# Toto hit "99" a tribute to Agent 99 from "Get Smart?"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toto-hit-99-a-tribute-to-agent-99-from-get-smart/120605>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 24, 2002, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toto-hit-99-a-tribute-to-agent-99-from-get-smart/120605 "2002-07-24T17:26:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![russjourn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@russjourn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russjourn)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toto-hit-99-a-tribute-to-agent-99-from-get-smart/120605/1 "2002-07-24T17:26:24Z")

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I’ve just heard 1970s rock band Toto’s hit, “99.” Sounds like an unabashed, lustful tribute to a quite voluptuous woman. I am wondering whether the “99” in the song refers to Agent 99, from the classic tv series “Get Smart.” The show was a hit just a few years earlier, and Agent 99 (actress Barbara Feldon) did have her own following.

Anyone know, or care to hazard a guess?

Russell Shaw  
Portland, Oregon

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**Author:** ![bleach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bleach/32/3106_2.png) [@bleach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bleach)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toto-hit-99-a-tribute-to-agent-99-from-get-smart/120605/2 "2002-07-24T18:08:33Z")

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A quickie Google search shows that ‘99’ was inspired by the movie THX-1138, where people’s names are replaced by numbers. The site below cites the music video as evidence.

[Scroll down a bit](http://www.toto99.com/encyclopedia/mnop.htm)

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**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toto-hit-99-a-tribute-to-agent-99-from-get-smart/120605/3 "2002-07-24T18:12:01Z")

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It seems not:

> [@](#):
>
> “99”
> 
> The song ‘99’ from the album ‘Hydra’ was inspired by George Lucas’ movie ‘THX-1138’ (1971). This movie is set in the future where names have been replaced by numbers. Lucas used THX as the name for his movie theater sound system. Toto made the video for the song look like a scene from the movie. In a particular scene, the main character (THX-1138) is being taken into prison. His cell is completely white, and everyone is wearing a white suit. Toto copied this in the video  
> where everything was in white as well.

[http://www.toto99.com](http://www.toto99.com)

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**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toto-hit-99-a-tribute-to-agent-99-from-get-smart/120605/4 "2002-07-25T03:14:57Z")

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You’ll be interested to know that Barbara Feldon also recorded a song titled “99,” which was in reference to her character.