Music for Private Investigators

Screencap from the music video for Beastie Boys' "Sabotage"

While performing surveillance, private investigators can sometimes find themselves in down times while waiting for their subject to appear. Some pass the time by listening to audio books, others by listening to talk radio, but music can often be the most common choice for auditory entertainment. And why not? Music has been known not only to make time pass quicker, but also to affect the mood of those who are listening. 

A song can motivate a person to work out; a song can create the ambience of a romantic night for a couple; and classical music is said to aid students while studying for tests.

But what about private investigators? The following is a soundtrack for the private investigator. Whether it's a P.I. sitting in a sweltering hot vehicle on a summer day, or sitting behind a computer screen, attempting to find the one tidbit of information that could make or break their client's case, the following songs could help set the tone of their day and bring them a little enjoyment.

1. Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me" - Released in 1984, this song nearly hit number one on the music charts in the United States, only if it weren't for Van Halen's "Jump". It shouldn't be a huge surprise this song did so well. It was released by the Motown label and written and performed by Kennedy "Rockwell" Gordy, son of Motown's founder, Berry. 

2. Daryl Hall & John Oates "Private Eyes" - Released in 1981, this song may feature a cheesy music video featuring the band dressed in trench coats, but it was number one on the charts for two weeks. This song also featured G.E. Smith as the lead guitarist, known for being the music director and lead guitarist for the Saturday Night Live Band for a decade. 

3. Police "Every Breath You Take" - The biggest hit of 1983 and the only number one hit on Billboard's Hot 100 chart that the Police ever had. Even Sting has used the word surveillance in reference to this song, albeit it, in a more sinister matter than some fans took it. 

4. Peggy March "I Will Follow Him" - On the surface, this 1963 pop song seems more love song than anything else, but it's more than that. The main character of the song is determined to follow her subject known as "him" anywhere he goes. What may be a little disturbing is that this song was sung by a 15-year-old, making Peggy March the youngest female artist to have a chart-topping hit in America.

5. Dire Straits "Private Investigations" - This 1982 release was a number one hit...in the Netherlands. It's not a fast paced song, but it was inspired by Raymond Chandler's novels, so it makes this list.

6. The Coasters "Searchin'" - This 1957 hit is a song about a man searching for a woman. Not only is the topic private investigator relevant, it also mentions Sherlock Holmes and Sam Spade with the lyrics. This song has also been covered many times by bands such as The Beatles all the way to the Muppets (not really a band, but still).

7. U2 "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - Okay, so maybe not the best title for a successful private investigator. Still, this 1987 release received two Grammy nominations and does have the repetitive title line that will be long stuck in your head past the end of the song. Now, if you could only get that annoying U2 album off of your iPhone. 

8. Foo Fighters "All My Life" - This 2002 Grammy Award winning song is about a person is so close to finding something. He's so close that he knows what he is looking for is just right there, almost within his reach. 

9. Beastie Boys "Sabotage" - This 1994 song featured one of the better music videos of all-time. The Beastie Boys parodied 1970's police detective television shows and the lyrics featured a screaming singer determined to find the answers despite someone working against him.

10. No Doubt "Detective" - This 2001 song was not released as a single by No Doubt, but it did feature someone who plays detective to find that the significant other may be cheating on them.