Secret Agent Man (Johnny Rivers song) explained

Secret Agent Man
Cover:Johnny-rivers-secret-agent-man-1966.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Johnny Rivers
Album:...And I Know You Wanna Dance
B-Side:You Dig
Released:March 1966[1]
Venue:Whisky a Go Go,
Los Angeles, California
Length:2:58
Label:Imperial 66159
Producer:Lou Adler
Prev Title:Under Your Spell Again
Prev Year:1965
Next Title:(I Washed My Hands in) Muddy Water
Next Year:1966

"Secret Agent Man" is a song written by P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri.[2] The most famous recording of the song was made by Johnny Rivers for the opening titles of the American broadcast of the British spy series Danger Man, which aired in the U.S. as Secret Agent from 1964 to 1966. Rivers's version peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on the Canadian RPM chart, one of the biggest hits of his career. Numerous covers and adaptations have been recorded since then with the song becoming both a rock standard and one of Johnny Rivers's signature songs.

History

According to composer P.F. Sloan, the American television network that licensed Danger Man, CBS, solicited publishers to contribute a 15-second piece of music for the opening of the U.S. show to replace the small section of the British theme, an instrumental by Edwin Astley entitled "High Wire", which started each episode.[3] CBS executives were worried the show might not be successful without a "hummable" theme song. Sloan wrote the song's opening guitar lick, which echoes John Barry's "James Bond Theme", and the first few lines of the song, with his songwriting partner Steve Barri contributing to the chorus. This fragment was recorded as a demo by Sloan and Barri, submitted to CBS, and picked as the show theme, which led to Sloan and Barri writing a full-length version of the song. The original demo of the song used the "Danger Man" title, as shown by a demo of the song sung by Sloan.[4] When the show's American title was changed, the lyrics were changed to match. The full version of "High Wire", which plays over the episode credits following the "Secret Agent" titles, was retained.

In 1965, surf rock band The Challengers recorded a version for their album The Man From U.N.C.L.E. featuring vocal harmonies, horns, and vibraphone.[5] This would be the first commercial release of the song, though it was never released as a single and consequently did not garner much attention.[6]

Sloan and Barri's publisher/producer, Lou Adler, also produced and managed Johnny Rivers, so Rivers was chosen to add the vocals for the TV show. Rivers claimed to have written the guitar intro, although it is clearly heard on Sloan's demo version.[7] Chuck Day, the father of Cass Elliott's daughter, also claims to have written the riff.

Rivers's original recording was merely the show theme, with one verse and one chorus. Later, after the song gained in popularity, Rivers recorded it live, with two new verses and the chorus repeated twice more. The live version was recorded in 1966 at the Whisky a Go Go and released with studio overdubs supervised by Adler.

The lyric "they've given you a number and taken away your name" refers to the numerical code names given to secret agents, as in "007" for James Bond, although it also unintentionally foreshadows Danger Man star Patrick McGoohan's subsequent series The Prisoner, in which the main character is known only as "Number Six".[8]

Chart

Chart (1966)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 78
Canada (RPM)[10] 4
Sweden (Kvällstoppen)[11] 19
Sweden (Tio i Topp)[12] 15
US Cash Box Top 100[13] 4
US Record World 100 Top Pops[14] 3

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Other versions

The Ventures

Secret Agent Man
Type:single
Artist:The Ventures
Album:Play the Batman Theme
B-Side:"007-11"
Released:1966
Label:Dolton Records
Producer:Joe Saraceno
Prev Title:Sleigh Ride
Prev Year:1965
Next Title:Blue Star
Next Year:1966

Surf rock band the Ventures did an instrumental version for their 1966 album, Play the Batman Theme, which featured several instrumental covers of television themes. Released as the band's first single of 1966, it reached #54 in the US[15] and #82 in Canada,[16] and was on the charts concurrently with the Rivers version.

Devo

Secret Agent Man
Type:single
Artist:Devo
Album:Duty Now for the Future
B-Side:"Soo Bawlz", "Red Eye"
Released:1979
Length:3:37
Label:Warner Bros.
Producer:Ken Scott
Prev Title:The Day My Baby Gave Me a Surprize
Prev Year:1979
Next Title:Girl U Want
Next Year:1980

New wave band Devo recorded a version of "Secret Agent Man" in 1974, which was featured in their 1976 short film The Truth About De-Evolution.[17] They re-recorded the song in 1979 for their second studio album, Duty Now for the Future, with a heavily modified arrangement and significantly altered lyrics sung by guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh.[18] [19]

Bruce Willis

Secret Agent Man / James Bond is Back
Type:single
Artist:Bruce Willis
Album:The Return of Bruno
B-Side:"Lose Myself", "Under the Boardwalk"
Released:September 1987
Length:4:48
Label:Motown
Producer:Robert Kraft[20]

Bruce Willis recorded a version for his 1987 album The Return of Bruno which rose to #43 on the UK charts.[21] [22] Willis' version features introductory stock sounds and a new subtitle, "James Bond Is Back".

Covers and adaptations

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rodriguez . Robert . Revolver: How the Beatles Re-Imagined Rock 'n' Roll . 2012 . Backbeat Books . Montclair . 978-1-61713-009-0 . registration . 241.
  2. Book: Bang . Derrick . Crime and Spy Jazz on Screen, 1950-1970: A History and Discography . 2 April 2020 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-6747-8 . 139 . 21 February 2021 . en.
  3. Web site: P.F. Sloan: In His Own Words -- The Stories Behind the Songs. P.F. Sloan. P.F. Sloan. 2013-10-07. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20130502183305/http://www2.gol.com/users/davidr/sloan/aboutsongs.html. 2013-05-02.
  4. Web site: Danger Man (Secret Agent Man). Matthew Greenwald. Allmusic.com. 2013-10-07. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170116160634/http://www.allmusic.com/song/danger-man-secret-agent-man-mt0003374975. 2017-01-16.
  5. Web site: Secret Agent Man (From "Secret Agent Man") . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/P9ulHPK_jrQ . 2021-12-19 . live. YouTube . GNP Crescendo . 21 February 2021.
  6. Web site: Tracks on The Man from U.N.C.L.E. - The Challengers [US2] (1965) SecondHandSongs ]. secondhandsongs.com . 21 February 2021.
  7. Web site: Clash . Jim . Johnny Rivers Chats About His Big Hit, Secret Agent Man . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170808161920/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimclash/2015/05/14/johnny-rivers-chats-about-his-big-hit-secret-agent-man/#3c5ddc9041dd . 2017-08-08 . Forbes.
  8. Book: The Classic British Telefantasy Guide . Cornell . Paul . Day . Martin . Topping . Keith . . 9780575133525 . 14 . July 30, 2015 . November 21, 2016 . Google Books . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180221195013/https://books.google.com/books?id=o9SECgAAQBAJ&lpg=RA1-PA14&pg=RA1-PA14 . February 21, 2018.
  9. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian)

    . David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 253.

  10. Web site: RPM 100 - Week of April 25/1966 . Library and Archives Canada . Government of Canada . 21 February 2021.
  11. Book: Hallberg, Eric.. Eric Hallberg presenterar Kvällstoppen i P 3 : Sveriges radios topplista över veckans 20 mest sålda skivor 10. 7. 1962-19. 8. 1975.. 1993. Drift Musik. 91-630-2140-4. Värmdö. 165178200.
  12. Book: Hallberg, Eric, 1949-. Eric Hallberg, Ulf Henningsson presenterar Tio i topp med de utslagna på försök 1961-74.. 1998. Premium. Henningsson, Ulf, 1965-, Kristianstads boktr.). 91-972712-5-X. 1. uppl. Stockholm. 186200204.
  13. Cash Box TOP 100 . . April 23, 1966 . 4.
  14. 100 Top Pops . . April 23, 1966 . 15.
  15. The Ventures . Billboard . 22 February 2021.
  16. Web site: Canada . Library and Archives . RPM 100, Week of April 21, 1966 . www.bac-lac.gc.ca . Government of Canada . 22 February 2021 . 17 July 2013.
  17. Web site: Jones . Josh . The Philosophy & Music of Devo, the Avant-Garde Art Project Dedicated to Revealing the Truth About De-Evolution Open Culture . 21 February 2021 . openculture.com . Open Culture.
  18. Web site: Deming . Mark . Duty Now for the Future - Devo . . 21 February 2021 . en.
  19. Web site: Feldman . Mark . Duty Now For The Future . dailyvault.com . 21 February 2021.
  20. Web site: Bruce Willis - Secret Agent Man / James Bond Is Back . 45Cat . 21 February 2021.
  21. Web site: Erlewine . Stephen Thomas . The Return of Bruno - Bruce Willis Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic . 21 February 2021 . AllMusic.Com . en.
  22. Web site: Secret Agent Man . www.officialcharts.com . Official Charts Company . 21 February 2021 . en.
  23. Web site: Yanow . Scott . Right Now! - Mel Tormé Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic . AllMusic . 22 February 2021 . en.
  24. Web site: Et maintenant... (1966-mono) Les Classels (in French) . www.disqu-o-quebec.com . 22 February 2021.
  25. Web site: Fono.fi - Äänitetietokanta (in Finnish) . www.fono.fi . 22 February 2021.
  26. Web site: Jurek . Thom . Hold On, I'm Coming - Art Blakey Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic . AllMusic . 22 February 2021 . en.
  27. Web site: Murray . Noel . "I was a teenage dinosaur, stoned and obsolete": The lure and lessons of Repo Man's soundtrack . The Dissolve . 21 February 2021.
  28. Web site: Cook . Stephen . Repo Man - Original Soundtrack Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic . AllMusic . 22 February 2021 . en.
  29. Web site: Raggett . Ted . When You Least Expect It... - Agent Orange Songs, Reviews, Credits . AllMusic . 21 February 2021 . en.
  30. Web site: Huey . Steven . Then More Than Ever - Blotto Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic . AllMusic . 22 February 2021 . en.
  31. Web site: The Bocephus Box [Capricorn] - Hank Williams, Jr. Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic ]. AllMusic . 22 February 2021 . en.
  32. Web site: Tony Montana - Vaaksa vaaraa . jaxsta.com . 22 February 2021.
  33. Web site: Ruhlmann . William . Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls [Music from the Motion Picture] - Original Soundtrack Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic ]. AllMusic . 22 February 2021 . en.
  34. Web site: Greene . Jo-Ann . Hard Band for Dead - The Toasters Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic . AllMusic.Com . 21 February 2021 . en.
  35. Web site: Rabid . Jack . Show & Tell: A Stormy Remembrance of TV Themes - Various Artists Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic . AllMusic . 22 February 2021 . en.
  36. Web site: Santa Sangre - Psychotic Aztecs Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic . AllMusic . 22 February 2021 . en.
  37. Web site: Cover versions of Secret Agent Man by Polysics SecondHandSongs . secondhandsongs.com . 22 February 2021.
  38. Web site: Cirith Ungol "Servants of Chaos" Metal Blade Records . metalblade.com . Metal Blade Records . 21 February 2021.
  39. https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/80920
  40. Web site: Deming . Mark . Hayley Sings - Rachel Macfarlane Songs, Reviews, Credits AllMusic . AllMusic.Com . 21 February 2021 . en.

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