Secret Agent (Robin Gibb album)
Secret Agent is the third solo album by English singer Robin Gibb, released in 1984. The album enjoyed limited success, mostly in Europe and Australia. The lead single "Boys Do Fall in Love" made the Top 10 in Italy and South Africa.
| Secret Agent | ||||
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| Released | June 1984 (US) July 1984 (UK) | |||
| Recorded | March – June 1984 Criteria Studios, Miami | |||
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| Label | Mirage/Atco/Atlantic Records (US) Polydor Records (UK) | |||
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| Singles from Secret Agent | ||||
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Background
The album followed on from How Old Are You? the previous year with Robin's twin brother Maurice again co-writing and playing keyboards. Three songs were written by all three Bee Gees, including oldest brother Barry. The album is heavily electronic, relying mostly on multi-layered keyboards with bass and drums played on synthesizers. Recording took place at Criteria Studios as Barry Gibb was occupying the Bee Gees' own Middle Ear studio at the time, recording his solo debut Now Voyager.
Robin and Maurice continued the Bee Gees tradition of "making it up" in the recording studio. Assistant engineer Richard Achor recalled the years when Robin and Maurice would come in with only ideas for songs. Robin wrote lyrics with Maurice, and sometimes they set up drum and synthesizer grooves first, in which a song would work out from that. Maurice played synthesizer and keyboard, but played relatively little on the finished tracks in favor of Rob Kilgore's expertise. Robin had long been interested in the electronic sound and Maurice was a willing accomplice. The concept was to carry on the sound of the big freestyle hit by Shannon, her 1983 song "Let the Music Play", which is why Robin brought in the same producers, Mark Liggett and Chris Barbosa, and musicians Rob Kilgore and Jim Tunnell to work on the album.[1]
Robin asked Barbosa and Liggett to produce this album. As Barbosa explained: "Robin really wanted a dance hit, he specifically wanted to avoid a Bee Gees sound-alike record."[2]
"The Gibb project was different for us in that way", Liggett added. "We're not usually working with mega budgets, and its better that way. All the money comes out of your pockets anyway."[2]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Robin and Maurice Gibb, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Boys Do Fall in Love" | 3:50 |
| 2. | "In Your Diary" (Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb) | 3:41 |
| 3. | "Robot" | 3:42 |
| 4. | "Rebecca" | 3:51 |
| 5. | "Secret Agent" | 4:58 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Living in Another World" (Robin Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Barry Gibb) | 3:40 |
| 2. | "X-Ray Eyes" | 3:53 |
| 3. | "King of Fools" | 3:40 |
| 4. | "Diamonds" | 3:57 |
Personnel
Main artist
- Robin Gibb: Lead vocals
Musicians and production
- Background vocals: Maurice Gibb, Jim Tunnell, Evan Rogers, Cindy Mizelle, Audrey Wheeler, Arlene Gold, Lari White, Lori Ellsworth
- Keyboards, synthesiser: Maurice Gibb, Rob Kilgore
- Guitar: Maurice Gibb, Rob Kilgore, Jim Tunnell
- Sequencer: Chris Barbosa
- Engineer: Dennis Hetzendorfer, Richard Achor, Mike Fuller
- Photography: Mark Tucker
Chart positions
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swiss Albums Chart | 20 |
| US Billboard Top Pop Albums | 204 |
| US Cashbox Top Albums | 183 |
| West German Media Control Albums Chart | 31 |
References
- Joseph Brennan. "Gibb Songs: 1984".
- Weinger, Harry (5 January 1985). Liggett, Barbosa: Let It Play. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
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