Lana Del Rey wanted to do the Bond theme but 'wasn't asked'

Smith's 'Writing's on the Wall' received lukewarm reviews from fans and critics

Lana Del Rey is back with new single 'Honeymoon' (Getty Images)

James Bond fans might have been spared Sam Smith’s decidedly average theme tune had producers asked Lana Del Rey to do it instead.

The 30-year-old singer, who penned the beautiful lead single from The Great Gatsby, has revealed that she would have said yes to an offer from the Spectre bosses had they given her a call.

“I would’ve done it if I was asked but I wasn’t asked,” she told NME. “I love all of the Bond music that’s been put out over the years and I love soundtracks in general. There are a couple of songs on this record [Honeymoon] that have a Bond feel like “24” and “Swan Song”.

Del Rey had been among the acts rumoured to follow Adele, who won the Best Original Song Oscar for “Skyfall” in 2012, but Smith was chosen after a hugely successful year in the global charts.

He admitted to writing “Writing’s On The Wall” in twenty minutes; the resulting lukewarm critical reviews and ‘Bring back Shirley Bassey’ trend on Twitter proof that perhaps he should have taken longer.

Read the full interview with Lana Del Rey in the new issue of NME, out on 11 December.