The Late Movies: Songs About Spies

On this date in 1947, the National Security Council and the Central Intelligence Agency were established in the United States under the National Security Act. In honor of sneaky, stealthy, secretive men and women everywhere, here are six songs about spies.

Spies Like Us

Released in 1985 in conjunction with a Chevy Chase movie of the same name, this tune is Paul McCartney's final solo top-10 hit in the U.S. to date.

Private Eyes

This Hall and Oates song was one of the duo's first songs to get heavy rotation on MTV—thanks, in part, to its detective-themed video.

Secret Agent Man

Though this song has been covered dozens of times, the most famous version remains this version by Johnny Rivers, which was used for the opening of the American broadcast of the British spy series Danger Man.

Double Agent

Rush's lead singer, Geddy Lee Weinrab, said this about the song: "It's one of the goofiest songs I think we've ever written, but I'm quite happy with the result. In its own way, I think it's an interesting little piece of lunacy."

Last of the Secret Agents

Nancy Sinatra's title song from her film of the same name was reused as an end title song in Bill Murray's The Man Who Knew Too Little.

Valerie Plame

The Decemberists wrote this song about the former CIA operative outed by Robert Novak and Bush adminstration officials.

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