Spy

by Carly Simon

Overview

Carly Simon was onto something, naming her album after Anais Nin's book of erotic fiction A Spy in the House of Love, and she used the concept to come up with songs about maintaining the passion in a long-term relationship. But she didn't follow through completely, devoting two songs (including the singles chart entry "Vengeance") to attempts to remake "You're So Vain" and returning to producer Arif Mardin and his New York jazz-pop session men for an inappropriately slick and overdone sound. (Whoever expected a Carly Simon album with a drum solo on it?) Commercial considerations, in other words, marred what could have been an interesting concept album which still, despite the compromises, contained several good songs. And, of course, the commercial considerations were misplaced -- the album became Simon's worst seller and prefaced her departure from Elektra Records. ~ William Ruhlmann

Product Details

Release Date:	05/27/1997
Label:	Elektra
UPC:	0075596055826
Rank:	40249

Tracks

1. Vengeance
2. Just Like You Do
3. We're So Close
4. Coming to Get You
5. Never Been Gone
6. Pure Sin
7. Love You by Heart
8. Spy
9. Memorial Day

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Carly Simon   Primary Artist,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Steve Gadd   Guest Artist,Drums
Hubert Laws   Guest Artist,Flute
Michael Brecker   Guest Artist,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Randy Brecker   Guest Artist,Trumpet
Warren Bernhardt   Guest Artist,Piano,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
David Sanborn   Guest Artist,Saxophone,Sax (Alto)
Tony Levin   Guest Artist,Bass
James Taylor   Guest Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background),Guitar
Ullanda McCullough   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Tony Posk   Strings
Cliff Carter   Bass,Synthesizer
Harold Kohon   Strings
Gene Orloff   Strings
Joe Caro   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Lew Del Gatto   Saxophone,Sax (Baritone)
David Spinozza   Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Raphael Cruz   Bells,Congas,Percussion
Phil Bodner   Strings
Paul Gershman   Strings
Richard Tee   Clarinet,Clavinet,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Rick Marotta   Drums
Lamar Alsop   Strings
Tom "Bones" Malone   Trombone
Kermit Moore   Strings
Richard Maximoff   Strings
Eugene J. Moye   Strings
Billy Mernit   Piano
Regis Iandiorio   Strings
Lucy Simon   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Julien Barber   Strings
Frank Carillo   Guitar
Kenneth Bichel   Polymoog,Synthesizer,Moog Synthesizer
Will Lee   Bass
Joseph Malin   Strings
Don Grolnick   Piano,Clarinet,Clavinet,Keyboards,Choir/Chorus
James Buffington   Strings
Jesse Levy   Strings
Eddie Daniels   Strings
John Hall   Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Mike Mainieri   Vocals,Keyboards,Vibraphone
Jonathan Abramowitz   Strings
Frederick Buldrini   Strings
Alan Shulman   Strings
Lewis Eley   Strings
Tim Curry   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Matthew Raimondi   Strings
Mitsue Takayama   Strings
Gail Boggs   Vocals
Errol Crusher Bennett   Congas,Percussion
Guy Lumia   Strings
Peter Ballini   Sax (Alto)
Peter Dimitriades   Strings
Teddy Isreal   Strings
Jean R. Dane   Strings
Peter Ballin   Saxophone,Sax (Alto)
Ted Hoyle   Strings
Ian McLaughlin   Piano,Keyboards
Gerald Tarack   Strings
Rafael Cruz   Cowbell,Percussion

Technical Credits

Bob Heimall   Design,Art Direction
Andy Paley   Mastering Supervisor
Jacob Brackman   Composer
Joe Gastwirt   Mastering
Carly Simon   Composer
James Taylor   Composer
Lewis Hahn   Mixing,Engineer
Libby Titus   Composer
Frank Carillo   Composer
Arif Mardin   Composer,Producer,Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Arif Ardin   Arranger