Maps of Music

Spy (1979)

Where the lyrics of Spy take you, and where it was really made.

The title comes from a line by writer Anaïs Nin, and Spy was Carly Simon's last album for Elektra Records before she signed with Warner Bros.

Key places

Where Spy was recorded and mixed (1979)

Recording site Atlantic Studios (New York City) — Spy was recorded and mixed at Atlantic Studios in New York City from December 1978 to April 1979. Gene Orloff is credited as concertmaster and George Piros did the mastering. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Spy is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon
• Released by Elektra Records in June 1979
• The title is a tribute to writer Anaïs Nin
• Nin's quote is printed across the top of the inside jacket
• Simon dedicated the album to producer Arif Mardin
• It is Simon's last album for Elektra Records
• She signed with Warner Bros. Records and released Come Upstairs the following year

Background

• Simon's move from Elektra to Warner Bros. Records came right after this album
• Mardin is credited as one of the three writers of the song "Spy", along with Simon and James Taylor

Recording

• Recorded and mixed at Atlantic Studios in New York City
• Sessions ran from December 1978 to April 1979
• Gene Orloff is credited as concertmaster and Mike O'Reilly as assistant engineer
• George Piros did the mastering
• Musicians listed include John Hall, Don Grolnick, David Spinozza, Steve Gadd, Tony Levin, Richard Tee, Michael Brecker and David Sanborn
• Backing vocals are credited to Tim Curry, James Taylor, Ullanda McCullough and Lucy Simon

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born June 25, 1943 in New York City; American singer-songwriter and author.
• In 1963 began performing as the Simon Sisters with sister Lucy Simon; released Meet the Simon Sisters, which produced the minor hit "Winkin', Blinkin' and Nod".
• Signed to Elektra Records in 1970 and went solo.

Career

• Debut album (1971) won the Grammy for Best New Artist; "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" was her first top 10 single.
• No Secrets (1972) topped the Billboard 200 for five weeks; "You're So Vain" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Recorded "Nobody Does It Better" for the 1977 Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me.
• Won an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Grammy for "Let the River Run" from Working Girl (1988).
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Debra Rae Cohen, writing in Rolling Stone, said Simon's rough, bold voice seizes center stage with husky promise
• Cohen wrote that even with the studio polish, Simon winds up sounding strangely distanced from her material
• Cohen singled out "We're So Close" and called it the record's gem
• Cash Box described "Vengeance" as having an urban rock feeling with ominous guitar chording
• Cash Box said Simon's vocals on "Vengeance" were sharp and bold but less restrained than usual

Reappraisal

• "Never Been Gone" and "We're So Close" have become fan favorites
• Both songs stand among Simon's own personal favorites of her songs
• Simon later called "We're So Close" the saddest song she had written

Records

• The album produced no major hit singles
• "Vengeance", with Tim Curry on backing vocals, earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female, in early 1980
• "Vengeance" peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard Pop singles chart and No. 52 on Cash Box
• "Spy" was the second single and reached No. 34 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart
• "Vengeance" was later included on the Anthology (2002) and Carly Simon Collector's Edition (2009) compilations

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• "Vengeance" got a music video, and Simon became the second female solo artist featured on MTV's first day on air
• MTV later used a clip from the "Vengeance" video in a commercial meant to get viewers to buy stereo sound for their TVs
• Pioneer Electronics chose the same promotional clip for its first demo disc for its then-new LaserDisc player
• Simon also made music videos for "We're So Close" and "Never Been Gone", and both also got rotation on MTV
• The album's inside jacket carries a line from writer Anaïs Nin across the top, which gave the record its title

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact