Foreigner released Agent Provocateur

Agent Provocateur Foreigner

Released: December 7, 1984 Peak: 4 US, 13 UK, 11 CN, 2 AU, 14 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.3 UK, 7.0 world (includes US and UK), 12.67 EAS Genre: classic rock

Tracks: Click on a song title for more details. Tooth and Nail [3:54] That Was Yesterday [3:46] I Want to Know What Love Is [5:04] Growing Up the Hard Way [4:18] Reaction to Action [3:57] Stranger in My Own House [4:54] A Love in Vain [4:12] Down on Love [4:08] Two Different Worlds [4:28] She’s Too Tough [3:07] Total Running Time: 42:33 The Players: Lou Gramm (vocals, percussion) Mick Jones (guitar, keyboards, vocals) Dennis Elliott (drums) Rick Wills (bass)

Rating: 3.981 out of 5.00 (average of 16 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Following 4 Foreigner 4 was the kind of album that set an impossibly high bar. It spent ten weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and sold more than ten million copies worldwide on the strength of the #2 power ballad “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and the #4 rocker “Urgent,” not to mention album rock hits “Juke Box Hero,” “Night Life,” and “Break It Up.” The group followed up that success with the obvious rock cliché – a compilation album (Records) and then took a few years off. Despite no new material, Records followed the precedent set by all four of Foreigner’s studio albums – it went top ten and sold in the millions. The Hits When Agent Provocoteur arrived in 1984, it gave Foreigner yet another top-5, multi-platinum album. While it wasn’t as big as 4 (not many albums are), it did accomplish one goal that the band hadn’t achieved – a #1 song. While “Waiting for a Girl Like You” had spent a whopping 10 weeks at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, it couldn’t ever get past Hall & Oates “I Can’t Go for That” and Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical” to reach the pinnacle. However, “I Want to Know What Love Is,” the lead single from Agent, pulled it off. The song also reached #1 in the UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, and Swdeden. While most of the band’s singles were fairly straight forward rockers, this was a gospel-inflected ballad that capitalized on the audiences who swooned over “Girl Like You.” The New Jersey Mass Choir was featured on the song and in the video. Foreigner couldn’t match the huge success of “I Want to Know What Love Is” with the next single. However, That Was Yesterday did keep the band on track by giving them a fifth studio album in a row to chart at least two top-20 hits. It was also a top-5 hit on album rock radio. Beyond the Hits The album did have some other decent rockers in album-opener Tooth and Nail and Reaction to Action From a chart standpoint, however, neither generated much attention. Both barely scraped the album rock charts and as the album’s third single, “Reaction to Action,” missed the top 40, as did fourth single Down on Love. The album also featured the muscular She’s Too Tough which, while not quite on par with classics like “Hot Blooded” and “Urgent,” proved that Foreigner still knew how to crank up the guitars and not just produce ballads. AllMusic.com’s Bret Adams was decisively less complimentary. He panned the album as “a prime example of the best and worst traits of AOR: a handful of remarkable songs padded by toothless filler.” AM The Players “Despite contributing a few killer riffs to Foreigner's '70s canon, guitarist/keyboardist Mick Jones isn't known for his six-string abilities. His biggest strength is his knack for melody as a songwriter, keyboardist, and producer, and all these qualities are evident on Agent Provocateur. Of course, vocalist/songwriter Lou Gramm is indispensable as the band’s golden-throated frontman.” AM When it came to production, “Jones largely guided things behind the studio console, but a co-producer usually helped, such as Alex Sadkin.” AM The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

Tooth and Nail Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones, Lou Gramm Released: Agent Provocateur (1984) First Charted: 1/5/1985 Peak: 47 AR, 3 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.23 streaming About the Song: “Tooth and Nail” is a perfect album opener, reminding Foreigner fans of why they fell in love with the band in the first place. After the monstrous success of “Waiting for a Girl Like You” on 4, the rock audience had to be wary of their beloved band going all in on balladry the next time out. However, “Tooth and Nail” is an all-out, balls-to-the-wall rocker. It seemed like a sure-fire song to be added to the band’s already impressive stable of rock classics. Alas, it was an inexplicable flop at rock radio. It wasn’t released as a single but was sent to album-rock radio stations in January 1985 just as “I Want to Know What Love Is” was scaling the pop charts on the way to #1. It stalled at a mere #47.

That Was Yesterday Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones, Lou Gramm Released: single (March 1985), Agent Provocateur (1984), The Very Best…and Beyond (compilation, 1992) B-side: “Two Different Worlds” First Charted: 1/19/1985 Peak: 12 BB, 10 CB, 6 GR, 10 RR, 24 AC, 4 AR, 28 UK, 24 CN, 55 AU, 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 52.44 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: This was a no-brainer as a single that “features a catchy chorus and a nifty synthesizer lick.” AM There was no chance of anything on Agent Provocateur measuring up to the well-deserved success of the #1 hit “I Want to Know What Love Is” but “That Was Yesterday” is a worthy follow-up. It tread exactly the right ground between the balladry of “I Want to Know” and previous rockers like “Hot Blooded” and “Cold As Ice.” About the only surprise was that the song didn’t make it to the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, stalling at #12.

I Want to Know What Love Is Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones (see lyrics here) Released: single (11/21/1984), Agent Provocateur (1984), The Very Best…and Beyond (compilation, 1992) B-side: “Street Thunder (Marathon Theme)” Peak: 12 BB, 12 BA, 11 CB, 11 GR, 12 RR, 3 AC, 85 RB, 11 AR, 13 UK, 13 CN, 15 AU, 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 2.0 UK, 4.14 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 865.93 video, 1201.14 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Prior to “I Want to Know What Love Is,” Foreigner had never hit #1. They came close – in 1978 “Double Vision” made it to the runner-up spot and “Waiting for a Girl Like You” spent a whopping 10 weeks at #2 in 1981/1982. The latter was a ballad, not the typical fare for a group who’d built its following based on its classic rock hits. It made the group a little leery about releasing the “balladish” “I Want to Know What Love Is.” As guitarist Mick Jones said, “That was the one thing I was sort of dubious about – the fact that people might think we’d gone soft or something.” FB After all, the band had built their reputation on “simple, straight-ahead rock & roll…[with] crunching guitars and lyrics about hot girls.” SS Bassist Rick Wills called the tune “fluffy” and singer Lou Gramm said, “We worried that it might do irreparable damage to our rock image.” FB However, Jones said, that “the song was so strong, and because it was coming out at Christmas, and it had the right kind of mood.” FB Ahmet Ertegun, the head of the band’s label Atlantic, cried when he heard the song. SF Gramm had been “given the best tune of his life.” DM His “soulful lead vocals” AM gave the song a “dreamy, hypnotic feel.” AM Thomas Ryan said, “It is as powerful a single as I have ever heard.” SS Jones was inspired to write “the soul-searching rock ballad” SS after a series of failed relationship. He said, I “was still searching for something that could really endure. It became more of a universal feeling. I adjusted that during the recording of it, and ended up putting a gospel choir on it.” RC The backing vocals from the New Jersey Mass Choir marked the first time a gospel choir appeared on a #1 pop hit. SF The song also featured keyboard work from Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins, and backing vocals from Jennifer Holliday, the star from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. The New Jersey Mass Choir released its own version of the song and hit #37 on the R&B chart. In 1998, Tina Arena recorded the song with an extended bridge written by Jones and it was a hit in Europe. WK In 2004, Wynonna Judd took the song to #14 on the adult contemporary chart; Mariah Carey went to #10 on the same chart in 2009. WK

Growing Up the Hard Way Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones, Lou Gramm Released: single (Europe, September 1985), Agent Provocateur (1984) B-side: “She’s Too Tough” Peak: 9 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.12 streaming About the Song: “Growing Up the Hard Way” was released as the fifth single from Agent Provocateur, although only in Europe. While an argument could be made that all the songs on the album had a certain catchiness, this one still seemed an odd choice for a single in light of other stronger material on the album. The public must have agreed considering the single’s failure to chart.

Reaction to Action Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones, Lou Gramm Released: single (May 1985), Agent Provocateur (1984) B-side: “She’s Too Tough” First Charted: 2/2/1985 Peak: 54 BB, 49 CB, 44 AR, 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.09 streaming About the Song: One of the most puzzling aspects about Agent Provocateur is why it didn’t land three or four top-ten hits at album rock radio. This song, along with “She’s Too Tough” and “Tooth and Nail” seemed tailor-made to the format but “Tooth” and “Reaction” couldn’t even crawl beyond the 40s on the chart and “Tough” wasn’t ever released to radio. AllMusic.com’s Bret Adams didn’t hold back in his negative assessment of “Reaction to Action,” calling it “the epitome of bland, formulaic AOR.” AM

Stranger in My Own House Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones Released: Agent Provocateur (1984) Peak: 20 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.90 streaming

A Love in Vain Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones, Lou Gramm Released: Agent Provocateur (1984) Peak: 31 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.41 streaming

Down on Love Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones, Lou Gramm Released: Agent Provocateur (1984) Peak: 54 DF, 59 CB, 24 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.04 streaming About the Song: After “Reaction to Action,” the third single from Agent Provocateur, failed to reach the top 40, Foreigner returned to a more ballad-oriented song with “Down on Love” for the next single. It features “a pleasant chorus and a warm keyboard melody.” AM Unfortunately, it stalled at #54 just like its predecessor.

Two Different Worlds Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones Released: B-side of “That Was Yesterday” (March 1985), Agent Provocateur (1984) Peak: 23 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.77 streaming

She’s Too Tough Foreigner

Writer(s): Mick Jones, Lou Gramm Released: B-side of “Reaction to Action” (May 1985), B-side of “Growing Up the Hard Way” (September 1985), Agent Provocateur (1984) Peak: 4 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.76 streaming About the Song: To my ears, this song and “Tooth and Nail” were the most obvious songs on Agent Provocateur to be added to Foreigner’s classic rock hits. The gospel-infused “I Want to Know What Love Is” justifiably became the band’s biggest hit, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers had built their career on rockers before finding success with balladry. Therefore it seemed like a song like “She’s Too Tough” was an obvious choice as a potential single to remind audiences that this was a group who knew how to make hit rockers as well. Unfortunately, it was only released as a B-side and never even got a chance to make noise at album rock radio.

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com review by Bret Adams FB Fred Bronson (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 601. RC Rod Couch (2015). The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era: 1955-2015. Pages 263-4. DM Dave Marsh (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. New American Library: New York, NY. Pages 467-8. SF Songfacts page for “I Want to Know What Love Is” SS Steve Sullivan (2013). Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings (Volumes I & II). Scarecrow Press: Lanham, Maryland. Pages 140-1. WK Wikipedia page for Agent Provocateur WK Wikipedia page for “I Want to Know What Love Is” Related DMDB Pages: First posted 9/20/2020; last updated 10/2/2025.