Sheryl Crow – Tomorrow Never Dies
Chosen From Twelve Submissions After k.d. lang Got Bumped
Released in December 1997 as the theme to the eighteenth James Bond film, “Tomorrow Never Dies” peaked at number 12 in the UK and became Sheryl Crow’s fifth top-twenty hit there. The song failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 but received nominations for Best Original Song at the 55th Golden Globe Awards and Best Song Written for a Motion Picture at the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, losing both times to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic. Crow co-wrote the track with producer Mitchell Froom, beating out approximately twelve submissions from artists including Pulp, Saint Etienne, Marc Almond, Swan Lee, and Duran Duran. MGM wanted a more popular artist than the original choice, so k.d. lang’s theme got bumped to the end credits.
The track became one of the most divisive Bond themes in franchise history, with critics split between praising Crow’s vocal performance and production while questioning whether it fit the 007 template. NME called it a low-key beauty and probably the best thing Crow had ever done, while Entertainment Weekly’s Jim Farber wrote that Crow’s brittle voice lacked the operatic quality of the best Bond singers like Shirley Bassey or Tom Jones, calling the choice of Crow the worst hire since A-ha. Music & Media described it as a topnotch song and classy record, a mini epic in true Bond style. The song has accumulated over 17 million streams on Spotify and over 20 million views on YouTube, experiencing a resurgence when the full James Bond film series was added to Prime Video in October 2024. Variety ranked it 19th out of 25 Bond themes in 2021, faulting its peppy vibe for lacking menace.
David Arnold, the film’s composer, had originally written a bold, brassy number in the classic John Barry and Shirley Bassey vein with lyricist Don Black and singer David McAlmont, intending it as the theme song. k.d. lang recorded the track after David McAlmont cut the demo. Arnold told Yahoo in 2022 that lang had extraordinary technical ability and the amount of genuine emotional heft she delivered was very moving, with the recording done in two or three takes. Producer Michael G. Wilson called Crow’s song the most interesting one submitted. The last-minute switch happened so close to the film’s release that Arnold had no time to work Crow’s melody into the score, so melody patterns from the bumped k.d. lang track appear prominently throughout the film’s action cues. lang confessed years later that it was super disappointing because she thought she was doing the opening song.
Crow and Mitchell Froom produced the track, creating a composition that fused her distinctive rock-pop style with the bombastic sound that had become the Bond signature. The arrangement featured fluid guitar riffs and swooping strings and piano lines that collided at the song’s climax. Crow wailed with appropriate melodrama according to Billboard’s Larry Flick, who called it a wonderfully delicious moment topping off a stellar recording. The recording process remained relatively straightforward compared to the political drama surrounding its selection. Crow sang lead vocals throughout, backed by orchestral arrangements designed to evoke classic Bond themes while maintaining her contemporary sound. The decision to replace lang’s theme came from MGM executives who felt Crow was a bigger name in 1997.
“Tomorrow Never Dies” appeared on the film’s soundtrack album and was later included on Crow’s 2007 greatest hits compilation Hits & Rarities. The song marked a turning point in Bond theme history, signaling the producers’ embrace of rock-infused ballads over traditional orchestral styles and paving the way for subsequent themes like Garbage’s “The World Is Not Enough” in 1999. Pierce Brosnan’s second Bond outing performed well at the box office, grossing over 339 million dollars worldwide and becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1997. Director Daniel Kleinman filmed the promotional video featuring Bond-inspired visuals like exploding cars and shadowy figures, receiving positive notes for its stylish execution on MTV. The film marked the first Bond production made after producer Albert R. Broccoli’s death.
The song has rarely been covered, though it continues appearing in Bond retrospectives and compilations. The decision to replace k.d. lang’s theme remains controversial among Bond fans and music critics, with many considering lang’s “Surrender” the great lost Bond song. Despite not being available to stream or download for years, lang’s version has achieved cult status among 007 enthusiasts who argue it better captured the franchise’s swagger and drama. The track inexplicably isn’t even available on most streaming platforms, making it one of the rarest pieces of official Bond music. Music critic Christian Clemmensen wished lang’s song had remained, calling Crow’s performance a disgrace to the film. Despite the criticism, the song helped revitalize the Bond musical franchise for a new generation.
“Tomorrow Never Dies” stands as one of the most polarizing entries in the Bond canon and a reminder that studio politics can override artistic vision. The song proved that being the bigger name doesn’t always mean being the better choice, though Crow delivered a competent and playful performance that captured her peak-era charm even if it lacked the requisite menace. k.d. lang told interviewers she thought the film was a good one and remains proud of her place in the Bond Music Hall of Fame despite getting bumped to the end credits. The song that beat out eleven other submissions and replaced what many consider a superior theme became Crow’s fifth UK top-twenty hit, proving that sometimes in Hollywood, popularity matters more than perfection, and tomorrow may never die but yesterday’s decisions live forever.
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