FromSecret Agent Man / Breathless \r
Label: no label / self released\r
Format: Vinyl, 7\r
Released: 1981\r
\r
Tracklist\r
A Secret Agent Man\r
B Breathless\r
\r
------------------------\r
\r
Secret Agent Man is a song written by Steve Barri and P. F. Sloan.\r
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.\r
\r
Cover versions\r
\r
Mel Tormé had a minor contemporary hit with a cover in 1966.\r
\r
In 1974, the song was recorded by Devo and again in 1979 on the Duty Now for the Future album with a jerky, heavily modified arrangement and significantly altered lyrics (sung by guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh).\r
The song was a favorite of Devo fans, entering the setlist in 1977 and remaining until 1980 (and returned to the bands setlist in 2006). This Devo cover was in turn covered by the Japanese band Polysics in the 2000s.\r
\r
A Spanish version, Hombre Secreto, recorded by The Plugz, features on the soundtrack to the film Repo Man. Secret Agent Man was also covered by Bruce Willis on his album The Return of Bruno.\r
The original Johnny Rivers version of the song was used in the film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery as a nod to Danger Man. In 1978, Detroit MI-area punk-styled band Cinecyde recorded an aggressive but authentic cover version for their Black Vinyl Threat EP on Tremor Records, a recording later collected on their CD You Live A Lie Youre Gonna Die.\r
\r
The band Blotto recorded a live version of the song in the mid-1980s, which was eventually released on their Then More Than Ever album in 1999.\r
\r
Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for the episode The Chipmunk Who Bugged Me from their TV series.\r
\r
The song was illegally used as the ending credits song on a NES pirate game in 1991.\r
\r
In 1995, this song was played by Blues Traveler in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, in a version which was faster than the original. In 2000, an updated version, recorded by Supreme Beings of Leisure, was used for the opening credits of the UPN series Secret Agent Man. This led to some media coverage erroneously calling the series a remake of Danger Man/Secret Agent. This is one of the few songs that has been used for the opening credits of more than one unrelated series.\r
\r
Performance artist Laurie Anderson quoted the opening lines of the song in the title track of her 1982 album Big Science. In fact, she misquoted them, altering Theres a man. to Heres a man. and To everyone he meets he stays a stranger to Everywhere he goes he stays a stranger.\r
\r
The 1987 Exidy game CrackShot features the original versions opening riff (actual digitized sound) as background music for the Police Alley minigames.\r
\r
This song was also covered by The Toasters and included on the 1996 album Hard Band for Dead.\r
\r
The theme song to the cartoon Teen Titans, performed by Puffy AmiYumi, features the melody of Secret Agent Man -- minus the chorus—with different lyrics appropriate to the Teen Titans.\r
\r
The song was played at the end of Bowfinger, in the film-within-a-film where Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) plays a secret agent/action hero much like John Drake or James Bond, with Jiff Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) playing his partner. When they are attacked by a group of ninjas, the songs segues into a cover version of Kung Fu Fighting.\r
\r
In 2000, the song was featured on the soundtrack to the film The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. A new edition of the sheet music for the song featured a cover showing the characters from the film. The soundtrack for the film was composed by Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo, which famously covered the song.\r
\r
It has also been covered by surf punk pioneers, Agent Orange in 1984 on the When You Least Expect It EP. Heavy metal band Cirith Ungol covered the song on their Servants of Chaos compilation. The Pagans, a punk band from Cleveland, covered the song live and it appears as the B-side of the Dead End America 7 as well as on the Live Road Kill compilation.\r
\r
The theme song for TUFF Puppy and Special Agent Oso are parodies version of this song.\r
\r
The song has been adapted by Walmart for use in a previous TV commercial with the lyrics changed to Hes the rollback man.\r
\r
In Phineas and Ferb, Perry the Platypus has his own version of this song.\r
\r
On February 23, 2000, a Japanese cover by Secret Agent (including members such as Higashiyama Noriyuki, Nishikido Ryo, and other Johnnys Juniors) was released.\r
\r
Mexican band Psychotic Aztecs recorded a Spanish cover as Agente Secreto on their album Santa Sangre.\r
The song itself peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Label: no label / self released\r
Format: Vinyl, 7\r
Released: 1981\r
\r
Tracklist\r
A Secret Agent Man\r
B Breathless\r
\r
------------------------\r
\r
Secret Agent Man is a song written by Steve Barri and P. F. Sloan.\r
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.\r
\r
Cover versions\r
\r
Mel Tormé had a minor contemporary hit with a cover in 1966.\r
\r
In 1974, the song was recorded by Devo and again in 1979 on the Duty Now for the Future album with a jerky, heavily modified arrangement and significantly altered lyrics (sung by guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh).\r
The song was a favorite of Devo fans, entering the setlist in 1977 and remaining until 1980 (and returned to the bands setlist in 2006). This Devo cover was in turn covered by the Japanese band Polysics in the 2000s.\r
\r
A Spanish version, Hombre Secreto, recorded by The Plugz, features on the soundtrack to the film Repo Man. Secret Agent Man was also covered by Bruce Willis on his album The Return of Bruno.\r
The original Johnny Rivers version of the song was used in the film Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery as a nod to Danger Man. In 1978, Detroit MI-area punk-styled band Cinecyde recorded an aggressive but authentic cover version for their Black Vinyl Threat EP on Tremor Records, a recording later collected on their CD You Live A Lie Youre Gonna Die.\r
\r
The band Blotto recorded a live version of the song in the mid-1980s, which was eventually released on their Then More Than Ever album in 1999.\r
\r
Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for the episode The Chipmunk Who Bugged Me from their TV series.\r
\r
The song was illegally used as the ending credits song on a NES pirate game in 1991.\r
\r
In 1995, this song was played by Blues Traveler in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, in a version which was faster than the original. In 2000, an updated version, recorded by Supreme Beings of Leisure, was used for the opening credits of the UPN series Secret Agent Man. This led to some media coverage erroneously calling the series a remake of Danger Man/Secret Agent. This is one of the few songs that has been used for the opening credits of more than one unrelated series.\r
\r
Performance artist Laurie Anderson quoted the opening lines of the song in the title track of her 1982 album Big Science. In fact, she misquoted them, altering Theres a man. to Heres a man. and To everyone he meets he stays a stranger to Everywhere he goes he stays a stranger.\r
\r
The 1987 Exidy game CrackShot features the original versions opening riff (actual digitized sound) as background music for the Police Alley minigames.\r
\r
This song was also covered by The Toasters and included on the 1996 album Hard Band for Dead.\r
\r
The theme song to the cartoon Teen Titans, performed by Puffy AmiYumi, features the melody of Secret Agent Man -- minus the chorus—with different lyrics appropriate to the Teen Titans.\r
\r
The song was played at the end of Bowfinger, in the film-within-a-film where Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) plays a secret agent/action hero much like John Drake or James Bond, with Jiff Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) playing his partner. When they are attacked by a group of ninjas, the songs segues into a cover version of Kung Fu Fighting.\r
\r
In 2000, the song was featured on the soundtrack to the film The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. A new edition of the sheet music for the song featured a cover showing the characters from the film. The soundtrack for the film was composed by Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo, which famously covered the song.\r
\r
It has also been covered by surf punk pioneers, Agent Orange in 1984 on the When You Least Expect It EP. Heavy metal band Cirith Ungol covered the song on their Servants of Chaos compilation. The Pagans, a punk band from Cleveland, covered the song live and it appears as the B-side of the Dead End America 7 as well as on the Live Road Kill compilation.\r
\r
The theme song for TUFF Puppy and Special Agent Oso are parodies version of this song.\r
\r
The song has been adapted by Walmart for use in a previous TV commercial with the lyrics changed to Hes the rollback man.\r
\r
In Phineas and Ferb, Perry the Platypus has his own version of this song.\r
\r
On February 23, 2000, a Japanese cover by Secret Agent (including members such as Higashiyama Noriyuki, Nishikido Ryo, and other Johnnys Juniors) was released.\r
\r
Mexican band Psychotic Aztecs recorded a Spanish cover as Agente Secreto on their album Santa Sangre.\r
The song itself peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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