From Wiki: The Police lead singer Sting wrote the song inspired by the prostitutes he saw near the band's seedy hotel in Paris, France, where the Police were lodged in October 1977 to perform at the Nashville Club. The song's title comes from the name of the character in the play Cyrano de Bergerac, an old poster of which was hanging in the hotel foyer.[9] Sting had originally conceived the song as a bossa nova, although he credits Police drummer Stewart Copeland for suggesting its final rhythmic form as a tango. During recording, Sting accidentally sat down on a piano keyboard in the studio, resulting in the atonal piano chord and laughter preserved at the beginning of the track.[10] As a nod to the gaffe, Sting is credited in the liner notes for playing "butt piano."
The Police were a Punk and New Wave band, they were just inspired by Reggae like all the Other Punk Band extract of an interview about So Lonely : "People thrashing out three chords didn't really interest us musically. Reggae was accepted in punk circles and musically more sophisticated, and we could play it, so we veered off in that direction. I mean let's be honest here, 'So Lonely' was unabashedly culled from 'No Woman No Cry' by Bob Marley & The Wailers. Same chorus. What we invented was this thing of going back and forth between thrash punk and reggae. That was the little niche we created for ourselves." - Sting, Revolver 4/2000
@@TJ-Dives Except it isn't. There's a fair bit of music from around that time that was directly influenced by the young musicians of the time growing up in areas with Caribbean communities and hearing that kind of music. The 2-Tone genre of music was born out of it. Sting has openly admitted that it influenced him. No point pretending it didn't happen when it did and we've got the albums to prove it...
Eddie Murphy, "We ain't brother, we ain't partners, and we ain't friends. And if I don't get my money back, you're gonna be sorry you ever met me." Nick Nolte, "I'm already sorry."
I SANG THE REDLIGHT PART OF THIS SONG TO MY 9TH GRADE "SOCIAL STUDIES" TEACHER BACK IN 79' AFTER I FOUND OUT THAT HER NAME WAS "ROXANNE" SHE WASN'T PLEASED 🤷♂️
The albums before Synchronicity are the best. synchronicity is goo but ithey toned things so far down and became just an adult contemporary group except for Synchronicity 2 of course. Synch. 2 is one of their best.
I think it was a mixture of that a little bit, but as she was mentioning when they first paused, that she was really shocked with his voice and how the music sounded. I don't think it was just what the lyrics were about that had her face looking that way. lol
Early Police is very reggae. At least one of their classic hit songs “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” was recorded as a reggae song in the 70s and then again as a pop rock song in the 80s.
Good catch on how "saving" Roxanne is a bad idea. A lot of Police songs are sung from the perspective of someone who does NOT have their shit together. In the late 70s England, basically ska/reggae and punk were all that was on the radio. A label exec flat out told them they were too good on their instruments to make it big.
Stewart Copeland's drumming on this track is a revelation. I read a critic once describe it as "implosive." Sting's iconic vocal is genius, conveying the pain of a poor couple enduring by whatever means necessary. Guitarist Andy Summers turns the traditional reggae guitar back-beat on its head. Fantastic in every respect.
Lead singer Sting wrote "Every Breath You Take" in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and couple years ago he did a Reggae Album with Shaggy "44/876" .The album won an award for Best Reggae Album at the 61st Grammy Awards in February 2019.
Was going to recommend this track also I like a lot of songs by the police but this one is my all time fav by them wrapped around your finger is another good one by them and every breath you take not to mention all of the other ones mentioned on here
Don't underestimate what appears to be simple song writing. There's world class talent among this band, especially Stewart Copeland (drummer) and Andy Summers (guitar)
Try listening to 'So lonely' or 'The bed's too big without you' or' Bring back the night' to see their early great period and their true style. Loved everything by the Police but the drumming is what made it.
Arguably the best 3 piece band of all time...imho....their music is just the best....get down this rabbit hole. Sting as a solo artist is also worth checking out.
Read a funny story once. The Rolling Stones were about to go on stage years ago, a roadie pops his head in and says "The Police are here to see you". Keith flushes a few joints, and in walks Sting and Andy Summers :)
I grew to love this band when I got older even though I was a teenager at there peak.. At 55 I realize how brilliant they were.. Amazing three man band
Tea in the Sahara is one of my favs from them but isn’t necessarily one of their big hits. I guess it’s more of a deep album cut. The story and the whole atmosphere of the song have always been very impactful to me. It’s a sad and melancholy yet beautiful at the same time.
Their "Synchronicity II" is outstanding, in addition to all the other suggestions. They are reggae-influenced especially on "Walking On The Moon" and "Bring On The Night".
I saw sting in Darien Lake. I won the chance to go to the sound check. Sting was incredibly charming and invited people up to sing. One woman, a music teacher came up and sang a duet with him. He quipped that he had been a music teacher but couldn’t afford it, so became “a rockstar instead” and later dedicated the song to “the new friend I made this afternoon”. Classy guy
so many police songs. Message in a Bottle. Driven to Tears. Every Little Thing She Does. Spirits In The Material World. Such a great band. Smart lyrics and incredible musicianship.
nd because even people who know Zeppelin songs don't know... It's pronounced: Djer Make-er Because it was based on the joke.. I took my wife on a vacation. Jamaica?(Did ya make her? Djer Maker? Dyer Makr) No, she came of her own accord!
The Police are the shit! They kinda created their own thing. They're all trained jazz musicians, but kludged in punk and reggae. They have a ton of amazing songs.
Lex totally got it, first listen: Reggae & Jazz were the main influences for the band, in fusing elements of punk and rock. In the 70's there was an explosion of Reggae and Ska influences particularly in London, where the Police were formed. Sting wrote most of the songs, but they were a 3 piece and every member of the group brought something to the arrangement. The drummer, Stewart Copeland is an american who studied percussion from his boyhood, and would meet Sting and the guitar player Andy Summers in London. Stewart's older brother Miles, founded IRS records, which was one of the most influential record companies of the era. IRS signed many influential ska and punk influenced bands: The Go-go's, R.E.M. and Fine Young Cannibals to name a short list of many. With those contacts, and with Miles Copeland managing them, the Police became the best known of the many ska influenced bands of the era. They released 5 albums total, every one of which had giant radio hits on it. Roxanne was from their debut album Outlandos d'Amour. By the time they released their 5th album Synchronicity, they were the biggest band in the world, and then they essentially disbanded, as Sting went solo backed by some of the best known jazz session musicians. The band reunited and did a 30th anniversary tour in 2007-2008, which was quite good, but it is doubtful there will be another one given the tensions between Copeland and Sting.
His Father Would Pass Away When He Was Only 2 Years Old,, DAMIAN MARLEY "STAND A CHANCE"...Bob Would Be So Proud..R.I.P. Bob..One Love For True..Rastafari 🙏 ❤
Roxanne put The Police on the rock map. This song was huge on the radio. Later, Sting became a very successful solo artist and Stewart Copeland, as one of the best drummers ever, became a very successful music producer.
They sooooo many good songs, King Of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger, Synchronicity I and II, Don't Stand So Close To Me, Spirits In A Material World, Everything She Does Is Magic, Invisible Sun, So Lonely, Can't Stand Losing You, Message In A Bottle, Bring On The Night and more
would love to hear what you think of UK SKA from around the same time as this. The Specials, The Beat, The Selector - all a blend of influence including Reggae/dancehall
This is the song that got me into Rock. Me and my cousins and uncles were driving, and one of my cousins sang "roxanne" and then we'd hit the rest. Great memory
Lex you nailed it when you said that you hear hints of reggae and jazz - the lead singer - Sting - was a student of both. Both influenced his singing / songwriting.
You nailed it.The Police were one of the first rock bands to use Reggae rhythms in their songs. Especially on their first two albums. And they did use a lot of jazz chords that were not typical of rock music.
That bit in the beginning when you hear the piano keys and sting laughing.. was a mistake in the recording they left in.. he bumped the piano keys by accident. I love that.. shows they recorded it live in one hit..
I don’t see it. He could be just a regular customer who feels that he always treated her with respect. “I never talked down to you even though you were a prostitute.” Makes more sense than the idea of him talking down to his friend.
REGGAE?! Yes. Reggae got some world recognition when it hit big in Britain simultaneously with Punk. Police was one of those bands that started as punk band and evolved to a reggae influenced band and really spread the reggae music to the rest of the world.
The Police is so great. One of the best bands in the business. Stewart Copeland is one of my favorite drummers of all time.. I tell people The Police is Classic Rock with a Reggae vibe. My personal Fave tracks are : -Spirits In The Material World -When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around -Driven To Tears -Voices Inside My Head -Invisible Sun -Synchronicity I
Kudos to Lex for spotting the reggae influence. Look up "The Bed's Too Big Without You" from Reggatta de Blanc. They really paid their dues with that one.
Lex, you nailed the description of The Police sound. It's a fusion of rock, reggae, and jazz influences. All three of them were very talented musicians in their own right. Stuart Copeland (the drummer) went on to write film scores and he even wrote an opera after the band broke up, and of course Sting (bass player and lead singer) has had a long and very successful solo career since the band broke up.
Sting was formally a saxophone player doing mostly jazz. Early police were considered a mix between rock, reggae, and punk. However, all three members were very accomplished musicians, and sting used a lot of sophisticated keys, scales, and transitions in his compositions.
The genre is Ska, a marriage between punk and reggae. Ska was quite popular during the 80's punk explosion and on into the early 90's. A lot of punk bands experimented with Ska. Bought this album as an import back in '78. The band wrote this song in Paris.
While Sting was on the howard stern show, he told the story of the song but more interesting, the first few seconds of the song. you hear the piano go off sound and then a laugh. That was him bumping into the piano player and then laughing about it. He figured they would stop and start over but they didn’t and it became part of the song. Love this song!
Yas! The police are incredible. Stewart Copeland is an INCREDIBLE drummer. One of the greats.
I just said the same thing I told them to check out Oyster Head
agreed.
Very true Old Guy! I'm not a fan of the band generally but his drumming is always amazing. Message in a Bottle is the best example, I'd say.
@@notkoikoi3159 yeah Message In A Bottle is so upbeat! I also love Spirits In The Material World and Walking On The Moon
Agreed
From Wiki: The Police lead singer Sting wrote the song inspired by the prostitutes he saw near the band's seedy hotel in Paris, France, where the Police were lodged in October 1977 to perform at the Nashville Club. The song's title comes from the name of the character in the play Cyrano de Bergerac, an old poster of which was hanging in the hotel foyer.[9]
Sting had originally conceived the song as a bossa nova, although he credits Police drummer Stewart Copeland for suggesting its final rhythmic form as a tango. During recording, Sting accidentally sat down on a piano keyboard in the studio, resulting in the atonal piano chord and laughter preserved at the beginning of the track.[10] As a nod to the gaffe, Sting is credited in the liner notes for playing "butt piano."
Wow - never knew about the butt piano. I’d always wondered.
Thanks so much for this information!
Prostitutes aren’t seedy 😀
@@jaycutts8054 You are
actually it was Belgium
'Walking on the Moon' is my favorite Police song. They have an impressive discography to choose from.
The drumming is incredible on that track.
Yes
Amazing song
The album title song Regatta de Blanc is my favorite but the whole thing is full of great songs.
That one's my fave as well. Hypnotic vibe & Stewart Copeland showcase
Message in a bottle, dont stand so close to me, sprits in the material world, every little thing she does is magic....these are can’t miss
I would add "Do do do da da da" to that list. Such a fun song.
You can't overlook "Rash Around Your Sphincter."
I also would like to add "King of pain".
I cant even see a rash around my sphincter, without a mirror. Anyways, id see a proctologist if i had one. Lord help me that never happens
Spirits in the Material World and Every Little Thing She Does is Magic are two good ones with a beat.
love it the 7th wave too
Yes and yes!
Spirits in a material world is one of my all time favourite songs! Its off beat melody is unique and so catchy! Got it on vinyl and i LOVE it!
Add "Canary in a Coal Mine" to your list. 😉
Will you be my Girl (Sally)!
Early Police were definitely reggae influenced ( with a hint of jazz). Nice tune and nice pick up on the vibe 👍
bit of punk as well - Strontium 90 had a couple of bangers
Ska reggae... Tail end of punk and a large dose of rock and roll..👍🏼😎
Early early police were punk and reggae influenced
The Police were a Punk and New Wave band, they were just inspired by Reggae like all the Other Punk Band extract of an interview about So Lonely :
"People thrashing out three chords didn't really interest us musically. Reggae was accepted in punk circles and musically more sophisticated, and we could play it, so we veered off in that direction. I mean let's be honest here, 'So Lonely' was unabashedly culled from 'No Woman No Cry' by Bob Marley & The Wailers. Same chorus. What we invented was this thing of going back and forth between thrash punk and reggae. That was the little niche we created for ourselves."
- Sting, Revolver 4/2000
Ska preceded reggae and is the style of this song.
The seventies and eighties were highly inspired by the Jamaican culture in the UK ,and thank god for it.
@@TJ-Dives Except it isn't. There's a fair bit of music from around that time that was directly influenced by the young musicians of the time growing up in areas with Caribbean communities and hearing that kind of music. The 2-Tone genre of music was born out of it. Sting has openly admitted that it influenced him. No point pretending it didn't happen when it did and we've got the albums to prove it...
Well, it's pretty obvious that Brad and Lex have never seen the movie "48 Hours".
i literally can't hear this without picturing eddie murphy lol.
There's a new sheriff in town and his name is Reggie Hammond.
Still love that movie!
One of my favorite movie scenes ever
Eddie Murphy, "We ain't brother, we ain't partners, and we ain't friends. And if I don't get my money back, you're gonna be sorry you ever met me."
Nick Nolte, "I'm already sorry."
Me neither
I SANG THE REDLIGHT PART OF THIS SONG TO MY 9TH GRADE "SOCIAL STUDIES" TEACHER BACK IN 79' AFTER I FOUND OUT THAT HER NAME WAS "ROXANNE"
SHE WASN'T PLEASED 🤷♂️
Doh!!!
that literally made me laugh out loud - not joking highlight of my day
So so sad.
So so sad that I could only give 1 thumbs up. :-)
Maybe you should have changed the lyrics to the "You don't have to bring out the red pen" lol
hahah fuckin ballin since the 70s.
Rooooxxxxxxaaaannnneeeee, this is the fucken jam when in the groove at work
This was one of their very best songs...next "So Lonely" please!
Yes! “So Lonely” is a banger!
Years! That's probably my favorite song by The Police.
Walking on the moon
So Lonely is great.
The albums before Synchronicity are the best. synchronicity is goo but ithey toned things so far down and became just an adult contemporary group except for Synchronicity 2 of course. Synch. 2 is one of their best.
Spirits in the Material World...A must!
Lex's facial expressions as she finds out Roxanne's profession was pure entertainment. It's hard to imagine it getting any better.
I think it was a mixture of that a little bit, but as she was mentioning when they first paused, that she was really shocked with his voice and how the music sounded. I don't think it was just what the lyrics were about that had her face looking that way. lol
"Message in a Bottle" is a better example of the Police's musical talent. As is "Synchronicity II".
Walking on the Moon is a great one
If you liked this check out the Police "Don't Stand So Close to Me" and "Every Thing She Does is Magic." For some solo Sting, try "Desert Rose."
No. Shape of My Heart and Fields of Gold are both exponentially better than Desert Rose
@@mikethemotormouth I mean, its not like they can't listen to multiple songs, but sure, I'll concede that Fields of Gold is a more iconic pick.
Early Police is very reggae.
At least one of their classic hit songs “Don’t Stand So Close To Me” was recorded as a reggae song in the 70s and then again as a pop rock song in the 80s.
EARLY POLICE ????...Bahahahahaaaa.......they only put out 3 albums in 5 years and thats ''It Man ''
@@fasteddie777666 Five albums.
Good catch on how "saving" Roxanne is a bad idea. A lot of Police songs are sung from the perspective of someone who does NOT have their shit together.
In the late 70s England, basically ska/reggae and punk were all that was on the radio. A label exec flat out told them they were too good on their instruments to make it big.
WALKING ON THE MOON IS A GREAT SONG
Stewart Copeland's drumming on this track is a revelation. I read a critic once describe it as "implosive." Sting's iconic vocal is genius, conveying the pain of a poor couple enduring by whatever means necessary. Guitarist Andy Summers turns the traditional reggae guitar back-beat on its head. Fantastic in every respect.
I love that look on Lex's face when she realizes what the song is about LOL
Police and Duran Duran is my 80's British bands forever, they give that awesome mood what you feel.
Whenever I hear this song, I hear Eddie Murphy in my head. Ya know?
For me I think of THAT Community episode!
Rooooxaaneee
@@matinmirnaghibi5846 No!
Nope
Another 48hrs 👌
Lead singer Sting wrote "Every Breath You Take" in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and couple years ago he did a Reggae Album with Shaggy "44/876" .The album won an award for Best Reggae Album at the 61st Grammy Awards in February 2019.
I can't believe how much crap Shaggy cops saying he was a flash in the pan but all these years later he is still winning Grammys
KING OF PAIN - POlice Next guys its a very good song and emotional
Was going to recommend this track also I like a lot of songs by the police but this one is my all time fav by them wrapped around your finger is another good one by them and every breath you take not to mention all of the other ones mentioned on here
@@gilbertcourchesne1001 yeah there also good too
Don't underestimate what appears to be simple song writing. There's world class talent among this band, especially Stewart Copeland (drummer) and Andy Summers (guitar)
Simble doesnt correlate necessarily to bad.
@@okdude8215 that's what I stated.
@@eumaeus thats what i also stated.
Try listening to 'So lonely' or 'The bed's too big without you' or' Bring back the night' to see their early great period and their true style. Loved everything by the Police but the drumming is what made it.
So lonely. That's the one.
Arguably the best 3 piece band of all time...imho....their music is just the best....get down this rabbit hole. Sting as a solo artist is also worth checking out.
"Message in a Bottle" and "Can't Stand Losing"
The most tragic love song ever written... the girl he shouldn't want and will never get
Message in a Bottle, So Lonely, Murder by Numbers… all three super solid songs with beastly rhythms and melodies.
Read a funny story once. The Rolling Stones were about to go on stage years ago, a roadie pops his head in and says "The Police are here to see you". Keith flushes a few joints, and in walks Sting and Andy Summers :)
Yess. When I used to drink and this song would come on my buddies and I would try to sip our beer every time they said Roxanne. Good stuff
ROOOOOOXANNNE! we use to run around singing this in the 80s...
There's an entire Police tribute album full of true reggae artists. It's called Reggatta Mondatta. Aswad did Roxanne on that album.
Will need to do “Beds Too Big Without You” from the Police.
I grew to love this band when I got older even though I was a teenager at there peak.. At 55 I realize how brilliant they were.. Amazing three man band
Stewart Copeland is one of my fav all time drummers. The early albums of this band are badass.
Saw these guys in Toronto Live with my dad in Toronto. Amazing performance! will never forget it!
Please try "Walking on the moon" or "Every thing she does is magic".
You can just imagine the drinking game that goes with this song?
Tea in the Sahara is one of my favs from them but isn’t necessarily one of their big hits. I guess it’s more of a deep album cut. The story and the whole atmosphere of the song have always been very impactful to me. It’s a sad and melancholy yet beautiful at the same time.
Their "Synchronicity II" is outstanding, in addition to all the other suggestions. They are reggae-influenced especially on "Walking On The Moon" and "Bring On The Night".
amazing song maybe my favorite song from them (talking about syncronicity II)
"I Can't Stand Losing You" is another great one from this band!
Also, start thinking about Violent Femmes, guys...
I saw sting in Darien Lake. I won the chance to go to the sound check. Sting was incredibly charming and invited people up to sing. One woman, a music teacher came up and sang a duet with him. He quipped that he had been a music teacher but couldn’t afford it, so became “a rockstar instead” and later dedicated the song to “the new friend I made this afternoon”.
Classy guy
Lex is hitting on the fusion aspect. They are rooted in jazz and actually came from the punk music scene. Great band.
so many police songs. Message in a Bottle. Driven to Tears. Every Little Thing She Does. Spirits In The Material World. Such a great band. Smart lyrics and incredible musicianship.
The Police were very influenced by the Reggae scene in London, along with the punk scene. They blended them together to get their own sound.
punks that could really play instroments lol
The Police were one of many punk bands who went to Jamaica to learn reggae rifs etc.
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic is so fun!
"Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" has a very Caribbean influence. Check it out.
God bless the genious at the drums, Stewart Copeland absolute master.
Led Zeppelin has a kinda reggae song called “D’yer Mak’er”. Quite cool
nd because even people who know Zeppelin songs don't know...
It's pronounced:
Djer Make-er
Because it was based on the joke..
I took my wife on a vacation.
Jamaica?(Did ya make her? Djer Maker? Dyer Makr)
No, she came of her own accord!
@@seantimmons5900 Ok bro
We used to play a brutal drinking game to this "Two teams, Team Roxanne and Team Redlight, you had to drink everytime you heard your word, good times.
The Police are the shit! They kinda created their own thing. They're all trained jazz musicians, but kludged in punk and reggae. They have a ton of amazing songs.
Lex totally got it, first listen: Reggae & Jazz were the main influences for the band, in fusing elements of punk and rock. In the 70's there was an explosion of Reggae and Ska influences particularly in London, where the Police were formed. Sting wrote most of the songs, but they were a 3 piece and every member of the group brought something to the arrangement. The drummer, Stewart Copeland is an american who studied percussion from his boyhood, and would meet Sting and the guitar player Andy Summers in London. Stewart's older brother Miles, founded IRS records, which was one of the most influential record companies of the era. IRS signed many influential ska and punk influenced bands: The Go-go's, R.E.M. and Fine Young Cannibals to name a short list of many. With those contacts, and with Miles Copeland managing them, the Police became the best known of the many ska influenced bands of the era. They released 5 albums total, every one of which had giant radio hits on it. Roxanne was from their debut album Outlandos d'Amour. By the time they released their 5th album Synchronicity, they were the biggest band in the world, and then they essentially disbanded, as Sting went solo backed by some of the best known jazz session musicians. The band reunited and did a 30th anniversary tour in 2007-2008, which was quite good, but it is doubtful there will be another one given the tensions between Copeland and Sting.
His Father Would Pass Away When He Was Only 2 Years Old,, DAMIAN MARLEY "STAND A CHANCE"...Bob Would Be So Proud..R.I.P. Bob..One Love For True..Rastafari 🙏 ❤
Roxanne put The Police on the rock map. This song was huge on the radio. Later, Sting became a very successful solo artist and Stewart Copeland, as one of the best drummers ever, became a very successful music producer.
Reggae had a huge scene in London mid 70's with the punk rockers.
They sooooo many good songs, King Of Pain, Wrapped Around Your Finger, Synchronicity I and II, Don't Stand So Close To Me, Spirits In A Material World, Everything She Does Is Magic, Invisible Sun, So Lonely, Can't Stand Losing You, Message In A Bottle, Bring On The Night and more
The Police always incorporated reggae into their sound.
would love to hear what you think of UK SKA from around the same time as this. The Specials, The Beat, The Selector - all a blend of influence including Reggae/dancehall
Fun Boy Three, Bad Manners, Madness,..
It's a drinking game too. 1 drinks on 'Roxanne', the other on 'put on the red light'. Have fun!
If you liked them like this, definitely check out "Walking on the Moon".
This is the song that got me into Rock. Me and my cousins and uncles were driving, and one of my cousins sang "roxanne" and then we'd hit the rest. Great memory
The look of shock on the girls face was hysterical! ❤️
Lex you nailed it when you said that you hear hints of reggae and jazz - the lead singer - Sting - was a student of both. Both influenced his singing / songwriting.
Don't Stand So Close to Me, Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon, Spirits in the Material World... So many good ones!
this song was inspired by sting in Germany where they stayed above a brothel, that was their accommodations while performing in Germany!
Walking on the Moon, Wrapped Around Your Finger, King of Pain, Spirits in the Material World, Driven to Tears are also great Police tracks
Check out Eddie Murphy's version of this song in the movie, "48 Hours." Oh, and you'll love the movie too.
The Police had lots of hits in the 80s. They were big, like stadium tours big.
Like sweep-the-grammys big.
@@elbruces Like 17 weeks atop the US album chart big.
They had many musical influences. They are one of the greatest bands to come out of the late 70's.
Brits as usual.
You nailed it.The Police were one of the first rock bands to use Reggae rhythms in their songs. Especially on their first two albums. And they did use a lot of jazz chords that were not typical of rock music.
All's I can hear is Eddie Murphy
ROXANNE !
The Police were called Punk and New wave and a couple other words 😲
Lex's face. priceless. That's the first song by The Police i ever heard.
That bit in the beginning when you hear the piano keys and sting laughing.. was a mistake in the recording they left in.. he bumped the piano keys by accident. I love that.. shows they recorded it live in one hit..
My all time favorite band! Stewart Copeland, Andy Summers, and Sting great trio!
The Police have a lot of cool songs. I like Walking on the Moon, The Bed's Too Big Without You, Synchronicity.
More Police please! ❤️
The Police were very reggae-inspired but still original. Great musicians and terrific songwriting.
You gotta do Walking on the moon next. it's got that sound your talking about.the police are fire!
They have a past "Ever since I knew ya, I'd never talk down to ya." so he was not a customer, but a friend.
I don’t see it. He could be just a regular customer who feels that he always treated her with respect. “I never talked down to you even though you were a prostitute.” Makes more sense than the idea of him talking down to his friend.
The Police were a mixture of rock and reggae, you can really hear it in Roxanne and Don't Stand So Close To Me, especially.
The Police were a great band, so many different flavours in there. They played a lot of punk clubs when they were starting
REGGAE?! Yes. Reggae got some world recognition when it hit big in Britain simultaneously with Punk. Police was one of those bands that started as punk band and evolved to a reggae influenced band and really spread the reggae music to the rest of the world.
The Police is so great. One of the best bands in the business. Stewart Copeland is one of my favorite drummers of all time.. I tell people The Police is Classic Rock with a Reggae vibe.
My personal Fave tracks are :
-Spirits In The Material World
-When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around
-Driven To Tears
-Voices Inside My Head
-Invisible Sun
-Synchronicity I
I can't stand losing, walking on the moon,message in a bottle, wrapped around your finger, synchronicity, all great songs to react to👍
2:04 I love watching your eyes going into sparkle mode 😍
If Brad doesn't get this song, I give up.
the "deep in thought" look again!
Lol
He always looks constipated when he tries to figure out the lyrics.
Kudos to Lex for spotting the reggae influence. Look up "The Bed's Too Big Without You" from Reggatta de Blanc. They really paid their dues with that one.
Check out Sheila Hylton's cover version.
"Every little thing she does is magic" should be an obligation of "The Police" ;)
And there is many more - of course mentioned a lot by the others.
Do "message in a bottle" by the police. Their drummer is awesome, Stewart Copeland
As a teen I didn't pick up on the Reggae influence in this song until years later when I knew more about music.
Lex, you nailed the description of The Police sound. It's a fusion of rock, reggae, and jazz influences. All three of them were very talented musicians in their own right. Stuart Copeland (the drummer) went on to write film scores and he even wrote an opera after the band broke up, and of course Sting (bass player and lead singer) has had a long and very successful solo career since the band broke up.
Sting was formally a saxophone player doing mostly jazz. Early police were considered a mix between rock, reggae, and punk. However, all three members were very accomplished musicians, and sting used a lot of sophisticated keys, scales, and transitions in his compositions.
Brings me back to my youth...wearing a Sony Walkman Police Greatest hits tape.
Sting and the police have some amazing songs, Desert rose is an amazing solo venture featuring another artist that is phenomenal.
The genre is Ska, a marriage between punk and reggae. Ska was quite popular during the 80's punk explosion and on into the early 90's. A lot of punk bands experimented with Ska. Bought this album as an import back in '78. The band wrote this song in Paris.
I. Love. This. Song. Sting was the lead for the Police. Dude and dudette you have made me very happy playing this!
While Sting was on the howard stern show, he told the story of the song but more interesting, the first few seconds of the song. you hear the piano go off sound and then a laugh. That was him bumping into the piano player and then laughing about it. He figured they would stop and start over but they didn’t and it became part of the song. Love this song!