Spies Like Us (song)


"Spies Like Us" is the title song to the 1985 Warner Bros. motion picture of the same name, starring Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, and Donna Dixon. It was written and performed by Paul McCartney, and reached #7 on the Billboard singles chart in early 1986, making it McCartney's last US top ten hit until 2015. It also reached #13 in the UK. It was later the theme of the TV show of the same name.

Recording and release

Multiple releases were issued in the UK: a regular 7" single, a 7" shaped picture disc, a regular 12" single featuring extended mixes and the B-side "My Carnival" and a 12" picture disc.
The minute-long outro is uptempo while the title is being sung repeatedly. When the movie Spies Like Us hit the theaters, producers opted to play the outro first in the closing credits before playing the entire song.
"Spies Like Us" was released on CD in 1993, as part of the release of The Paul McCartney Collection, as a bonus track on the album Press to Play. The B-side, "My Carnival", was released as a bonus track on Venus and Mars, and the 12" single was an exclusive to iTunes.

Music video

The video for the song, directed by John Landis, was not aired by the BBC because Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase appeared in it playing instruments. British labour rules at the time prohibited non-musicians from performing in videos, and Aykroyd and Chase did not actually play on the record, though both have worked as professional musicians. The video ends with McCartney, Chase, and Aykroyd walking across Abbey Road, parodying the famous album cover.
The video was however played on the long running BBC show Top Of The Pops on 2 January 1986 having already briefly featured in its Top 40 Breakers section during December 1985.
McCartney, the song, and its associated film were all referenced in the Self song "Out With a Bang".

Track listings

;7" single
  1. "Spies Like Us" – 4:40
  2. "My Carnival" – 3:56
  3. * Performed by Paul McCartney & Wings
;12" single
  1. "Spies Like Us" – 7:10
  2. * Remix by John Potoker
  3. "Spies Like Us" – 3:56
  4. * Remix by Art of Noise
  5. "Spies Like Us" – 3:46
  6. "My Carnival " – 6:00
  7. * Remix by Gary Langan

    Charts

Year-end chart Rank
US Top Pop Singles 92

Personnel

;Spies Like Us
;My Carnival