At least once a month I see another headline claiming that Amy Winehouse is singing the title track to Quantum of Solace (aka Bond 22). But with the latest story, from BBC News, I finally understand why the internet rumor mill keeps on pumping out the claim without word of a confirmation. According to music producer Mark Ronson, he and Winehouse are merely recording a demo of a song they hope winds up on the Quantum of Solace soundtrack:

“They asked Amy, and I think Amy said that if she did it, she’d want to do it with me. So hopefully something will come of it,” he told the station’s Music Week’s show.

“The demo sounds like a James Bond theme, hopefully. But I don’t know if it’ll get used.”

He added: “I’m sure there are loads more really famous people that probably we’re competing with and we don’t know about. I’m not sure.

“But hopefully I’ll still be alive for at least 12 more Bond themes. If we don’t get this one maybe we’ll get another one.”

I was never aware that each 007 movie theme was subject to a competition, but that’s the way it sounds. So, I took a look at the Wikipedia page for James Bond Music. And I discovered that a number of artists, such as Alice Cooper, Blondie, Pet Shop Boys and Pulp, have recorded unused, alternative versions of themes, and that at least seven artists/bands submitted tracks for Tomorrow Never Dies, for which Sheryl Crow ended up the winner.

About a year ago, WENN (via IGN) reported that Bond producer Barbara Broccoli fell in love with Winehouse’s album “Back in Black” and wanted the singer for a role in the next film. At the time, I was really down with Winehouse’s retro sound and was excited about having an old-fashioned, Shirley Bassey-type track for Quantum of Solace (then still unnamed). But since then I’ve decided that Sharon Jones, whose backing band, The Dap-Kings, perform on “Back in Black”, would be a much better choice.

Unfortunately, if the makers of Quantum of Solace plan to stay in line with the previous film, Casino Royale, we’ll have another crappy ’90s-rock type theme by someone like Scott Weiland or Creed’s Scott Stapp.