let Die.RB—Redferns/Getty Images
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Lulu sang the theme song for The Man with the Golden Gun.CA/Redferns/Getty Images
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Carly Simon sang the theme song for The Spy Who Loved Me.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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Sheena Easton sang the theme song for For Your Eyes Only.Doug McKenzie—Getty Images
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Rita Coolidge sang the theme song for Octopussy.AP
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Duran Duran sang the theme song for A View to Kill.Fin Costello—Redferns/Getty Images
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A-ha sang the theme song for The Living Daylights.Dave Hogan—Getty Images
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Gladys Knight sang the theme song for License to Kill.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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Tina Turner sang the theme song for GoldenEye.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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Sheryl Crow sang the theme song for Tomorrow Never Dies.Michel Linssen—Redferns/Getty Images
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Garbage sang the theme song for The World is Not Enough.Mick Hutson—Redferns/Getty Images
madonna-james-bond-theme
Madonna sang the theme song for Die Another Day.Frank Micelotta Archive/Getty Images
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Chris Cornell of the band, Audioslave, sang the theme song for Casino Royale.Kevin Mazur—WireImage/Getty Images
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Jack White, together with Alicia Keys, sang the theme song for Quantum of Solace.Matt Carr—Getty Images
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Alicia Keys, together with Jack White, sang the theme song for Quantum of Solace.Andreas Rentz—Getty Images
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Adele sang the theme song for SkyfallFred Duval—FilmMagic
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Sam Smith sang the theme song for Spectre.Tord Litleskare—Getty Images

 

 

 

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Write to Nolan Feeney at nolan.feeney@time.com