Our guide to incorrect stories about SPECTRE’s title song

New SPECTRE poster

So, according to THE BBC, Sam Smith recorded his title song to SPECTRE back in January.

With that in mind, here’s a number of stories the past few months that were totally incorrect but caught the attention of James Bond fans anyway.

BILLBOARD, JULY 30:

British band Radiohead has emerged as a sudden favorite among U.K. bookmakers to be named the performers of the theme for Spectre, the latest James Bond.

One bookie revealed that it had suspended betting after an anonymous customer asked to put a £15,000 ($23,000) wager on the band.

Why British bookies supposedly had inside information was never made clear. Still, bookies adjusting odds generates stories about James Bond films in general.

Sam Smith interviews: THE TELEGRAPH compiled a number of times Smith himself denied he was performing the 007 film title song, another reminder that people deny things they know to be true.

Here’s an excerpt with some samples:

Just last week, he told BBC Radio 2’s Jo Wiley: “That’s not me. That’s definitely not me.”

Back in July, Smith batted the rumours back again on Absolute Radio. He said: “I’ve got to tell you it’s the funniest thing just to sit back and watch everyone confirming something I know nothing about.

“Sia would be sick but she’s not British. I think you’ve got to have someone who is British. Saying that, I loved the Jack White and Alisha Keys one.”

And on Capital FM last year, the singer said: “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.”

Ellie Goulding as supposed frontrunner: There were stories at CAPITAL FM on July 29, IGN.COM on July 28 and THE INDEPENDENT also on July 28 that the singer was going to perform the SPECTRE title song.

Obviously, all were wrong. The DIGITAL SPY WEBSITE ran a story there may have been a deliberate misinformation campaign to fool everyone.

If that’s case, however, perhaps instead of trying to fool people about the title song performer, more attention should have been paid to the SPECTRE scripting process and avoided wasting time on questionable ideas that became public because of the Sony hacking.

Sam Smith performs SPECTRE’s title song

Sam Smith performs the title song to SPECTRE, the 24th James Bond film, according to an announcement at THE OFFICIAL JAMES BOND WEBSITE.

Here’s an excerpt from the announcement:

The theme song for SPECTRE will be performed by Sam Smith it was officially announced today. The track, ‘Writing’s On The Wall’, was co-written by Smith and fellow GRAMMY© Award winner Jimmy Napes and it’s the first James Bond theme song recorded by a British male solo artist since 1965.

Commenting on the announcement, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, the producers of SPECTRE, said, “Sam and Jimmy have written the most inspirational song for Spectre and with Sam’s extraordinary vocal performance, ‘Writing’s On The Wall’ will surely be considered one of the greatest Bond songs of all time.”

Smith previously denied he was doing the SPECTRE song.

“That’s not me,” he told BBC Radio 2 when asked if he would be singing the song as noted in a story IN VARIETY. “That’s definitely not me. I’ve still got loads to do.”

In today’s announcement, Smith said: ““This is one of the highlights of my career. I am honored to finally announce that I will be singing the next Bond theme song.”

The song will debut on Sept. 25, according to the announcement.

UPDATE: According to a story on the DARK HORIZONS WEBSITE (spotted by the Commander Bond website Twitter feed), Smith recorded the song back in January.