The Police: A Retrospective (1977-1986)

The Police A Retrospective: 1977-1986

Overview: Formed: 1977 Where: Newcastle, England Disbanded: 1986 Reunited: 2007-08 tour “Nominally, the Police were punk rock, but…only in the loosest sense of the term. The trio’s nervous, reggae-injected pop/rock was punky, but it wasn’t necessarily punk.” A-P “The Police brought bristling energy and musical sophistication to the New Wave movement. They were among the first post-punk success stories, applying the succinct and speedy strictures of that genre to more challenging material that appealed to listeners of all ages and musical persuasions.” RH “All three members were considerably more technically proficient than the average punk or new wave band. Andy Summers had a precise guitar attack that created dense, interlocking waves of sounds and effects. Stewart Copeland could play polyrhythms effortlessly. And Sting, with his high, keening voice, was capable of constructing infectiously catchy pop songs. While they weren’t punk, the Police certainly demonstrated that the punk spirit could have a future in pop music.” A-P “On the punk-rock scene, too much musical acumen was almost a liability, but the Police compensated for their abundant chops by adopting a stripped-down sound. Their original songs were short and concise, and their lean, uncluttered approach disciplined them in beneficial ways.” RH “As their career progressed, the Police grew considerably more adventurous, experimenting with jazz and various world musics. All the while, the band’s tight delivery and mastery of the pop single kept their audience increasing, and by 1983, they were the most popular rock & roll band in the world.” A-P Though they were at the height of their fame, internal tensions caused the band to splinter apart in 1984, with Sting picking up the majority of the band’s audience to become an international superstar” A-P and “viable solo artist, one obsessed with expanding the boundaries of pop music. Sting incorporated heavy elements of jazz, classical, and worldbeat into his music, writing lyrics that were literate and self-consciously meaningful, and he was never afraid to emphasize this fact in the press. For such unabashed ambition, he was equally loved and reviled, with supporters believing that he was at the forefront of literate, intelligent rock and his critics finding his entire body of work pompous. Either way, Sting remained one of pop’s biggest superstars for the first ten years of his solo career, before his record sales began to slip.” A-S The Beginnings (The Police): Bassist Gordon Sumner (aka Sting) and drummer Stewart Copeland formed the Police in 1977. Sting, who got his nickname because of a black-and-yellow jersey he wore, used to be a teach and ditch digger while also playing in jazz-rock bands on the side. One of those was a group called Last Exit. Copeland grew up in the Middle East where his father was a CIA field officer. He attended college in California before moving to England, where he played with a progressive-rock band called Curved Air. Sting was living in Newcastle, England in 1976 when Copeland met him at a local jazz club. They formed a progressive-pop band with Corsican guitarist Henri Padovani. They gigged at local London pubs for a few months as the Police – a name which Copeland had already come up with. RH When they were hired to be a bleached-blonde punk band in a commercial for chewing gum, they got exposure but drew the scorn of genuine punk rockers. A-P Still, the look gave the group “an aura of New Wave hipness that intimated they were younger than they really were.” RH In 1977, the trio recorded its first single, Fall Out, for the indie-label IRS, which Copeland founded with his brother Miles (who also managed the Police). It sold 70,000 copies, which was a big hit for an independent release. A-P Padovani was replaced by guitarist Andy Summers. He was nearly a decade older than his bandmates and had played with Neil Sedaka, as well as “rhythm & blues (Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band), psychedelic rock (Eric Burdon and the Animals) and progressive rock (Soft Machine, Kevin Ayers).” RH The Players Gordon Sumner (aka “Sting”) (vocals/bass). Born October 2, 1951 in England. Andy Summers (ne Somers) (guitar). Born December 1, 1942 in England. Stewart Copeland (drums). Born July 16, 1952 in Alexandria, Virginia. Links ThePolice.com (official site) Facebook Wikipedia Sting & The Police: Top 60 Songs DMDB podcast: The Best of the Police, 1977-1986 (In Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Synchronicity)

Awards

Studio Albums

Compilations ES Every Breath You Take – The Singles (1978-86, released 1986) G Greatest Hits (1978-83, released 1992) MB Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings (box set: 1977-1986, released 1993) EC Every Breath You Take – The Classics (1978-86, released 1995) G2 The Police (1978-83, released 2007) FS Flexible Strategies (archives: 1977-83, released 2018) 97 Very Best of (A&M) (Sting & the Police; covers 1978-97, released 1997) 98 Very Best of (PolyGram International) (Sting & the Police; covers 1978-97, released 1998) 02 Very Best of (Universal) (Sting & the Police; covers 1978-99, released 2002) AM At the Movies (Sting/The Police, covers 1980-2002, released 2002) SC Symphonicities (Sting, re-recordings, 2010) 25-2 Best of 25 Years (Sting, compilation: 1985-2003, released 2011) 25-3 25 Years (Sting, box set: 1985-2010, released 2011) MS My Songs (Sting, re-recordings, released 2019) Live Albums: L1 Live! Vol. 1 Boston 1979 (recorded 1979, released 1995) L2 Live! Vol. 2 Atlanta 1983 (recorded 1983, released 1995) BN Bring on the Night (Sting, 1986) C Certifiable (2008) AT All This Time (Sting, 2001) LB Live in Berlin (Sting, 2010) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the above compilations/live albums are noted.

Outlandos D’Amour (1978)

Next to You MB, L1, G2, C, SC, 25-3 So Lonely L1, L2, MB, G, G2, C, 02, MS Roxanne L1, L2, ES, MB, G, EC, G2, C, 97, 98, 02, AT, SC, MS Hole in My Life L1, MB, G2, C Peanuts MB, L1 Can’t Stand Losing You MB, L1, L2, ES, G, EC, G2, C, 97, 98, 02, MS Truth Hits Everybody MB, L1, G2, C, FS Born in the ‘50s MB, L1 Be My Girl – Sally MB, L1 Masoko Tanga MB Other Songs from This Era: Dead End Job (B-side of “Can’t Stand Losing You,” 8/18/1978) FS

About the Album: With the lineup of Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers in place, The Police were signed to A&M Records. In the spring of 1978, they released Roxanne, “a Sting-penned paean to a prostitute” RH noted for “its intriguing start-stop rhythms.” RH It failed to chart. The group then launched a tour of America that summer despite not having an album to support yet. Among their appearances was a performance at New York’s famous CBGB’s club on October 20, 1978. The group’s debut album, Outlandos D’Amour (“Outlaws of Love”), was released in November. It was “filled with the economical, reggae-accented New Wave pop that became the group’s stock in trade.” RH The group toured in support of Alberto y los Trios Paranoias and released So Lonely. In the spring of 1979, the rereleased “Roxanne” reached #12 on the UK charts and the Outlandos D’Amour album got to #6. “Miles also had the group tour parts of the world, including India and Argentina, that were unaccustomed to having rock bands pass through…This groundwork eventually helped the Police become a global sensation.” RH Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

Reggatta De Blanc (1979)

Message in a Bottle L1, L2, ES, G, EC, MB, G2, C, 97, 98, 02, 25-2, MS Reggatta de Blanc MB, L1, L2, G2, C It’s Alright for You MB Bring on the Night L1, BN, MB, G2, 25-3 Deathwish MB Walking on the Moon L1, ES, G, EC, MB, G2, C, 97, 98, 02, MS On Any Other Day MB The Bed’s Too Big Without You L1, G, MB, G2 Contact MB Does Everybody Stare MB No Time This Time MB Other Songs from This Era: Landlord (B-side of “Message in a Bottle,” 9/7/1979) MB, L1, FS Visions of the Night (B-side of “Walking on the Moon,” 11/23/1979) MB, FS

About the Album: Sting tried out his acting chops in the summer of 1979 with a part in the film Quadrophenia, based on the Who’s album of the same name. He also acted in Radio On. That fall, the Police released their second album, Reggatta De Blanc, which loosely translates to “White Reggae.” It was preceded by the single Message in a Bottle, which topped the UK charts. The band went on to hit #1 with Reggatta De Blanc in the UK and it reached #25 in the United States. They also stoked their international following with tours in countries such as Thailand, India, Mexico, Greece, and Egypt, that rarely saw concerts from foreign performers. A-P “By tour’s end, the Police were budding superstars.” RH Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

Live! Vol. 1: Orpheum WBCN/Live in Boston (live) The Police

Recorded: November 27, 1979 Released: November 29, 1995 Peak: 86 US, 25 UK, 57 CN, 100 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US Genre: new wave/classic rock Rating: 3.305 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks: (1) Next to You (2) So Lonely (3) Truth Hits Everybody (4) Walking on the Moon (5) Hole in My Life (6) Fall Out (7) Bring on the Night (8) Message in a Bottle (9) The Bed’s Too Big Without You (10) Peanuts (11) Roxanne (12) Can’t Stand Losing You / Reggatta de Blanc (13) Landlord (14) Born in the ‘50s (15) Be My Girl – Sally About the Album: This was part of a two-disc set released in 1995. The first disc was recorded live in Boston in 1979; the second disc was recorded live in Atlanta in 1983.

Zenyatta Mondatta (1980)

Don’t Stand So Close to Me L2, G, EC, MB, G2, C, 97, 98, 02, AT Driven to Tears BN, MB, G2, C, 25-3 When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around BN, MB, C Canary in a Coalmine MB, G2 Voices Inside My Head MB, G2, C Bombs Away MB De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da L2, ES, G, EC, MB, G2, C, 98, 02, AM Behind My Camel MB Man in a Suitcase MB Shadows in the Rain MB The Other Way of Stopping MB Other Songs from This Era: Friends (B-side of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” in UK, 9/19/1980) FS A Sermon (B-side of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” in U.S., 9/19/1980) FS

About the Album: “Now on an extremely tight schedule, the in-demand band finished recording in the wee hours of August 9 and kicked off the first gig of a world tour in Belgium that evening.” RH “Constant playing further refined the trio’s less-is-more approach, and there were few wasted or extraneous notes even as they offered much to digest rhythmically, musically and philosophically.” RH The song’s on the Police’s third album, Zenyatta Mondatta, showed Sting turning “his attention to subjects beyond the self, resulting in more philosophical songs like Driven to Tears, When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around and Canary in a Coalmine.” RH The album also saw the group achieve their breakthrough in North America, reaching the top 10 with Don’t Stand So Close to Me (a #1 in the UK) and De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da. The album hit #5 in the United States. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

Ghost in the Machine (1981)

Spirits in the Material World L2, ES, G, EC, MB, G2 Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic ES, G, EC, MB, G2, C, 97, 98, 02, SC Invisible Sun ES, G, EC, MB, G2, C Hungry for You (J’Aurais Toujours Faim de Toil) MB Demolition Man BN, MB, G2, AM, 25-2, MS Too Much Information MB Rehumanize Yourself MB, G2 One World (Not Three) BN, MB Omegaman MB Secret Journey MB Darkness MB Other Songs from This Era: Shambelle (B-side of “Invisible Sun,” 9/18/1981) MB, FS Flexible Strategies (B-side of “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” in UK, 10/16/1981) MB, FS Low Life (B-side of “Spirits in the Materials World” in UK, 12/11/1981) FS, BN, MB I Burn for You (B-side of “Secret Journey,” April 1982; Brimstone and Treacle soundtrack, Oct. 1982) BN, MB, AM, SC, 25-3 How Stupid Mr. Bates (Brimstone and Treacle soundtrack, Oct. 1982) MB A Kind of Loving (Brimstone and Treacle soundtrack, Oct. 1982) MB

About the Album: By the onset of 1981, the group had sold out Madison Square Garden. Later that year, they recorded their fourth album, Ghost in the Machine, on the Caribbean island of Montserrat. Hugh Padgham produced the album and the sessions were filmed for a BBC documentary hosted by Jools Holland. The album was completed in a couple of months and released that fall. It found them “expanding their sonic palette by judiciously incorporating keyboards and saxes into the matrix. Much of the material – notably Spirits in the Material World, One World (Not Three) and Rehumanize Yourself – found Sting tapping into a spiritual vein that preached and yearned for global unity. Invisible Sun lamented violence in Northern Ireland with an almost metaphysical grace.” RH However, it was the “celebratory love song Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” RH which gave the Police their biggest hit to date. It was yet another #1 in the UK and reached #3 in the United States. The album hit #1 in the UK and #2 in the U.S. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

Synchronicity (1983)

Synchronicity I MB, L2, G2 Walking in Your Footsteps MB, L2, G2, C O My God MB, L2 Mother MB Miss Gradenko MB Synchronicity II L2, G, MB, G2, C Every Breath You Take L2, ES, G, EC, MB, G2, C, 97, 98, 02, AT, MS King of Pain L2, ES, G, EC, MB, G2, C, LB Wrapped Around Your Finger L2, ES, G, EC, MB, G2, C Tea in the Sahara L2, BN, G, MB Murder by Numbers MB, G2, FS, AM Other Songs from This Era: Someone to Talk To (B-side of “Wrapped Around Your Finger” in UK, 7/8/1983) MB, FS Once Upon a Daydream (B-side of “Synchronicity II,” 10/21/1983) MB, FS

About the Album: After being named Best British Group at the first Brit Awards and winning three Grammys, the group took a break. Sting acted in the movie Brimstone and Treacle. He and the Police also provided music for the soundtrack. Copeland provided the score for Francis Ford Coppola’s Rumble Fish and the San Francisco Ballet’s King Lear. He also played on sessions for Peter Gabriel and released an album under the name Klark Kent. Summers recorded I Advance Masked, an instrumental album, with Robert Fripp. A-P The Police headed back to Montserrat again and recorded a new album over six weeks. “Synchronicity “was exotic yet accessible, and its hauntingly soulful leadoff single, Every Breath You Take, topped the American charts for eight weeks.” RH With two more top-10 hits and a top-20 hit in the U.S., the album was propelled to a whopping 17 weeks atop the charts and sold over 10 million worldwide. The Police also set precedents for tours for the remainder of the ‘80s with their record-breaking world tour, including a performance to 70,000 fans at Shea Stadium on August 18, 1983. RH They also won three Grammys in 1984, including Song of the Year for “Every Breath You Take.” Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

Live! Vol. 2: Synchronicity Concert/Live in Atlanta (live) The Police

Recorded: November 27, 1979 Released: November 3, 1983 Peak: 86 US, 25 UK, 57 CN, 100 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US Genre: new wave/classic rock Rating: 3.440 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Tracks: (1) Synchronicity I (2) Synchronicity II (3) Walking in Your Footsteps (4) Message in a Bottle (5) O My God (6) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (7) Wrapped Around Your Finger (8) Tea in the Sahara (9) Spirits in the Material World (10) King of Pain (11) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (12) Every Breath You Take (13) Roxanne (14) Can’t Stand Losing You / Reggatta de Blanc (15) So Lonely About the Album: This was part of a two-disc set released in 1995. The first disc was recorded live in Boston in 1979; the second disc was recorded live in Atlanta in 1983.

Flexible Strategies (B-sides) The Police

Released: November 16, 2018 Covers: 1978-1983 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU, 12 DF Sales (in millions): -- Genre: new wave/rock

Tracks: (1) Dead End Job (2) Landlord (3) Visions of the Night (4) Friends (5) A Sermon (6) Shambelle (7) Low Life (8) Flexible Strategies (9) Murder by Numbers (10) Truth Hits Everybody (remix) (11) Someone to Talk To (12) Once Upon a Daydream

Rating: 2.832 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings)

About Flexible Strategies: While this collection of B-sides is unnecessary to anyone who owns the 1993 box set Message in a Box, this is a perfect collection for Police fans who already owned the five studio albums and didn’t want to plop down the cash for the box set. It would have been even better if this collection included the 1977 non-album single “Fall Out” / “Nothing Achieving” and the Police songs from the 1982 Brimstone and Treacle soundtrack.

Every Breath You Take – The Singles (compilation) The Police

Released: October 27, 1986 Covers: 1978-1986 Peak: 7 US, 12 UK, 11 CN, 4 AU Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 1.2 UK, 13.6 world (includes US and UK) Genre: new wave/rock

Tracks: (1) Roxanne (2) Can’t Stand Losing You (3) Message in a Bottle (4) Walking on the Moon (5) Don’t Stand So Close to Me ‘86 (6) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (7) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (8) Invisible Sun (9) Spirits in the Material World (10) Every Breath You Take (11) King of Pain (12) Wrapped Around Your Finger Total Running Time: 40:26

Rating: 4.443 out of 5.00 (average of 21 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About Every Breath You Take – The Singles: On June 11, 1986, the Police got back together to play a five-song set at an Amnesty International concert in Atlanta. RH Then they reconvened to record together. Sting didn’t have any intention of offering up any new songs, so the trio decided to re-record some songs for a greatest-hits album. Thanks to Copeland suffering a polo injury, even that plan was thrown off and the sessions only produced re-recordings of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da.” The former was released on Every Breath You Take – The Singles while the latter wouldn’t surface until Every Breath You Take – The Classics. The compilation was the group’s fifth straight #1 in the UK and their fourth top-ten album in the United States.

Greatest Hits (compilation) The Police

Released: September 1992 Covers: 1978-1983 Peak: -- US, 10 UK, 24 CN, 16 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.6 UK, 1.66 world (includes US and UK) Genre: new wave/rock

Tracks: (1) Roxanne (2) Can’t Stand Losing You (3) So Lonely (4) Message in a Bottle (5) Walking on the Moon (6) The Bed’s Too Big Without You (7) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (8) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (9) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (10) Invisible Sun (11) Spirits in the Material World (12) Synchronicity II (13) Every Breath You Take (14) King of Pain (15) Wrapped Around Your Finger (16) Tea in the Sahara Total Running Time: 67:46

Rating: 4.188 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

About Greatest Hits: This is essentially an expanded version of Every Breath You Take – The Singles with all of those cuts here except for the 1986 re-recording of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me.” This set uses the original instead and also adds “So Lonely,” “The Bed’s Too Big Without You,” and “Synchronicity II.” The latter two were top-20 hits in the UK and “So Lonely” hit #6. “Synchronicity II” was also a top-20 hit in the United States. Given the running time, there was still room to include the 1986 version of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and “I Burn for You.” The latter, from the Brimstone and Treacle soundtrack, was a minor hit, but belongs alongside other Police classics.

Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings (box set) The Police

Released: September 28, 1993 Covers: 1978-1986 Peak: 79 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU, 11 DF Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK Genre: new wave/rock

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Fall Out (2) Nothing Achieving (3) Dead End Job (4) Next to You (5) So Lonely (6) Roxanne (7) Hole in My Life (8) Peanuts (9) Can’t Stand Losing You (10) Truth Hits Everybody (11) Born in the ‘50s (12) Be My Girl – Sally (13) Masoko Tanga (14) Landlord (live) (15) Next to You (live) (16) Landlord (17) Message in a Bottle (18) Reggatta de Blanc (19) It’s Alright for You (20) Bring on the Night (21) Deathwish Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Walking on the Moon (2) On Any Other Day (3) The Bed’s Too Big Without You (4) Contact (5) Does Everybody Stare (6) No Time This Time (7) Visions of the Night (8) The Bed’s Too Big Without You (mono) (9) Truth Hits Everybody (live) (10) Friends (11) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (12) Driven to Tears (13) When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around (14) Canary in a Coalmine (15) Voices Inside My Head (16) Bombs Away (17) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (18) Behind My Camel (19) Man in a Suitcase (20) Shadows in the Rain (21) The Other Way of Stopping Tracks, Disc 3: (1) A Sermon (2) Driven to Tears (live) (3) Shambelle (4) Spirits in the Material World (5) >Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (6) Invisible Sun (7) Hungry for You (J’Aurais Toujours Faim de Toil) (8) Demolition Man (9) Too Much Information (10) Rehumanize Yourself (11) One World (Not Three) (12) Omegaman (13) Secret Journey (14) Darkness (15) Flexible Strategies (16) Low Life (17) How Stupid Mr. Bates (18) A Kind of Loving Tracks, Disc 4: (1) Synchronicity I (2) Walking in Your Footsteps (3) O My God (4) Mother (5) Miss Gradenko (6) Synchronicity II (7) Every Breath You Take (8) King of Pain (9) Wrapped Around Your Finger (10) Tea in the Sahara (11) Murder by Numbers (12) Man in a Suitcase (live) (13) Someone to Talk To (14) Message in a Bottle (live) (15) I Burn for You (16) Once Upon a Daydream (17) Tea in the Sahara (live) (18) Don’t Stand So Close to Me ‘86 Total Running Time: 287:02

Rating: 4.601 out of 5.00 (average of 18 ratings)

About Message in a Box: This 4-CD box set contains all 5 of the Police’s studio albums, the B-sides they released throughout their career, their debut non-album single, and cuts from the 1982 Brimstone and Treacle soundtrack. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Fall Out (single, 5/77) L1, MB, G2 Nothing Achieving (B-side of “Fall Out,” 5/77) MB

Every Breath You Take – The Classics (compilation) The Police

Released: September 12, 1995 Covers: 1978-1986 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: new wave/rock

Tracks: (1) Roxanne (2) Can’t Stand Losing You (3) Message in a Bottle (4) Walking on the Moon (5) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (6) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (7) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (8) Invisible Sun (9) Spirits in the Material World (10) Every Breath You Take (11) King of Pain (12) Wrapped Around Your Finger (13) Don’t Stand So Close to Me ‘86 (14) Message in a Bottle (new classic rock mix) Total Running Time: 59:20

Rating: 4.360 out of 5.00 (average of 4 ratings)

About Every Breath You Take – The Classics This included all of the same songs as Every Breath You Take – The Singles with the additions of the original version of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” and a remix of “Message in a Bottle.” The DTS/SACD edition also included the ’86 version of “De Do Do Do, De Da Da.”

The Police (compilation) The Police

Recorded: 1977-1983 Released: June 5, 2007 Peak: 11 US, 3 UK, -- CN, 17 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.3 UK, 1.509 world (includes US and UK) Genre: new wave/classic rock Rating: 4.084 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Fall Out (2) Can’t Stand Losing You (3) Next to You (4) Roxanne (5) Truth Hits Everybody (6) Hole in My Life (7) So Lonely (8) Message in a Bottle (9) Reggatta de Blanc (10) Bring on the Night (11) Walking on the Moon (12) The Bed’s Too Big Without You (13) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (14) Driven to Tears (15) Canary in a Coalmine Tracks, Disc 2: (1) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (2) Voices Inside My Head (3) Invisible Sun (4) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (5) Spirits in the Material World (6) Demolition Man (7) Rehumanize Yourself (8) Every Breath You Take (9) Synchronicity I (10) Wrapped Around Your Finger (11) Walking in Your Footsteps (12) Synchronicity II (13) King of Pain (14) Murder by Numbers (15) Tea in the Sahara Total Running Time: 118:41 About the Album: It’s hard not to be cynical about this being a cash grab in conjunction with the Police’s 2007 reunion tour? After all, who is this collection for? Why does anyone need a two-disc retrospective of a band that only had five albums in the first place? By the time you’ve purchased this 30-track collection, you’re more than half way toward owning all the Police albums. Wouldn’t it just make sense to get all five studio releases instead of this?

Certifiable (live) Sting

Recorded: December 2, 2007 Released: November 11, 2008 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU, 12 DF Sales (in millions): -- Genre: rock Rating: 3.355 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Message in a Bottle (2) Synchronicity II (3) Walking on the Moon (4) Voices Inside My Head / When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around (5) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (6) Driven to Tears (7) Hole in My Life (8) Truth Hits Everybody (9) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic Tracks, Disc 2: (1) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (2) Invisible Sun (3) Walking in Your Footsteps (4) Can’t Stand Losing You / Reggatta de Blanc (5) Roxanne (6) King of Pain (7) So Lonely (8) Every Breath You Take (9) Next to You About the Album: This two-disc live collection serves as a souvenir of the Police’s 2007-2008 reunion concert.

Resources/References: Dave’s Music Database: Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists A-P AllMusic.com bio on The Police by Stephen Thomas Erlewine A-S AllMusic.com bio on Sting by Stephen Thomas Erlewine RH Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bio for the Police Wikipedia page for The Police Every Breath You Take – The Singles Wikipedia page for The Police Greatest Hits Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/31/2008; last updated 4/21/2026.