Spy (Carly Simon)
Encyclopedia
Spy is singer-songwriter
Carly Simon
's ninth album
, and eighth studio album, released in 1979. It is also her last album for Elektra Records
. The title may have been decided on due to her previous association with the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977), for which she recorded the theme song "Nobody Does It Better".
Although Spy did not yield any hit singles, "Vengeance" earned Simon a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance Female in early 1980 - the first year to feature the new category. It peaked on the Billboard Chart at #48. The promotional clip was also chosen by Pioneer Electronics to be part of their first demo disc for its then-new Laserdisc
player.
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Carly Simon
Carly Simon
Carly Elisabeth Simon is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records, and has since been the recipient of two Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for her work...
's ninth album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, and eighth studio album, released in 1979. It is also her last album for Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
. The title may have been decided on due to her previous association with the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me" (1977), for which she recorded the theme song "Nobody Does It Better".
Although Spy did not yield any hit singles, "Vengeance" earned Simon a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance Female in early 1980 - the first year to feature the new category. It peaked on the Billboard Chart at #48. The promotional clip was also chosen by Pioneer Electronics to be part of their first demo disc for its then-new Laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
player.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Carly Simon; except where indicated- "Vengeance" – 4:14
- "Just Like You Do"– 4:14
- "We're So Close" – 5:10
- "Coming To Get You" – 2:49
- "Never Been Gone" (Jacob BrackmanJacob BrackmanJacob Brackman is an American journalist, writer, and musical lyricist.After graduating from Harvard University in 1965, he went to work for Newsweek as a journalist. He remained there for six months and was then hired by The New Yorker...
, Simon) – 3:36 - "Pure Sin" (Simon, Frank CarilloFrank CarilloFrank Carillo is an American rock musician.- Doc Holliday :In 1971, manager Phil Lorito formed a band around Frank Carillo called Doc Holliday, with Carillo, Bob Mayo, Tom Arlotta and Bob Liggio...
) – 3:56 - "Love You By Heart" (Simon, Libby TitusLibby TitusLibby Titus is a singer, songwriter, actress and concert producer. Although she released several solo albums in the 1970s and '80s, she is best known as the co-writer, with Eric Kaz, of "Love Has No Pride", a song recorded by many artists including Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt and Jane Monheit.She...
, Jacob Brackman) – 3:55 - "Spy" (James TaylorJames TaylorJames Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, Simon, Arif MardinArif MardinArif Mardin was a Turkish-American music producer, who worked with hundreds of artists across many different styles of music, including jazz, rock, soul, disco, and country...
) – 4:14 - "Memorial Day" – 8:29
Personnel
- Carly Simon - guitar, piano, vocals
- James TaylorJames TaylorJames Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
- guitar, background vocals - Warren Bernhardt - keyboards
- Michael BreckerMichael BreckerMichael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
- tenor saxophone - Don GrolnickDon GrolnickDon Grolnick was an American jazz and pop pianist and composer, most noteworthy for his work with artists such as Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Roberta Flack, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Billy Cobham, David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Bob Mintzer, Dave Holland and Steely Dan...
- keyboards - Hubert Laws - flute
- Tom "Bones" MaloneTom Malone (musician)Tom "Bones" Malone is an American jazz musician. As his nickname implies, he specializes on the trombone, but also plays trumpet, tuba, tenor sax, baritone sax, flutes, piccolo, and other instruments....
- trombone - David SanbornDavid SanbornDavid Sanborn is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album Taking Off in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school...
- alto saxophone - John Hall - guitar
- Billy Mernit - piano
- Peter Ballin - alto saxophone
- Errol "Crusher" Bennett - percussion
- Kenneth BichelKen BichelKen Bichel is an American actor, composer, pianist, and synthesizer musician. Bichel attended the Juilliard School where he graduated with a Bachelors degree in piano performance in the late 1960s...
- synthesizer - Gail Boggs - vocals
- Randy BreckerRandy BreckerRandal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
- trumpet - Frank CarilloFrank CarilloFrank Carillo is an American rock musician.- Doc Holliday :In 1971, manager Phil Lorito formed a band around Frank Carillo called Doc Holliday, with Carillo, Bob Mayo, Tom Arlotta and Bob Liggio...
- guitar - Joe Caro - guitar
- Cliff Carter - synthesizer, bass
- Rafael Cruz - percussion
- Steve GaddSteve GaddSteve Gadd is an American session and studio drummer, notable for his work with popular musicians from a wide range of genres.-Biography:...
- drums - Will LeeWill Lee (bassist)Will Lee aka William Franklin Lee IV is an American musician and bassist, best known for his work on the CBS television program The Late Show with David Letterman as part of the CBS Orchestra....
- bass - Tony LevinTony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
- bass - Mike MainieriMike MainieriMichael T. Mainieri, Jr. is a vibraphonist best known for his work with the jazz fusion group Steps Ahead....
- keyboards - Rick MarottaRick MarottaRick Marotta is a US-based drummer and percussionist who appears on many recordings by leading artists such as Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Paul Simon, John Lennon, Hall & Oates, Stevie Nicks, Wynonna, Roy Orbison, Todd Rundgren, Roberta Flack, Peter Frampton, Quincy...
- drums - Ullanda McCullough - background vocals
- Ian McLaughlin - piano
- Lucy Simon - background vocals
- David SpinozzaDavid SpinozzaDavid Spinozza is an American musician , who worked with former Beatles Paul McCartney and John Lennon during the 1970s, and had a long collaboration with singer-songwriter James Taylor, producing Taylor's album Walking Man....
- guitar - Richard TeeRichard TeeRichard Tee was a pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger.Tee graduated from the High School of Music and Art and attended the Manhattan School of Music. Though better known as a studio and session musician, Tee led a jazz ensemble, the Richard Tee Committee, and was a founding member of the...
- keyboards - Peter Ballini - alto saxophone
- Lew Del Gatto - baritone saxophone
- Tim CurryTim CurryTimothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
- background vocals - Phil Bodner, Jonathan Abramowitz, Lamar Alsop, Julien Barber, James Buffington, Frederick Buldrini, Jean R. Dane, Eddie Daniels, Peter Dimitriades, Lewis Eley, Gerald Tarack, Paul Gershman, Ted Hoyle, Regis Iandiorio, Teddy Isreal, Harold Kohon, Jesse Levy, Guy Lumia, Joseph Malin, Richard Maximoff, Kermit Moore, Eugene J. Moye, Gene Orloff, Tony Posk, Alan Shulman, Mitsue Takayama - strings
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Pop Albums | 45 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "Vengeance" | Pop Singles | 48 |