Adele does not fit on Paper

In 2013, Adele was awarded an Academy Award, a Grammy, and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for "Skyfall," which she co-wrote with Paul Epworth for the James Bond film of the same name.

The song is strikingly effective and aligns seamlessly with the classic James Bond themes previously composed by John Barry and Bill Conti. Yet the melody of “Skyfall” is almost unimaginable without Adele's extraordinary vocal timbre. In other words, simply transcribing it onto the staff strips it of much of its essence.

This observation recalls the enduring divide between the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. The musically intriguing aspects of the Beatles can largely be captured in standard notation. By contrast, much of what makes the Rolling Stones compelling loses its impact when reduced to sheet music.

To date, I am unaware of any cover of “Skyfall,” and I remain curious to see how vocalists and arrangers might reinterpret it while preserving its power in the absence of Adele’s voice.