Even by his own high standards, this is the best version of Roxanne ever. Sting is mesmerising, just totally singing his heart out. Incredible vocal. No ego, just sonically perfect.
this video is in a higher key, search another video, this channel posted this and message in a bottle with a higher key, not the original key, idk why but they did post it like that
I was there for this performance, live in London in 1981, only a few hundred of us there. The video, as great as it is, does not do it justice. I do not recall the guitar at all. Maybe it was there, but I think it was just acoustic for us in the audience. All I recall is his voice. Most incredible performance I ever witnessed.
What an amazing story! I’ve always wondered who owned the original recording and why it was never available digitally. The radio jocks at 2JJJ in Sydney always played this version in the 80s and at some stage I found a torrented MP3 of it online. Long lost on some old hard drive. I never saw the Police live but did see Sting on the Dream of the Blue Tutles tour in Sydney in April 1986 and it blew us away. I’ve never seen a more impressive set of musicians in a pop/rock type concert.
This is the only version for me - it’s the one I grew up with. I do not understand why this version of Roxanne is so hard to find, it is the purest, most affecting version of this song. Thank you so much for keeping it alive!
you are completely right, it's so rare to find the secret policeman's other ball album, at ;least on MP3, and indeed it's a great version. i like it better than the others
Yes my favorite version by far. Lots of reverb, lots of emotion, quirky but catchy song. All the notes are there (very difficult song to sing). This is the definition of 'killing it'.
Sting= Born in October 1951.. So he is 30 years old here! Can anyone relate to when you turned 30 yrs. Young,,, could you Play and Sing with that confidence and talent at 30!! Exeptional!
A music god of the highest order. HIs voice is ecstasy. I'm been listening to this version for decades! Spectacular performance and RED HOT ending!! 🥵🥵🥵♨♨♨
Cuando tenía sólo 13 años escuché por primera vez esta versión junto con Message in a bottle (1983). Fue en los especiales de media noche en radio Concierto de Chile (94.1). Lo habían promocionado durante el día así que grabé en cassette todo el especial. Aún lo tengo guardado y años después volví a escucharlo remasterizado. No hay versión que la iguale; quedó plasmada en mis oidos hasta el fin de los tiempos.
Literally just watched him perform this in Manheim on the Ukraine Stop War tour (on RUclips of course) and....this 1981 version is, as most comments below allude to, the GOAT. Fast forward to 2022, 41 years later, and... the magic is gone. This is no way meant as a slur, I have been his biggest fan since I first heard Walking On The Moon on TOTPs 1979, it's just kinda sad to listen to in comparison, that's all. The man is a living ledge...he's done it all an unfathomable number of times and is still going strong, just a little less Sting-like. But at least he did, for many-a-year, sound like he'd just fallen from Heaven as he does here. From the King of Pain to the pain of kings. X
Yeah. He’s fallen to self-parody and self-congratulatory performances. But we have this to remember just how potent he was. He’s still a fantastic musician, but he’s like 70 years old! A lot of his energy was pure testosterone and we all lose that with time. A master.
Of course it would be gone. Geez mate, give him a break. He's 72 now. I know you didn't mean it as a slur, but no vocalist can replicate what they did 40 or so years ago
I don't recall if Roxanne was one of the Symphonicities Live In Berlin songs he did , but I know the Symphonicities version of Roxanne is understated and absolutely gorgeous. For a long time the studio version bored me to tears. Than I heard the Symphonic version and fell in love all over again. I think this live version from '81 and the Symphonic version decades later re great bookends to this classic song. Vibrant youth contrasting with a sobering maturity.
The fascinating thing about this song is not just that he's singing about a prostitute but the psychology of the boy's perspective of being in love with an unattainable girl who, in all probability, will never care at all about him, as he tries to take the prostitute out of the woman. This song is unusual on many levels. It should be a landmark of child or adolescent or even adult, male psychology.
Al fin lo encontré,en video,siempre estos dos temas( Roxanne, y message in a bottle)en audio , antiguo,q" buena presentación en esta versión,gran banda THE POLICE,la mejor
What's wrong with the guitar playing? It's not easy to play Roxanne or the other song he played at this gig, Message in a Bottle, and sing at the same time, solo, particularly as the guitar parts in Police songs often have unusual chords and timing thanks to Andy Summers. Yet Sting is spot on with the vocals, the chords and dynamics, that is, the moments of intensity and quieter moments he wants to bring to the songs . It's a hell of a performance.
Even by his own high standards, this is the best version of Roxanne ever. Sting is mesmerising, just totally singing his heart out. Incredible vocal. No ego, just sonically perfect.
word
this video is in a higher key, search another video, this channel posted this and message in a bottle with a higher key, not the original key, idk why but they did post it like that
This was my introduction to Sting and the police a million years ago. Still have the vinyl, the best version
I was there for this performance, live in London in 1981, only a few hundred of us there. The video, as great as it is, does not do it justice. I do not recall the guitar at all. Maybe it was there, but I think it was just acoustic for us in the audience. All I recall is his voice. Most incredible performance I ever witnessed.
What an amazing story! I’ve always wondered who owned the original recording and why it was never available digitally. The radio jocks at 2JJJ in Sydney always played this version in the 80s and at some stage I found a torrented MP3 of it online. Long lost on some old hard drive.
I never saw the Police live but did see Sting on the Dream of the Blue Tutles tour in Sydney in April 1986 and it blew us away. I’ve never seen a more impressive set of musicians in a pop/rock type concert.
Yeah, this is it...Sting at the height of his powers. Pure class. A true artist.
This is the only version for me - it’s the one I grew up with. I do not understand why this version of Roxanne is so hard to find, it is the purest, most affecting version of this song. Thank you so much for keeping it alive!
you are completely right, it's so rare to find the secret policeman's other ball album, at ;least on MP3, and indeed it's a great version. i like it better than the others
Gracias x subirlo desde el callao peru saludos
It’s on the live album , secret policeman’s other ball
YES! This Live Sting solo... It's the Ultimate! He's what... 28. 30 years old?? He's a kid.... Excellente'
Well, the reggae vibe with the band really adds
Hey kids, look… no autotune, no dancers, no backing tracks! Just vocals and guitar and supreme talent..
Only lots of echo and reverb! 😂
@@_6079SMITH I mean echo and reverb are not auto tune but help anyway.
Yes my favorite version by far. Lots of reverb, lots of emotion, quirky but catchy song. All the notes are there (very difficult song to sing). This is the definition of 'killing it'.
Sting= Born in October 1951.. So he is 30 years old here! Can anyone relate to when you turned 30 yrs. Young,,, could you Play and Sing with that confidence and talent at 30!! Exeptional!
A music god of the highest order. HIs voice is ecstasy. I'm been listening to this version for decades! Spectacular performance and RED HOT ending!! 🥵🥵🥵♨♨♨
He blew minds off with Roxanne and Message that night, epic.
Last heard this almost 30 years ago on Capital Radio 194m on the Medium Wave.
Para mí, la mejor version de esta grandiosa cancion
The best version of this song
Absolutely brilliant
The man is a god.
Está versión de roxanne y message son las mejores que escuche de sting
Cuando tenía sólo 13 años escuché por primera vez esta versión junto con Message in a bottle (1983). Fue en los especiales de media noche en radio Concierto de Chile (94.1). Lo habían promocionado durante el día así que grabé en cassette todo el especial. Aún lo tengo guardado y años después volví a escucharlo remasterizado. No hay versión que la iguale; quedó plasmada en mis oidos hasta el fin de los tiempos.
Brilliant performance
Too cool. Thanks.
Thank You!
Literally just watched him perform this in Manheim on the Ukraine Stop War tour (on RUclips of course) and....this 1981 version is, as most comments below allude to, the GOAT. Fast forward to 2022, 41 years later, and... the magic is gone. This is no way meant as a slur, I have been his biggest fan since I first heard Walking On The Moon on TOTPs 1979, it's just kinda sad to listen to in comparison, that's all. The man is a living ledge...he's done it all an unfathomable number of times and is still going strong, just a little less Sting-like. But at least he did, for many-a-year, sound like he'd just fallen from Heaven as he does here. From the King of Pain to the pain of kings. X
Yeah. He’s fallen to self-parody and self-congratulatory performances. But we have this to remember just how potent he was. He’s still a fantastic musician, but he’s like 70 years old! A lot of his energy was pure testosterone and we all lose that with time. A master.
Of course it would be gone. Geez mate, give him a break. He's 72 now. I know you didn't mean it as a slur, but no vocalist can replicate what they did 40 or so years ago
@@GayleClark-cl6nl Geez mate, give him a break. Who are you - his wife? Say something of interest or STFU
@@GayleClark-cl6nlpeter gabriel might
I don't recall if Roxanne was one of the Symphonicities Live In Berlin songs he did , but I know the Symphonicities version of Roxanne is understated and absolutely gorgeous. For a long time the studio version bored me to tears. Than I heard the Symphonic version and fell in love all over again. I think this live version from '81 and the Symphonic version decades later re great bookends to this classic song. Vibrant youth contrasting with a sobering maturity.
a solo version that brings out the song's cheeky pathos.
Simply the best.
Omg! It is a Tango piece!
Gracias x subirlo callao peru
The fascinating thing about this song is not just that he's singing about a prostitute but the psychology of the boy's perspective of being in love with an unattainable girl who, in all probability, will never care at all about him, as he tries to take the prostitute out of the woman. This song is unusual on many levels. It should be a landmark of child or adolescent or even adult, male psychology.
Beautifully written.
💯🎶🎵😁❤️
Que gran rola
Sting qui è fantascientifico!!!!!!!!!!
why were the first few seconds where he sings "Roxanne" deleted? and honestly instead we get this pointless little VCR thing in the beginning
well it was recorded in vhs so he might notve recorded the beginning, theres a full version on yt tho
When he uploaded this video he had the volume turned way down!!
Sting sometimes is the british bob dylan
Mmmmm
Totally
Al fin lo encontré,en video,siempre estos dos temas( Roxanne, y message in a bottle)en audio , antiguo,q" buena presentación en esta versión,gran banda THE POLICE,la mejor
Chorus, flanger or phaser?
Reverb
Plus echo
Sounds like a flanger and some delay in the guitar.
The police were brilliant but sting was outstanding.
Heard this on pirate radio, already a huge Police fan, bought this album as soon as I could. Shame sting is such a twat.
That's just a ridiculous voice. Goodness me, the man was gifted, no doubt
Most incredible voice. The guitar sounds like crap.
Amazing songwriter but not exactly Hendrix lol.
Perhaps,… but could Jimi really lay it down like this? all by himself? Just a voice a song and a guitar? I don't think so
@@mikelandis3218 Agreed
no cause Jimi wasn't a great singer 😂
What's wrong with the guitar playing? It's not easy to play Roxanne or the other song he played at this gig, Message in a Bottle, and sing at the same time, solo, particularly as the guitar parts in Police songs often have unusual chords and timing thanks to Andy Summers. Yet Sting is spot on with the vocals, the chords and dynamics, that is, the moments of intensity and quieter moments he wants to bring to the songs . It's a hell of a performance.
Who needs to play like Hendrix for a song like this, absolutely nonsense.