You Know My Name
Encyclopedia
"You Know My Name," performed by Chris Cornell
, is the theme song to the 2006 James Bond
film, Casino Royale
. Cornell wrote it jointly with David Arnold
, the soundtrack's composer. The film producers went after Cornell because they wanted a strong male singer (as such, it was the first vocal theme from a James Bond film to be sung by a male vocalist since "The Living Daylights
"). Cornell and Arnold tried to make the song a replacement theme for the character instead of the James Bond theme
reflecting the agent's inexperience in Casino Royale, as well as an introduction to Daniel Craig
's grittier and more emotional portrayal of Bond. The single sold 148,000 copies in 2006 in the UK.
The track was leaked onto the Internet on September 20, 2006, and released as a single on November 13, 2006, charting in many countries. Reviews for "You Know My Name" were positive, and the song won the Satellite Award and the World Soundtrack Award
, and was nominated for a Grammy Award
. While not included in the Casino Royale soundtrack
, "You Know My Name" appeared on Cornell's second solo album, Carry On
.
, but that he "wasn't really a big fan of the last several movies". But Daniel Craig
's casting as James Bond
intrigued the musician, and he decided to accept the job. Cornell then went to Prague
to accompany filming, and was much impressed with the film's emotional content after he was shown a rough cut of Casino Royale. In Prague he also met the score composer, David Arnold
, who suggested writing a song "that echoed the film score". In two meetings, in Cornell's apartment in Paris
and Arnold's house in London
, the musicians got their ideas together, with Cornell writing lyrics, to which Arnold added some lines and later music. After a demo of the song was approved by the film's producers, both musicians recorded the full version in AIR Studios London
.
Speaking to film music fan site Maintitles, Arnold said he wanted "You Know My Name" to act as a substitute for the James Bond theme
, to represent Bond's immaturity. The song's main notes are played throughout the film, and the classic theme only plays during the end credits to signal the end of his character arc. Arnold felt the song should tie closer to the score, and have the "DNA of the James Bond music". The musical arrangement tried to create "the right blend of rock aggression and sophisticated instrumentation", with Cornell describing it as "more uptempo and a little more aggressive than any other Bond theme has been, maybe since Paul McCartney
['s 'Live and Let Die
']".
Cornell stated that the biggest two influences on "You Know My Name" were Tom Jones
, who performed the theme for Thunderball
, and Paul McCartney, who composed and performed the theme for Live and Let Die
. "I decided that I was going to sing it like Tom Jones, in that crooning style. I wanted people to hear my voice," Cornell said. "And 'Live and Let Die' is a fantastic song. Paul McCartney wouldn't have written it if not for that movie. I [also] wanted to write a song in its own universe. I knew I'd never have it again — a big orchestra — so I wanted to have fun with it." Cornell did not put the film's title in the lyrics, because he "couldn't imagine it fitting into a song lyric that would come out of my mouth". And he jokingly stated "Casino Royale didn't make a good rock title, but I would write a song named Octopussy
just for fun".
Before producers Michael G. Wilson
and Barbara Broccoli
announced on 26 July 2006, that Cornell was performing the theme for Casino Royale, various names were reported in the media, some reports going so far as to have the performers apparently claim they were working on the song. This list includes Tina Turner
, who previously sang "GoldenEye
" for the 1995 Bond film of the same name
, and Tony Christie
.
The lyrics try to illustrate Bond's psyche in Casino Royale, described by Cornell as a conflicted and tough spy with more emotional depth, not the "superconfident, seemingly invincible, winking kinda ladies' man superspy" of the previous incarnations. Cornell tried to focus on the existential dilemmas and possible sacrifices of secret agents - "There's an isolation in that; the stakes are very high. I've done a lot of living in my 42 years, and it wasn't hard for me to relate to that." The song also served as an introduction to the character, even though he was featured in many other movies before - hence the title "You Know My Name" - dealing with Bond's action such as his first assassination, "introducing himself to what may be the rest of his life and how he will live it and what it will mean."
The song was leaked on the internet on September 20, 2006. The first version of the song, the grittier one which was leaked and not used in the movie, was made available for download on iTunes Store
on November 13, 2006. This version debuted on the UK Single Download Chart at number 20 on November 22, 2006. It was released as a stand-alone single on December 14, 2006. The single features a new acoustic
version of the Soundgarden
song "Black Hole Sun
" as a B-side. The German, Dutch and Australian versions of the single offer a second version of "You Know My Name" (called the Pop Mix) as a B-side. This version is the one used for the song's music video, and is available on Chris Cornell's solo album, Carry On
.
The song is the first Bond theme not to be included on its film's soundtrack album. Cornell declared that it happened because he wanted the song to be "his", and since he wrote "You Know My Name" in midst of recording the solo album Carry On
, he felt that the song belonged to the album. In 2008, the song was included in the compilation The Best of Bond...James Bond
.
The song's music video was directed by Michael Haussman
, who tried to compare "the lives of a professional spy and a rock star". The video premiered on MTV
's Making the Video
on October 31, 2006.
and number 64 on the Billboard Pop 100 chart. In Europe, "You Know My Name" charted in several markets and peaked at number 7 in the UK Singles Chart
. Chris Cornell won both the Satellite Award
and the World Soundtrack Award
for "You Know My Name" in 2007, and garnered a Grammy Award
nomination for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
the following year. The song also received a first-round nomination in the "Best Original Song
" category for the 2006 Academy Awards
, but did not qualify for the final list of nominees. In 2008, the Finnish rock band Poets of the Fall
covered the song for a compilation.
The song received enthusiastic reviews, with critics praising the song's ability to fit well with the context of the film. Film reviewer James Berardinelli
considered "You Know My Name" to "sound eerily like something by John Barry
"; DVD Verdict's review praised the song, describing it as "working remarkably well in the film's context, lyrically and sonically", and Cinefantastique
called it "the best Bond theme song in years, [that] captures the full-blooded glory of classics like 'Goldfinger
'". Entertainment Weekly
listed "You Know My Name" on a list of Academy Award snubs for Best Song
, describing it as "a musically suave, lyrically ominous rock tune that is perfect for Casino Royales dark reboot of the spy franchise". Among music critics, Billboard
described it as "the best Bond theme since 'A View to a Kill
'", praising the minimal production; on its review of Carry On, the magazine considered "You Know My Name" to be the best track of the album, describing it as "some of Cornell's most uncomplicated and accessible music to date"; the BBC
considered that Cornell's voice "weighs down" the song; and IGN
described the song as "lackluster" and "forgettable".
2
covered the song in 2008 for the compilation CD Livenä Vieraissa.
Chris Cornell
Chris Cornell is an American rock musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the former lead vocalist for Audioslave. He is also known for his numerous solo works and soundtrack contributions since 1998...
, is the theme song to the 2006 James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film, Casino Royale
Casino Royale (2006 film)
Casino Royale is the twenty-first film in the James Bond film series and the first to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond...
. Cornell wrote it jointly with David Arnold
David Arnold
David Arnold is an English film composer best known for scoring five James Bond films, the 1994 film Stargate, the 1996 film Independence Day, and the television series Little Britain.-Film and television career:...
, the soundtrack's composer. The film producers went after Cornell because they wanted a strong male singer (as such, it was the first vocal theme from a James Bond film to be sung by a male vocalist since "The Living Daylights
The Living Daylights (song)
"The Living Daylights" is the song performed by A-ha for the James Bond film of the same name. It was co-written by guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Bond composer John Barry.-Origin and recording:...
"). Cornell and Arnold tried to make the song a replacement theme for the character instead of the James Bond theme
James Bond Theme
The "James Bond Theme" is the main signature theme of the James Bond films and has featured in every Eon Productions Bond film since Dr. No. The piece has been used as an accompanying fanfare to the gun barrel sequence in almost every James Bond film....
reflecting the agent's inexperience in Casino Royale, as well as an introduction to Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig
Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert...
's grittier and more emotional portrayal of Bond. The single sold 148,000 copies in 2006 in the UK.
The track was leaked onto the Internet on September 20, 2006, and released as a single on November 13, 2006, charting in many countries. Reviews for "You Know My Name" were positive, and the song won the Satellite Award and the World Soundtrack Award
World Soundtrack Academy
The World Soundtrack Academy , launched in 2001 by the Flanders International Film Festival Ghent, is aimed at organizing and overseeing the educational, cultural and professional aspects of the art of film music, including the preservation of the history of the soundtrack and its worldwide promotion...
, and was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
. While not included in the Casino Royale soundtrack
Casino Royale (2006 soundtrack)
The soundtrack to the 2006 film Casino Royale was released by Sony Classical on November 14, 2006. The music was composed by David Arnold and is Arnold's fourth soundtrack for the popular James Bond movie series. Frequent collaborator Nicholas Dodd orchestrated and conducted the score.- Development...
, "You Know My Name" appeared on Cornell's second solo album, Carry On
Carry On (Chris Cornell album)
Carry On is the second solo studio album released by American musician Chris Cornell. It was released on May 28, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 5, 2007 in the United States. This album is Cornell's second after Euphoria Morning in 1999, and his first since leaving his former band Audioslave...
.
Composition and recording
Lia Vollack, Sony Pictures's President of Music, called Chris Cornell inviting him to make a song for the new Bond movie, which would "reflect the dramatic new direction of James Bond", with a "strong male singer". Cornell thought it was a strange offer, considering that he is American, and imagined that he would perform a secondary song in the film instead of the main theme. Cornell declared he liked the Bond movies, particularly the ones with Sean ConnerySean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
, but that he "wasn't really a big fan of the last several movies". But Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig
Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. His early film roles include Elizabeth, The Power of One, A Kid in King Arthur's Court and the television episodes Sharpe's Eagle, Zorro and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Daredevils of the Desert...
's casting as James Bond
James Bond (character)
Royal Navy Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR is a fictional character created by journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the main protagonist of the James Bond series of novels, films, comics and video games...
intrigued the musician, and he decided to accept the job. Cornell then went to Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
to accompany filming, and was much impressed with the film's emotional content after he was shown a rough cut of Casino Royale. In Prague he also met the score composer, David Arnold
David Arnold
David Arnold is an English film composer best known for scoring five James Bond films, the 1994 film Stargate, the 1996 film Independence Day, and the television series Little Britain.-Film and television career:...
, who suggested writing a song "that echoed the film score". In two meetings, in Cornell's apartment in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Arnold's house in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the musicians got their ideas together, with Cornell writing lyrics, to which Arnold added some lines and later music. After a demo of the song was approved by the film's producers, both musicians recorded the full version in AIR Studios London
Associated Independent Recording
Associated Independent Recording , an independent recording company, was founded in London in 1965 by Beatles producer George Martin and his partner John Burgess after their departure from EMI....
.
Speaking to film music fan site Maintitles, Arnold said he wanted "You Know My Name" to act as a substitute for the James Bond theme
James Bond Theme
The "James Bond Theme" is the main signature theme of the James Bond films and has featured in every Eon Productions Bond film since Dr. No. The piece has been used as an accompanying fanfare to the gun barrel sequence in almost every James Bond film....
, to represent Bond's immaturity. The song's main notes are played throughout the film, and the classic theme only plays during the end credits to signal the end of his character arc. Arnold felt the song should tie closer to the score, and have the "DNA of the James Bond music". The musical arrangement tried to create "the right blend of rock aggression and sophisticated instrumentation", with Cornell describing it as "more uptempo and a little more aggressive than any other Bond theme has been, maybe since Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
['s 'Live and Let Die
Live and Let Die (song)
"Live and Let Die" is the main theme song of the 1973 James Bond film Live and Let Die and was performed by Paul McCartney & Wings for the movie soundtrack and appears on the soundtrack album. The song was one of Wings' most successful singles, and the most successful Bond theme to that point...
']".
Cornell stated that the biggest two influences on "You Know My Name" were Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, who performed the theme for Thunderball
Thunderball (film)
Thunderball is the fourth spy film in the James Bond series starring Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Ian Fleming, which in turn was based on an original screenplay by Jack Whittingham...
, and Paul McCartney, who composed and performed the theme for Live and Let Die
Live and Let Die (film)
Live and Let Die is the eighth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman...
. "I decided that I was going to sing it like Tom Jones, in that crooning style. I wanted people to hear my voice," Cornell said. "And 'Live and Let Die' is a fantastic song. Paul McCartney wouldn't have written it if not for that movie. I [also] wanted to write a song in its own universe. I knew I'd never have it again — a big orchestra — so I wanted to have fun with it." Cornell did not put the film's title in the lyrics, because he "couldn't imagine it fitting into a song lyric that would come out of my mouth". And he jokingly stated "Casino Royale didn't make a good rock title, but I would write a song named Octopussy
Octopussy
Octopussy is the thirteenth entry in the James Bond series, and the sixth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film's title is taken from a short story in Ian Fleming's 1966 short story collection Octopussy and The Living Daylights...
just for fun".
Before producers Michael G. Wilson
Michael G. Wilson
Michael Gregg Wilson, OBE is the producer and screenwriter of many modern James Bond movies.-Background:Wilson was born in New York City, New York, the son of Dana and actor Lewis Wilson. His father was the first actor to play the DC Comics character Batman in live action, which he did in the...
and Barbara Broccoli
Barbara Broccoli
Barbara Dana Broccoli, OBE is an American film producer.-Life and career:Broccoli was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of the famous James Bond producer Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli and actress Dana Wilson Broccoli...
announced on 26 July 2006, that Cornell was performing the theme for Casino Royale, various names were reported in the media, some reports going so far as to have the performers apparently claim they were working on the song. This list includes Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, who previously sang "GoldenEye
GoldenEye (song)
"GoldenEye" is a hit James Bond theme performed by Tina Turner used for the 1995 film, GoldenEye. The song was written especially for Turner by Bono and The Edge of U2 when they learned that she had been offered to sing the theme to the upcoming Bond movie, and the track was produced and mixed by...
" for the 1995 Bond film of the same name
GoldenEye
GoldenEye is the seventeenth spy film in the James Bond series, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film was directed by Martin Campbell and is the first film in the series not to take story elements from the works of novelist Ian Fleming...
, and Tony Christie
Tony Christie
Tony Christie is an English musician, singer and actor. He is best known for his track, "Is This The Way To Amarillo", a double UK chart success.-Career:Tony Christie has sold over 10 million albums Worldwide...
.
The lyrics try to illustrate Bond's psyche in Casino Royale, described by Cornell as a conflicted and tough spy with more emotional depth, not the "superconfident, seemingly invincible, winking kinda ladies' man superspy" of the previous incarnations. Cornell tried to focus on the existential dilemmas and possible sacrifices of secret agents - "There's an isolation in that; the stakes are very high. I've done a lot of living in my 42 years, and it wasn't hard for me to relate to that." The song also served as an introduction to the character, even though he was featured in many other movies before - hence the title "You Know My Name" - dealing with Bond's action such as his first assassination, "introducing himself to what may be the rest of his life and how he will live it and what it will mean."
Release
Three versions of the song were produced:- Main Version: Track 1 on "You Know My Name" singles
- Pop Mix: used in the video and released on the Carry On album and on German singles as Track 2
- Film Versions: more orchestral versions used in the film's opening and closing credits.
The song was leaked on the internet on September 20, 2006. The first version of the song, the grittier one which was leaked and not used in the movie, was made available for download on iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
on November 13, 2006. This version debuted on the UK Single Download Chart at number 20 on November 22, 2006. It was released as a stand-alone single on December 14, 2006. The single features a new acoustic
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
version of the Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
song "Black Hole Sun
Black Hole Sun
"Black Hole Sun" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris finneran, "Black Hole Sun" was released in 1994 as the third single from the band's fourth studio album Superunknown . It is arguably the band's most recognizable and most popular song, and remains a well...
" as a B-side. The German, Dutch and Australian versions of the single offer a second version of "You Know My Name" (called the Pop Mix) as a B-side. This version is the one used for the song's music video, and is available on Chris Cornell's solo album, Carry On
Carry On (Chris Cornell album)
Carry On is the second solo studio album released by American musician Chris Cornell. It was released on May 28, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 5, 2007 in the United States. This album is Cornell's second after Euphoria Morning in 1999, and his first since leaving his former band Audioslave...
.
The song is the first Bond theme not to be included on its film's soundtrack album. Cornell declared that it happened because he wanted the song to be "his", and since he wrote "You Know My Name" in midst of recording the solo album Carry On
Carry On (Chris Cornell album)
Carry On is the second solo studio album released by American musician Chris Cornell. It was released on May 28, 2007 in the United Kingdom and June 5, 2007 in the United States. This album is Cornell's second after Euphoria Morning in 1999, and his first since leaving his former band Audioslave...
, he felt that the song belonged to the album. In 2008, the song was included in the compilation The Best of Bond...James Bond
The Best of Bond...James Bond
The Best of Bond...James Bond is a title used more than once for a compilation album of the soundtracks to the James Bond made at the time. It was originally released in 1992 as The Best of James Bond, as a one-disc compilation and a two-disc 30th Anniversary Limited Edition compilation with songs...
.
The song's music video was directed by Michael Haussman
Michael Haussman
Michael Haussman is an American music video, motion picture and television advertisement director, writer and producer.Michael Haussman is a director, writer and artist, whose internationally acclaimed commercials have won numerous awards and are featured in advertising books and trade journals...
, who tried to compare "the lives of a professional spy and a rock star". The video premiered on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Making the Video
Making the Video
Making the Video is an MTV show, consisting of half-hour episodes, which chronicles the process of filming various music videos. Usually the director outlines the concept of the video and the show often includes light-hearted and humorous moments. It always concludes with a premiere of the...
on October 31, 2006.
Reception
"You Know My Name" was released in the winter of 2006 and became the most successful song from Chris Cornell on the rock charts and arguably Cornell's most recognizable and popular song. The song peaked at number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and number 64 on the Billboard Pop 100 chart. In Europe, "You Know My Name" charted in several markets and peaked at number 7 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. Chris Cornell won both the Satellite Award
Satellite Awards
The Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy. The awards were originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards.- Film :*Best Actor – Drama*Best Actor – Musical or Comedy*Best Actress – Drama...
and the World Soundtrack Award
World Soundtrack Academy
The World Soundtrack Academy , launched in 2001 by the Flanders International Film Festival Ghent, is aimed at organizing and overseeing the educational, cultural and professional aspects of the art of film music, including the preservation of the history of the soundtrack and its worldwide promotion...
for "You Know My Name" in 2007, and garnered a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination for Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media has been awarded since 1988 and is awarded to songs written for films, television, video games or other visual media...
the following year. The song also received a first-round nomination in the "Best Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
" category for the 2006 Academy Awards
79th Academy Awards
The 79th Academy Awards ceremony , honored the best films of 2006 and took place on February 25, 2007 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on ABC. Ellen DeGeneres hosted the ceremony for the first time. The producer was Laura Ziskin. The announcers were Don LaFontaine and Gina Tuttle.The nominees were...
, but did not qualify for the final list of nominees. In 2008, the Finnish rock band Poets of the Fall
Poets of the Fall
Poets of the Fall is a rock band from Finland. It consists of Marko Saaresto , Olli Tukiainen and Markus "Captain" Kaarlonen...
covered the song for a compilation.
The song received enthusiastic reviews, with critics praising the song's ability to fit well with the context of the film. Film reviewer James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli is an American online film critic.-Personal life:Berardinelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and spent his early childhood in Morristown, New Jersey. At the age of nine years, he relocated to the township of Cherry Hill, New Jersey...
considered "You Know My Name" to "sound eerily like something by John Barry
John Barry (composer)
John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
"; DVD Verdict's review praised the song, describing it as "working remarkably well in the film's context, lyrically and sonically", and Cinefantastique
Cinefantastique
Cinefantastique was a horror, fantasy, and science fiction film magazine originally started as a mimeographed fanzine in 1967, then relaunched as a glossy, offset quarterly in 1970 by publisher/editor Frederick S. Clarke...
called it "the best Bond theme song in years, [that] captures the full-blooded glory of classics like 'Goldfinger
Goldfinger (song)
"Goldfinger" was the title song from the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. Composed by John Barry and with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, the song was performed by Shirley Bassey for the film's opening and closing title sequences, as well as the soundtrack album release...
'". Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
listed "You Know My Name" on a list of Academy Award snubs for Best Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
, describing it as "a musically suave, lyrically ominous rock tune that is perfect for Casino Royales dark reboot of the spy franchise". Among music critics, Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
described it as "the best Bond theme since 'A View to a Kill
A View to a Kill (song)
"A View to a Kill" is the thirteenth single by Duran Duran, released in May 1985.It was a stand-alone single, created for the James Bond movie A View to a Kill, and it remains the only James Bond theme song to have reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100; it also made it to #2 for 3 weeks on the UK...
'", praising the minimal production; on its review of Carry On, the magazine considered "You Know My Name" to be the best track of the album, describing it as "some of Cornell's most uncomplicated and accessible music to date"; the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
considered that Cornell's voice "weighs down" the song; and IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
described the song as "lackluster" and "forgettable".
Track listing
1- You Know My Name 4:02
- Black Hole SunBlack Hole Sun"Black Hole Sun" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris finneran, "Black Hole Sun" was released in 1994 as the third single from the band's fourth studio album Superunknown . It is arguably the band's most recognizable and most popular song, and remains a well...
(Acoustic) 4:38
2
- You Know My Name 4:02
- You Know My Name (Pop Mix)
- You Know My Name (Video)
Covers
Finnish rock band Poets of the FallPoets of the Fall
Poets of the Fall is a rock band from Finland. It consists of Marko Saaresto , Olli Tukiainen and Markus "Captain" Kaarlonen...
covered the song in 2008 for the compilation CD Livenä Vieraissa.
Chart positions
| Year | Chart | Peak |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Finnish Single Chart | 3 |
| Norwegian Single Chart | 5 | |
| Danish Single Chart Tracklisten Tracklisten is a Danish top 40 record chart that is presented every Thursday midnight at .The weekly Danish Singles Chart also known as Track Top-40 combines the 40 best selling tracks from legal music downloads and the sales of music singles on either CD or vinyl... |
2 | |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
7 | |
| UK Downloads Chart UK Official Download Chart The UK Official Download Chart is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company on behalf of the music industry. The chart week runs from Sunday to Saturday, with the chart being published on a Wednesday afternoon, so as to not to clash with the release of the main UK Singles Chart... |
4 | |
| Dutch Single Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
10 | |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
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| German Single Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
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| Swedish Single Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
21 | |
| Austrian Single Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
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| French Single Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
51 | |
| Italian Single Chart | 4 | |
| Swiss Single Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
10 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
79 | |
| US Billboard Hot Digital Songs Hot Digital Songs The Hot Digital Songs chart ranks the best-selling digital singles in the United States, according to Billboard.Beginning in February 2005, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboards music single charts. It was decided to do so mainly because of the dramatic rise in popularity of... |
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| US Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
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| 2007 | European Hot 100 Singles Eurochart Hot 100 Singles The European Hot 100 Singles has been compiled by Billboard and Music & Media magazine since March, 1984. The chart is based on national singles sales charts in 15 European countries: Austria, Belgium , Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden,... |
16 |
| Euro Digital Tracks | 2 |
End of Year Charts
| Year | Chart | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | German Singles Chart | #87 |