Spy (Carly Simon album)
Spy is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released in 1979. It is also her last album for Elektra Records. The title of the album is a tribute to Anaïs Nin, whose quote "I am an international spy in the house of love", is written across the top on the inside jacket. Simon dedicated the album to producer Arif Mardin, in which she wrote in the liner notes, "Dedicated to Arif who is himself fantastic."
Spy | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 30, 1979 | |||
Recorded | Dec. 1978 – April 1979 at Atlantic Studios, New York City. | |||
Genre | Rock • pop • disco | |||
Length | 40:37 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | Arif Mardin | |||
Carly Simon chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Record Guide | B–[2] |
Although Spy did not yield any major hit singles, "Vengeance" (which features actor Tim Curry on backing vocals) earned Simon a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female in early 1980, the first year to feature this new category.[3] The song peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard Pop singles chart, and Simon later included it on her Anthology album in 2002. Simon made a music video for the song,[4] and MTV later used a clip from it in a commercial that enticed viewers to get stereo sound on their TV sets.[5] The promotional clip was also chosen by Pioneer Electronics to be part of their first demo disc for its then-new Laserdisc player.
The title song was released as the second single from the album, and reached No. 34 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary singles chart. The album also features the songs "Never Been Gone" and "We're So Close" which have become fan favorites and stand among Simon's personal favorites of her own songs.[6] In 2009, Simon released Never Been Gone, an album which includes a newly recorded version of the song.
Awards
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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1980 | "Vengeance" | Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female | Nominated |
Track listing
All tracks are written by Carly Simon, except where indicated.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Vengeance" | 4:14 | |
2. | "Just Like You Do" | 4:14 | |
3. | "We're So Close" | 5:10 | |
4. | "Coming to Get You" | 2:49 | |
5. | "Never Been Gone" | Simon, Jacob Brackman | 3:36 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Pure Sin" | Simon, Frank Carillo | 3:56 |
2. | "Love You By Heart" | Simon, Brackman, Libby Titus | 3:55 |
3. | "Spy" | Simon, James Taylor, Arif Mardin | 4:14 |
4. | "Memorial Day" | 8:29 | |
Total length: | 40:37 |
Personnel
- Carly Simon – lead and backing vocals, acoustic piano (3, 9)
- Ian McLagan – acoustic piano (1)
- Don Grolnick – acoustic piano (1, 6), clavinet (1)
- Warren Bernhardt – keyboards (1), acoustic piano (2, 4, 5, 9), electric piano (3, 6–9)
- Richard Tee – clavinet (1), electric piano (2, 5)
- Ken Bichel – Polymoog (2, 3), synthesizers (4)
- Cliff Carter – synthesizers (6)
- Billy Mernit – acoustic piano (8)
- Joe Caro – electric guitar (1, 8), guitar (6, 9), acoustic guitar (4)
- John Hall – electric guitar (1), electric guitar solo (1)
- David Spinozza – electric guitar (1, 2, 4, 7, 8), acoustic guitar (2, 3, 7), electric guitar solo (4), guitar (6, 9)
- Frank Carillo – guitar (6)
- Tony Levin – bass (1, 6, 7)
- Will Lee – bass (2, 3, 4, 8, 9)
- Steve Gadd – drums (1–4, 6, 8, 9)
- Rick Marotta – drums (1, 2, 8)
- Errol "Crusher" Bennett – percussion (3, 7), congas (7)
- Raphael Cruz – cowbell (6), congas (7), percussion (7, 8)
- Mike Mainieri – vibraphone (9)
- David Sanborn – alto saxophone (1, 2, 3, 9)
- Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone (1, 6), tenor sax solo (6)
- Peter Ballin – alto saxophone (6)
- Lew Del Gatto – baritone saxophone (6)
- Hubert Laws – flute (8)
- Tom Malone – trombone (6)
- Randy Brecker – trumpet (1, 6)
- Arif Mardin – horn and string arrangements, choir arrangement (5)
- Gene Orloff – concertmaster
- Tim Curry – backing vocals (1, 6)
- Ullanda McCullough – backing vocals (2)
- James Taylor – backing vocals (2, 5, 7, 8)
- Lucy Simon – backing vocals (5)
- Jonathan Abramowitz, Lamar Alsop, Julien Barber, Phil Bodner, James Buffington, Frederick Buldrini, Jean R. Dane, Eddie Daniels, Peter Dimitriades, Lewis Eley, Gerald Tarack, Paul Gershman, Ted Hoyle, Regis Iandiorio, Teddy Israel, Harold Kohon, Jesse Levy, Guy Lumia, Joseph Malin, Richard Maximoff, Kermit Moore, Eugene J. Moye, Gene Orloff, Tony Posk, Alan Shulman and Mitsue Takayama – strings
Production
- Producer – Arif Mardin
- Recorded and Mixed by Lew Hahn
- Assistant Engineer – Mike O'Malley
- Mastering – George Piros
- Art Direction and Design – Robert Heimall
- Photography – Pam Frank
- Management – Arlyne Rothberg
Charts
Album – Billboard (North America)
Year | Chart | Position |
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1979 | Pop Albums | 45 |
Album – International
Year | Country | Position |
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1979 | Australia | 33[7] |
1979 | Canada | 56[8] |
Singles – Billboard (North America)
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
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1979 | "Vengeance" | Pop Singles | 48 |
1979 | "Spy" | Adult Contemporary | 34 |
References
- Ruhlmann, William. Spy at AllMusic
- Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: S". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- "Rock On The Net: Grammy Awards: Best Rock Vocal Performance – Female". rockonthenet.com. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- "Vengeance – Carly Simon – YouTube". youtube.com. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- "Carly Simon – (1981) MTV In Stereo Commercial – YouTube". youtube.com. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
- "Carly Simon Official Website – Ask Carly". Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2014.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- David Kent (1993). Australian Charts Book 1970—1992. Australian Chart Book Pty Ltd, Turramurra, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- "CAN Charts > Carly Simon". RPM. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2015.