Agent Provocateur
Encyclopedia
Agent Provocateur is the fifth studio album by American
/British
rock
band Foreigner
, released in 1984. A concept album
, the songs tell the story of a spy who sees life through both the inside and the outside. The album was the band's first and only number one album in the UK, and it reached the top 5 in the U.S. Although album sales were lower than their previous work in the U.S., it contains the band's biggest hit single, the album's love theme, "I Want to Know What Love Is
", which is their only #1 single in the UK and the U.S., staying at the top spot for three and two weeks respectively. The follow-up single, "That Was Yesterday", also proved to be a sizeable hit, peaking at #12 in the U.S. The album was certified Platinum in the UK by the BPI
, and triple Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA.
and Mick Jones
except where noted.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
/British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
, released in 1984. A concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, the songs tell the story of a spy who sees life through both the inside and the outside. The album was the band's first and only number one album in the UK, and it reached the top 5 in the U.S. Although album sales were lower than their previous work in the U.S., it contains the band's biggest hit single, the album's love theme, "I Want to Know What Love Is
I Want to Know What Love Is
"I Want to Know What Love Is" is a 1984 power ballad recorded by the British-American rock band Foreigner. The song hit #1 in both the UK and the U.S. and is the band's biggest hit...
", which is their only #1 single in the UK and the U.S., staying at the top spot for three and two weeks respectively. The follow-up single, "That Was Yesterday", also proved to be a sizeable hit, peaking at #12 in the U.S. The album was certified Platinum in the UK by the BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
, and triple Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA.
Track listing
All songs written by Lou GrammLou Gramm
Lou Gramm is an American rock vocalist and songwriter best known for his role as the lead vocalist and co-writer of many of the songs for the rock band Foreigner. He also had a successful solo career...
and Mick Jones
Mick Jones (Foreigner)
Michael Leslie "Mick" Jones is an English guitarist, songwriter, and record producer best known as the founding member of the rock band Foreigner.-Life and career:...
except where noted.
- "Tooth and Nail" – 3:54
- "That Was YesterdayThat Was Yesterday (Foreigner song)"That Was Yesterday" was the second single taken from the album Agent Provocateur by the band Foreigner. This song was available in four versions, as a remixed single, a very popular extended remix, an orchestral version, and the original mix...
" – 3:46 - "I Want to Know What Love IsI Want to Know What Love Is"I Want to Know What Love Is" is a 1984 power ballad recorded by the British-American rock band Foreigner. The song hit #1 in both the UK and the U.S. and is the band's biggest hit...
" (Jones) – 5:00 - "Growing Up the Hard WayGrowing Up the Hard Way"Growing Up the Hard Way" was the fourth single taken from the album Agent Provocateur by the band Foreigner, and subsequently released only in Europe in May, 1985. The song was written by Lou Gramm & Mick Jones, and the b-side, "She's Too Tough", a rockin' Elvis Presley-type song, is also featured...
" – 4:18 - "Reaction to ActionReaction to Action"Reaction to Action" was the third single taken from the album Agent Provocateur by the band Foreigner, in the U.S. only. This song was remixed for this release. The song was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, and the b-side, "She's Too Tough", a rockin' Elvis Presley-type song, is also featured...
" – 3:57 - "Stranger in My Own House" (Jones) – 4:54
- "A Love in Vain" – 4:12
- "Down on Love" – 4:08
- "Two Different Worlds" (Gramm) – 4:28
- "She's Too Tough" – 3:07
Personnel
- Dennis ElliottDennis ElliottDennis Leslie Eliott is most famous as the drummer who played for Foreigner from 1976 to 1992. In later years he became a professional sculptor.-Life and careers:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Lou GrammLou GrammLou Gramm is an American rock vocalist and songwriter best known for his role as the lead vocalist and co-writer of many of the songs for the rock band Foreigner. He also had a successful solo career...
– percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, vocals - Mick JonesMick Jones (Foreigner)Michael Leslie "Mick" Jones is an English guitarist, songwriter, and record producer best known as the founding member of the rock band Foreigner.-Life and career:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, background vocals, multiple instruments - Rick WillsRick WillsRick Wills , is a British bass player. He is best known for his work with rock band Foreigner and his associations with the Small Faces and Bad Company.-Career:...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, background vocals
Additional personnel
- Wally BadarouWally BadarouWally Badarou is a musician from Benin.-Biography:A synthesiser specialist, Badarou was the longtime associate of the British band Level 42, known for its blend of funk, pop, soul and rock...
– analog synthesizer, digital synthesizer - Tom Bailey – vocals
- Brian Eddolls – synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
- Larry FastLarry FastLawrence Roger 'Larry' Fast is a synthesizer expert and composer. He is best known for Synergy, his 1975–1987 series of synthesizer music albums, and for his contribution to a number of popular music acts, including Peter Gabriel, Foreigner, and Hall and Oates.- Biography :Fast grew up in...
– synthesizer - Don Harper – vocals
- Jennifer Holliday – vocals
- Dave Lebolt – synthesizer
- Ian Lloyd – vocals, background vocals
- Bob MayoBob MayoBob "Bobby" Mayo was a session keyboardist and guitarist, perhaps best known for his work with Peter Frampton....
– synthesizer, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, background vocals - New Jersey Mass Choir of the GMWA
- Mark RiveraMark RiveraMark Rivera is a musician, musical director and corporate entertainment provider. In addition to playing soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, Rivera's musical talents encompass vocals, guitar, percussion and keyboards.-Education:...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, background vocals - Jack WaldmanJack WaldmanJack Waldman was a jazz and rock musician, composer, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey....
– synthesizer
Production
- Producers: Mick Jones, Alex SadkinAlex SadkinAlex Sadkin is best remembered as a record producer in the early 1980s, but actually got his start in the music industry as a saxophonist for the Las Olas Brass in Fort Lauderdale, Florida....
- Engineers: Josh Abbey, Larry Alexander, Joe Ferla, Frank Filipetti, Howie Lindeman
- Assistant engineers: Bobby Cohen, Tim Crich, Scott Mabuchi
- Digital remastering: Ted JensenTed JensenTed Jensen is an American recording engineer. Jensen is the chief mastering engineer at Sterling Sound. He started his career as a mastering engineer in 1976 and is currently the most active Mastering Engineer in the industry...
- Art direction: Bob Defrin
- Design: Bob Defrin
Charts
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Top 75 Albums | 10 |
| Canadian Top 100 Albums | 3 |
| French Top Albums | 15 |
| German Albums Chart | 1 |
| Netherlands Top 100 Albums | 12 |
| New Zealand Top 40 Albums | 4 |
| Norwegian Top 40 Albums | 1 |
| Swedish Top 60 Albums | 1 |
| Swiss Top 100 Albums | 1 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
1 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
4 |
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
49 |