Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote,"Crow steps forward with a tune that perfectly fuses her distinctive rock/pop style with the bombastic sound that has become the Bond signature. She wails with appropriate melodrama as an array of fluid guitar riffs and swooping strings and piano lines collide at the song's climax." He added,"It's a wonderfully delicious moment that tops off a stellar,deservedly hit-bound recording." [6] Entertainment Weekly music critic Jim Farber negatively reviewed the song,explaining,"While Crow's music has the right swank and swing,her brittle voice lacks the operatic quality of the best Bond girls and boys,like Shirley Bassey,Tom Jones,or even Melissa Manchester. Tomorrow Never Dies should be for her ears only." (Manchester has never recorded a song for a James Bond film.) [5] Farber called the choice of Crow "the worst hire since A-ha fronted one of these themes." [5]
Writing for Filmtracks.com,Christian Clemmensen wished Lang's song had remained,and thought Crow's "beach-bum voice and lazy performance was a disgrace to the film." [7] Pan-European magazine Music &Media wrote that "this is a topnotch song and a classy record. In true Bond style,it could best be described as a mini epic." [8] A reviewer from Music Week gave it four out of five,stating that it "strikes the right cinematic note,relying on the traditional John Barry orchestral cues and kettle drum." [9] NME also complimented the song,saying,"But,believe it or not,this is a low-key beauty and probably the best thing 'Miss' Crow has ever done. Crow has virtually reinvented the Bond theme by shrugging off the weight of history and playing it straight." [10] A reviewer from Rolling Stone was critical,believing Lang's song to be superior. [11] Ian Hyland from Sunday Mirror rated the song nine out of ten. He commented,"Miss Crow follows the fine tradition of Bond themery with a dreamily brilliant rock song demanding play after play." [12]
