Another Way to Die

"Another Way to Die" is a song by American musicians Jack White and Alicia Keys. Written and produced by White as the theme song to the 2008 James Bond film Quantum of Solace,[1][2] it was released as a single in the United States on September 30, 2008 and in Europe on October 20, 2008. The song—which features White on vocals, guitar, piano and drums and Keys on vocals—is the first duet in the Bond film series,[1] and was nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the 2009 Grammy Awards, with director P. R. Brown.[3] It was also nominated for Best Song at the 2008 Critics' Choice Awards,[4] and won Best Original Song at the Satellite Awards 2008.[5] Commercially, the song reached number one in Finland and became a top-five hit in Austria, Norway, Scotland, and Switzerland.

For the Disturbed song, see Another Way to Die (Disturbed song).
"Another Way to Die"
Single by Jack White and Alicia Keys
from the album Quantum of Solace
ReleasedSeptember 30, 2008
Recorded2007
StudioSputnik Sound and Blackbird (Nashville, TN)
Genre
Length4:23
Label
Songwriter(s)Jack White
Producer(s)Jack White
Jack White singles chronology
"Sitting on Top of the World"
(2003)		 "Another Way to Die"
(2008)		 "Fly Farm Blues"
(2009)
Alicia Keys singles chronology
"Superwoman"
(2008)		 "Another Way to Die"
(2008)		 "Empire State of Mind"
(2009)
James Bond theme singles chronology
"You Know My Name"
(2006)		 "Another Way to Die"
(2008)		 "Skyfall"
(2012)
Music video
"Another Way to Die" on YouTube

The single was released as a limited edition 7" single of 6,000 copies[6] in the U.S. on September 30, 2008 by White's label Third Man Records,[7] and in the United Kingdom on October 20, 2008 by XL Recordings.[8] It was also released as a downloadable song for the video game Guitar Hero World Tour on November 7, 2008.[9] An instrumental version of the song was also used in a Coca-Cola commercial, as Coca-Cola Zero was used to promote the film;[10] however, White subsequently announced that he had not approved of the song being licensed for this use.[11] Roughly the first two minutes of the song were first played on September 13, 2008 on the radio show Siglo 21 on Radio 3 in Spain.[12] The song premiered on British radio on September 18, 2008 on BBC Radio 1's The Jo Whiley Show. Newsbeat described the reaction from listeners who e-mailed their opinions as mixed.[13] On October 3, 2008 the music video premiered on Channel 4.

Background

White wrote and produced the song and he plays the guitar, drums, and piano, while Keys provides vocals, becoming the first duet in Bond theme history.[14] The pair filmed a video for the song in Toronto on September 6, 2008, whilst Keys was at the Toronto International Film Festival promoting her film The Secret Life of Bees while White was there with It Might Get Loud, a documentary on the electric guitar.[15][16] Initial reviews of the song were mixed, with some critics anticipating that the song could grow in popularity the more it was played on radio and performed live. Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis had previously been rumored as the vocalists for the Bond theme.[1]

Music video

The music video for the song was released on Yahoo! Video on September 29, 2008, and directed by P. R. Brown. It has since made its way onto YouTube and other video sharing sites. It can also be seen on the DVD of the film. It features White singing and playing both guitar and the drums. Keys sings and plays piano in the video. Video effects and CGI are in the background featuring wavy lines and use of dawn and dusk. A shot of Daniel Craig as James Bond appears in the very last shot, which appeared in the theatrical trailer for the film. The video was announced as a nominee for Best Short Form Music Video at the 51st Grammy Awards.

In the opening titles to the theatrical film, the song begins when Bond fires a bullet. He roams the desert aiming his gun in every direction, and slowly the sand dunes he has been patrolling become nude women in silhouette. Aside from the desert theme, there are also visual cues of the night sky, and lines of celestial navigation seen, as well as various handgun silhouettes. The main colors used in the video are black, blue, and orange.

Chart performance

On September 28, 2008, the song entered the UK Singles Chart at number twenty-six on downloads alone, and peaked at nine. Also, it became Keys' first chart-topper in Finland, and charted inside the top ten in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Switzerland. In Canada it debuted at number fifteen on the Canadian Hot 100 on the issue dated October 18, 2008, based on a large number of downloads.

In the United States it debuted at number eighty-one on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated November 29, 2008, spending one week only on the chart.

In Australia the single made its way into the top forty, peaking at number twenty-nine for the week of December 1, 2008. "Another Way to Die" was the first James Bond theme song to feature on a Triple J Hottest 100 playlist, compiled almost every year since 1989; in 2008 the song was ranked the eighty-seventh most popular.

Critical reception

The song received some positive reviews as an individual song, but it was subject to poor reception as a Bond theme,[17] with Jude Rogers of The Guardian calling the song "jagged" and "awkward".[18] Criticism focused on how the song does not seem to fit as a James Bond theme. In the 2008 Popjustice Reader's Poll, the song was voted as the second "Worst Single".[19]

Live performance

"Another Way to Die" was included on Keys' set list on her The Freedom Tour. Neither White nor Keys performed the song on television, nor at awards ceremonies.

Track listing
CD and 7" single
  1. "Another Way to Die" – 4:23
  2. "Another Way to Die" (Instrumental) – 4:23

Personnel

Credits are taken from the record sleeve.[20][21]

Charts and certifications

Cover versions

In 2017, actor and musician Robbie Rist recorded "Another Way To Die" with his band, Ballzy Tomorrow, for the multi-artist compilation album, Songs, Bond Songs: The Music Of 007.[37]

See also

References
  1. Donahue, Ann (July 29, 2008). "Alicia Keys, Jack White Team For Bond Theme". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Archived from the original on September 5, 2008. Retrieved July 29, 2008.
  2. Hiatt, Brian (October 2, 2008). "Jack White and Alicia Keys: Bond's New Duo". Rolling Stone. RealNetworks, Inc. Archived from the original on 19 October 2008. Retrieved October 12, 2008.
  3. "The 51st Annual Grammy Awards Nominations List". Grammy Awards. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
  4. "14th Annual Critics Choice Awards – Nominees – Best Song". VH1. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  5. "2008 13th Annual SATELLITE Awards". International Press Academy. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved December 15, 2008.
  6. "Another Way To Die by Jack White & Alicia Keys". Norman Records. Archived from the original on 26 October 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2008.
  7. "Jack White (2) & Alicia Keys – Another Way To Die". Discogs. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  8. "Jack White: Alicia Keys: Another Way To Die". HMV. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  9. "MI6 Confirms Activision's 007 Status -- Quantum of Solace Video Game Makes Retail Debut". IGN. October 31, 2008. Archived from the original on 4 November 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  10. Sweney, Mark (September 11, 2008). "Coca-Cola launches ad featuring Jack White's Quantum of Solace music". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 12 September 2008. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  11. Jack White Didn’t Approve That Coke/Bond Commercial, by Brandon Stosuy, at Stereogum; published September 15, 2008; retrieved June 7, 2016
  12. "Another Way To Die – Extracto de radio (Audio y Letra)" (in Spanish). Archivo 007. September 15, 2008. Archived from the original on July 5, 2011. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  13. "James Bond theme gets first play". Newsbeat. BBC News Online. September 18, 2008. Archived from the original on 19 September 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
  14. Bray, Elisa (September 19, 2008). "First Listen: Another Way To Die, James Bond Theme, Jack White and Alicia Keys". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. Retrieved January 17, 2009.
  15. Houpt, Simon (September 6, 2008). "Alicia Keys on Bond and Bees". The Globe and Mail. Toronto: CTVglobemedia. Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  16. "Jack White, The Edge, Jimmy Page film for Toronto". NME. IPC Media. August 18, 2008. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  17. Cochrane, Greg (2 October 2012). "Adele's James Bond theme song Skyfall is leaked online". Newsbeat. BBC News Online. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  18. Rogers, Jude (October 2, 2012). "Adele,Music,James Bond (Film),Culture,Thriller (Film genre),Film". The Guardian. London.
  19. "Popjustice Readers' Poll Results 2008: Results". Popjustice. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  20. "Images for Jack White (2) & Alicia Keys – Another Way To Die". Discogs. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
  21. "Images for Jack White (2) & Alicia Keys – Another Way To Die". Discogs. Retrieved December 22, 2008.
  22. "Jack White & Alicia Keys – Another Way To Die". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 3, 2008.
  23. "Another Way to Die – Alicia Keys/Jack White". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Archived from the original on 9 November 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  24. "RADIO TOP100 Oficiální" (in Czech). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved November 3, 2008.
  25. "Alicia Keys Chart History – Euro Digital Songs". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  26. "Musicline.de – Chartverfolgung – Jack White & Alicia Keys – Another Way To Die". Media Control (in German). PhonoNet GmbH. Archived from the original on December 11, 2011. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  27. "Irish Top 50 Singles, Week Ending 6 November 2008". Irish Recorded Music Association. Chart-Track. Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  28. "Portugal Digital Songs: Dec. 06, 2008 - Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  29. "Official Scottish Singles Chart Top 100: 26 October 2008 - 01 November 2008". Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  30. "RADIO TOP100 Oficiálna" (in Slovak). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved November 12, 2008.
  31. "The Official Charts Company – Alicia Keys & Jack White – Another Way To Die". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  32. "Austriancharts.at - Jahreshitparade 2008". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 8 November 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  33. "Single Jahrescharts 2008". Media Control (in German). MTV Germany. December 16, 2008. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  34. "Swisscharts.com - Swiss Year-End Charts 2008". Media Control. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
  35. "UK Year-End Charts 2008" (PDF). The Official Charts Company. ChartsPlus. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2011.
  36. "Guld og platin 2009" (in Danish). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. January 28, 2009. Archived from the original on January 17, 2015. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  37. "Songs, Bond Songs: The Music Of 007"
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