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Secret Agent X-9 Lyrics

Got a racecar grin and a calculation
And every gun for a secret agent
Defunct that timebomb at the space station
Hey, Secret Agent X-9, why don't you drop me a line?
And say, would it cost you your job
To say what was in that gold box?
So why did they give you that job?
And why can they give you that job?
You'd think this guy was on a permanent vacation
But no, he's not, he's a secret agent
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Submitted by
numb On Jun 19, 2001
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Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

yeah. i was just reading cats cradle and i realized that they got this song from that book. One of the greatest books ever written, read it

Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

Hey just dropping by to clarify things sort of.

The comic book "Secret Agent X-9" predates the book "Cat's Cradle" by Vonnegut. One of the characters (James Hoenikker) in Cat's Cradle is nicknamed Secret Agent X-9 because, when is school, he was very secretive and was always going somewhere (seemingly like he was always on a "mission"). the lines "So why did they give you that job? And why can they give you that job?" refer to the job James gets because of his connections to the fictional father of the atomic bomb. the line "You'd think this guy was on a permanent vacation" refers to where his new job is located, the fictional tropical island of San Lorenzo. the "timebomb" line and the line "To say what was in that gold box?" refer to the doomsday that he and his siblings share. The song seems to have no connection to Isaac's father, its just a fun little song about a fictional Vonnegut character :)

It's Frank, not James Hoenikker. Also, I think the lines "So why did they give you that job? And why can they give you that job?" relate to the fact that he gave "Papa" his piece of Ice-nine, which is why he got the job at San Lorenzo.

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Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

This song makes me want to dance... David sings like mr.Brock.

Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

People aren't what you think..

Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

the title of this song is also the title of chapter 10 in kurt vonnegut's book 'cat's cradle'.. this name is given as a joke in reference to a kid who acts all secretive and anti-social and stuff.. the book is about the end of the world because of nukes and stuff.. i still don't understand this song completely, but yeah.. look into that chapter in vonnegut's book and see what you can make of it.. both the song and the book are great!

Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

uhhh... cool, havn't heard the song... yet

Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

yeah the book and song fucking rock, not sure about the meaning though

Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

quote uhhh... cool, havn't heard the song... yet

you probably shouldnt post here then

i truly love this song, now i guess i need to read 'the cat's cradle'

Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

Uh, Secret Agent X-9 was a British comic strip. Vonnegut probably got the idea from that.

Cover art for Secret Agent X-9 lyrics by Modest Mouse

PREJUDICES. don't go and think you know everything about everyone. people around you hide a lot of things. and yeah, people arent exactly who you think they are.

great song. Love you Isaac Brock