I have always wanted to be a secret agent. As a kid, I used to write lengthy stories about being a kid spy (because who would suspect a kid?) long before movies like Spy Kids came into the picture. If Spongebob has any competition as my favorite show of all time, it’s with Alias. The outfits, the intrigue…the music.

So when I started to put together a playlist for this trip to Budapest and Vienna, I couldn’t really get my mind around it. I keep thinking of these locations as exotic backdrops for spy doings. I had trouble packing, too. Just couldn’t imagine hot weather and sunshine when I imagine leather and turtlenecks. So somehow my trip playlist turned into a sort of espionage playlist, and before I knew it I had a 3 volume soundtrack for my imaginary life as a spy.

So we’re headed to the airport in about 5 minutes, but I thought I’d post my playlists before I go.

My Spy Soundtrack Vol. I: Stealth Moves You Can Dance To
Smack My B***h Up-Prodigy
Rockafellar Skank-Fatboy Slim
That’s Not My Name-The Ting Tings
Sinnerman (Felix Da Housecat’s Heavenly House Extended Vocal Mix)-Nina Simone
Stronger-Kanye West
Jump-Flo Rida feat. Nelly Furtado
Bust a Move-Young MC
I Gotta Feeling-Black Eyed Peas
Love Stoned/I Think She Knows (Tiesto Remix)-Justin Timberlake
Don’t Stop the Music-Rihanna
Maneater-Nelly Furtado
Fear (Hybrid’s Super Collider Mix)-Sarah McLachlan (from Remixed)
Punk-Ferry Corsten
Every You Every Me-Placebo
Starry Eyed Surprise-Paul Oakenfold
Hold On I’m Coming-Sam and Dave
9 to 5-Dolly Parton
F**k You-Lily Allen
Lovegame-Lady GaGa

My Spy Soundtrack Vol. II: In the Rain
Off I Go-Greg Laswell
In This World-Moby
One-Mary J. Blige and U2
Breathe Me-Sia
The Funeral-Band of Horses
I Will Follow You into the Dark-Death Cab for Cutie
Turn and Turn Again-All Thieves
Stop and Stare-OneRepublic
Mad World-Michael Andrews and Gary Jules (from Donnie Darko)
Let Me-Mary Bragg
All At Once-Jack Johnson
Kingdom Come-Coldplay
Let Go-Frou Frou
1973 (Acoustic)-James Blunt
Slow Dancing in a Burning Room-John Mayer
It Ain’t Me Babe-Bob Dylan
Stand By Me-Ben E King
Ain’t No Sunshine-Bill Withers
Angel-Sarah McLachlan
Sure Looks Good To Me-Alicia Keys
Halo-Beyonce

My Spy Soundtrack Vol. III: The Life
Extreme Ways-Moby
Crazy (James Michaels Mix-Alanis Morissette’s cover of Seal’s classic
Jesus Walks-Kanye West
Get By-Talib Kweli
Say It Right-Nelly Furtado
In the Air Tonight-Phil Collins
Die Another Day-Madonna
Pride-Syntax
Open Your Eyes-Snow Patrol
Fix You-Coldplay
Ultraviolet-U2
Dare You to Move-Switchfoot
Viva la Vida-Coldplay
Everything-DJ Tiesto
Hope-Above and Beyond
On a Good Day-Oceanlab