He was versatile enough to do folk songs, blues, covers of old-time Rock n' roll songs, and some original material, all of them in his own unique style. Rivers's greatest success came in the mid and late 1960s with a string of hit songs (including "Seventh Son," "Poor Side of Town" and "Secret Agent Man") but he has continued to record and perform to the present.
In 1960, Rivers met fellow Louisianan, James Burton, the guitar player for Ricky Nelson. Burton later recommended one of Rivers's songs to Nelson, who went on to record it. In 1961, Rivers went to Los Angeles to meet Nelson, and ended up relocating there, working as a song writer and studio musician. In 1963, Rivers's big break came when he temporarily filled in for a jazz combo at Bill Gazzari's night club; the temporary gig became long-term due to positive customer response.
In 1964, Elmer Valentine then gave Rivers a one-year contract to open his new club, Whisky a Go Go, on Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. The Whisky opened three days before The Beatles released "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and the British Invasion knocked almost every American artist off the top of the charts. But Rivers was so popular, producer Lou Adler decided to issue Johnny Rivers Live At The Whiskey A Go Go. The live album reached #12 on the charts and the single "Memphis" (a Chuck Berry cover) reached #2. Rivers made the successful transition from nightclub entertainer to chart-busting pop singer and had created the Go Go sound, part of a scene which included Go-Go dancers.
Into 1965, Rivers continued to record mostly live, Go Go style records including "Maybellene" (another Berry cover), which he followed "Mountain of Love", "Midnight Special", "Seventh Son" (written by Willie Dixon) e "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" (with Pete Seeger's), all of which were hits.
Rivers wanted to try something different and adopted a more idiosyncratic approach as from 1966. Characterized by his smooth, soulful voice, he produced hit portrayals as "Poor Side Of Town", which would be his biggest hit ever and his only number one record. Into another hit was "Secret Agent Man", the theme from Secret Agent television series (written by P.F. Sloan and Steve Barri). He also started own record company, Soul City Records, where he won a Grammy Award as the producer of the 5th Dimension, which eventually recorded "Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In" and "Wedding Bell Blues", two number one hits on Rivers' label. Johnny is also credited with giving songwriter Jimmy Webb a major break when they recorded Webb's song "Up, Up, and Away". James Hendricks, one of the artists of that signed with Soul City, wrote "Summer Rain", a song that Rivers recorded and turned a hit.
Johnny Rivers continued to record more hits, including "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" and "The Tracks of My Tears" (cover of The Miracles), both top 10 in 1967. In 1968, Rivers released what many fans consider his best album, Realization, a number five album on the LP charts. The album was evocative of the psychedelic influences of the time and marked a subtle change in his musical direction, with more thoughtful types of songs, included such ballads as "Going Back to Big Sur".
In the 1970s, Rivers continued to record more songs and albums which were a success with music critics, but did not sell as well as some of his earlier hits. One of these albums, "L.A. Reggae" in 1972, reached the LP charts as a result of the top 10 "Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" (a cover of Huey Smith & the Clowns). Anothers hits that time were "Blue Suede Shoes" (a cover of Carl Perkins), in 1973, which would reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Help Me Rhonda", in 1975 - a cover of The Beach Boys on which Brian Wilson helped with backup vocals. His last entry on the charts was "Swayin' to the Music (Slow Dancing)", a top ten hit in 1977.
1980's until nowadays
Rivers continued recording into the '80's, although his recording career wound down somewhat. In spite of his music hasn't reached the best seller charts for quite a while, Rivers is still touring, doing 50 to 60 shows a year, increasingly returning to the blues that inspired him initially.
In 1998], Rivers reactivated his Soul City imprint and released Last Train to Memphis, his first new studio album in 15 years.
In early 2000, Johnny recorded with Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and Paul McCartney on a tribute album dedicated to Buddy Holly's backup band, "The Crickets".
In all, Rivers had 9 top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and 17 in the top 40 from 1964 to 1977. In total, he has sold well over 25 million records.
Secret Agent Man
Johnny Rivers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To everyone he meets he stays a stranger
With every move he makes, another chance he takes
Odds are he won't live to see tomorrow
Secret agent man, secret agent man
They've given you a number and taken away your name
A pretty face can hide an evil mind
Ah, be careful what you say
Or you'll give yourself away
Odds are you won't live to see tomorrow
Secret agent man, secret agent man
They've given you a number and taken away your name
Secret agent man, secret agent man
They've given you a number and taken away your name
Swingin' on the Riviera one day
And then layin' in the Bombay alley next day
Oh no, you let the wrong word slip
While kissing persuasive lips
The odds are you won't live to see tomorrow
Secret agent man, secret agent man
They've given you a number and taken away your name
Secret agent man
"Secret Agent Man" is a song by Johnny Rivers that talks about the life of a spy, who has to keep his identity a secret. In the verse "There's a man who leads a life of danger, to everyone he meets he stays a stranger," we understand that he has to live his life under the radar and avoid any attention. The lyrics continue to explain the dangers of the job, where he has to take risks every time he makes a move, and there's always a chance he won't make it through the day.
The chorus of the song has a powerful line; "They've given you a number and taken away your name." This signifies that the agent's identity is hidden and is known only by the number he has been assigned. The second verse warns the agent to be careful around pretty faces because they can hide an evil mind. He must watch what he says and not give away his identity if he wants to survive. The third verse takes us to the adventures of the agent in the Riviera and Bombay. He has to be cautious not to let the wrong word slip while kissing persuasive lips, for this could be the end of him.
In conclusion, "Secret Agent Man" is a thrilling tune that takes us into the world of a spy. The lyrics warn us about the risks involved in the job and how an agent must keep his or her identity close to the chest. The song is a timeless classic that continues to captivate audiences with its upbeat melody and vivid storytelling.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a man who leads a life of danger
This man lives a life that is constantly unsafe and full of risks.
To everyone he meets he stays a stranger
He doesn't reveal his true identity to anyone he interacts with.
With every move he makes, another chance he takes
Every action he takes is another opportunity for something to go wrong.
Odds are he won't live to see tomorrow
There's a high likelihood that he won't survive to see the next day.
Beware of pretty faces that you find
He should be cautious of attractive people he encounters.
A pretty face can hide an evil mind
Just because someone looks good doesn't mean they are trustworthy or kind.
Ah, be careful what you say
He should watch his words carefully, as they have the power to reveal his true identity.
Or you'll give yourself away
If he's not careful, he will inadvertently give out information that will blow his cover.
Swingin' on the Riviera one day
He enjoys the high life sometimes, such as in the beautiful Riviera.
And then layin' in the Bombay alley next day
But then can suddenly find himself in a dangerous, dark alley in Bombay the next day.
Oh no, you let the wrong word slip
He has said something he shouldn't have, and it could be his undoing.
While kissing persuasive lips
He was entranced by someone and let his guard down, leading to a mistake.
The odds are you won't live to see tomorrow
There's a high chance that he will not make it through alive.
Secret agent man, secret agent man
This is a nickname for the man who leads a dangerous life in secret.
They've given you a number and taken away your name
He's been stripped of his identity and given a code to operate under.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Phil Sloan, Steve Barri
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind