# Spy tunes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312 "2005-10-08T15:11:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/21 "2005-10-09T01:55:43Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > _The Pink Panther Theme_ Get the counterpart from _A Shot in the Dark_ as well. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/22 "2005-10-09T02:20:05Z")
> [@Antonius Block](#): > > The Johnny Rivers [Secret Agent Man](http://www.danger-man.co.uk/mp3s/rivers.MP3) (direct link to mp3) … Yes, Johnny Rivers is the version I got from iTunes. > [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Get the counterpart from _A Shot in the Dark_ as well. That’s the one they used on the animated _The Inspector_, right? That’s a good one. I’ll d/l that one for sure. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/23 "2005-10-09T03:32:25Z")
The 3 I hum while sneaking around are: James Bond theme variations, Mission: Impossible, Theme from S.W.A.T. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/24 "2005-10-09T03:36:21Z")
Don’t forget: "The Last of the Secret Agents (And He’s My Man) by Nancy Sinatra “Casino Royale” by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass “Theme from The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/25 "2005-10-09T04:04:38Z")
The _Inspector Gadget_ theme? “Spy” by They Might Be Giants? ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/26 "2005-10-09T08:17:52Z")
For the smokey back alley sound (maybe more PI than spy) – _Harlem Nocturne_, commonly remembered as the theme from _Mike Hammer_. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/27 "2005-10-09T09:56:46Z")
The theme that immediately stood out to me as being missing from your list is [Man in a Suitcase.](http://freespace.virgin.net/steve.hulse/manin.wav) You may also like [The Champions,](http://tv.cream.org/specialassignments/themes/champions.mp3) [The Persuaders,](http://tv.cream.org/specialassignments/themes/persuade.mp3) and [The Protectors](http://tv.cream.org/specialassignments/themes/protectors.mp3) (ah, Tony Christie). More PI than spy, really, but [Randall and Hopkirk [Deceased]](http://themes.andybateman.co.uk/themes/randall_and_hopkirk_deceased.mp3) is nicely atmospheric – you might even get a kick out of the 2000 [remake.](http://themes.andybateman.co.uk/themes/randall_and_hopkirk_deceased_00.wav) And how can we forget the most iconic TV secret agent [of them all?](http://themes.andybateman.co.uk/themes/secret_squirrel.wav) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/28 "2005-10-09T15:48:18Z")
> [@MisterThyristor](#): > > For the smokey back alley sound (maybe more PI than spy) – _Harlem Nocturne_, commonly remembered as the theme from _Mike Hammer_. Probably the pioneer in the genre: Raymond Scott’s [_Secret Agent_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006HI99/102-4698801-5395356), a brassy cat-on-the-prowl item from the early '40s. ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/29 "2005-10-09T20:15:10Z")
**Sade** _Smooth Operator_ ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/30 "2005-10-09T22:04:40Z")
Dionne Warwick sang a great Bond song,Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.They used the instumental of it in Thunderball. The Man from uncle was great also.Every year,Jerry Goldsmith would jazz it up a little more.Not exactly a spy theme,but Sledge Hammer was a great theme for a crummy show ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/31 "2005-10-10T02:31:37Z")
You might want to add these James Bond themes: Die Another Die - Madonna The World is Not Enough - Garbage (already mentioned) A View to A Kill - Duran Duran For Your Eyes Only - Sheena Easton Live and Let Die - Paul McCartney Nobody Does It Better - Carly Simon Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey ---
**Author:** ![Foaming\_Cleanser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Foaming\_Cleanser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foaming_Cleanser)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/32 "2005-10-10T02:58:42Z")
An obscure show of the kind you want was [Checkmate](http://franklarosa.com/vinyl/Exhibit.jsp;jsessionid=FEKADAGLFKPC?AlbumID=63), with, of all people, Sebastian Cabot. I can’t find the theme song, though. And at that link, would you believe Sebastian Cabot reads Bob Dylan? Shatner, move over. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/33 "2005-10-10T15:38:48Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > The _Inspector Gadget_ theme? I’ve got that one in a ska compilation. 😉 > [@msmith537](#): > > You might want to add these James Bond themes: > Die Another Die - Madonna > The World is Not Enough - Garbage (already mentioned) > A View to A Kill - Duran Duran > For Your Eyes Only - Sheena Easton > Live and Let Die - Paul McCartney > Nobody Does It Better - Carly Simon > Goldfinger - Shirley Bassey Some of those are good – and they _were_ used in the Bond films – but not really what I’m looking for. Thanks, though! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/34 "2005-10-10T16:00:15Z")
This may be a little off-tangent, but I just have to recommend the CD [Sex Mob Does Bond](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:2m841vj3zzza). Probably my favourite jazz find of the last couple of years. The cover caught my eye in the jazz section of a small record store and I immediately bought it based on two factors 1) The title and 2) I’m a big fan of John Barry’s music. I was blown away when I threw it into my car’s CD player on the way home. It’s basically a reworking of several Bond themes in stripped down arrangements that let the players burn through some furious killer improvs. Many tunes have a soulful backing chorus and snare beats that really emphasize the cheesy sexiness of the original tunes. I can’t recommend this CD highly enough, esp. for jazz or John Barry fans. ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312/35 "2005-10-10T18:58:40Z")
Agent double-o soul? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spy-tunes/325312.md?page=1)