Sting: A Retrospective (1985-2011)

Sting A Retrospective: 1985-2011

Overview Born:Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner When:October 2, 1951 Where:Wallsend, Northumberland, England Nicknamed “Sting” because of a yellow and black jersey he used to wear. In movies Quadrophenia, Dune, The Bride, Plenty, and others. Married actress/producer Trudie Styler in 1992. Resume Last Exit Strontium 90 (1977) Nuclear Waste (1977) The Police (1977-86, 2007-08) solo (1984-present) Links DMDB encyclopedia entry for Sting DMDB encyclopedia entry for The Police Sting.com (official site) Facebook Wikipedia DMDB Podcast: The Best of Sting DMDB profile page for The Police (1977-1986) Sting & The Police: Top 60 Songs

Awards

Studio Albums

Compilations FU Fields of Gold (U.S. edition) (Sting; covers 1985-1994, released 1994) FI Fields of Gold (international edition) (Sting; covers 1985-1994, released 1994) 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) SC Symphonicities (re-recordings, 2010) 25-2 Best of 25 Years (compilation: 1985-2003, released 2011) 25-3 25 Years (box set: 1985-2010, released 2011) Live Albums: BN Bring on the Night (1986) AT All This Time (2001) LB Live in Berlin (2010) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the above compilations/live albums are noted.

The Dream of the Blue Turtles Sting

Released: June 1, 1985 Peak: 2 US, 3 UK, 4 CN, 13 AU, 14 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.6 UK, 10.1 world (includes US and UK), 13.54 EAS Genre: rock with jazz elements Rating: 4.151 out of 5.00 (average of 22 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: If You Love Somebody Set Them Free FU, FI, 97, 98, 02, AT, 25-2, 25-3 Love Is the Seventh Wave FU, 25-2, 25-3 Russians FU, FI, 97, 25-2, 25-3 Children’s Crusade BN Shadows in the Rain We Work the Black Seam BN, SC, 25-3 Consider Me Gone BN, 25-3 The Dream of the Blue Turtles BN Moon Over Bourbon Street BN, FI, AT, LB, 25-2, 25-3 Fortress Around Your Heart FU, 25-2, 25-3 About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

Bring on the Night (live) Sting

Released: July 1, 1986 Recorded: May 29 – December 23, 1985 Peak: -- US, 16 UK, 9 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.06 UK, 1.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: jazz-rock Rating: 3.901 out of 5.00 (average of 20 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Bring on the Night / When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What’s Still Around (2) Consider Me Gone (3) Low Life (4) We Work the Black Seam (5) Driven to Tears (6) The Dream of the Blue Turtles (7) Demolition Man Tracks, Disc 2: (1) One World (Not Three) / Love Is the Seventh Wave (2) Moon Over Bourbon Street (3) I Burn for You (4) Another Day (5) Children’s Crusade (6) Down So Long (7) Tea in the Sahara Total Running Time: 83:04 About the Album: With the Police on uncertain footing, a live album would have been a logical release. However, it was Sting who put together a live release after touring to support his Dream of the Blue Turtles album. The album included Police songs as well as cuts from Sting’s album. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Another Day (6/30/85, B-side of “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free”) BN Down So Long (5/17/86, 14 AR, 26 CO) BN

Nothing Like the Sun Sting

Released: October 13, 1987 Peak: 9 US, 11 UK, 3 CN, 3 AU, 110 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.3 UK, 9.5 world (includes US and UK), 18.43 EAS Genre: rock Rating: 4.346 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: The Lazarus Heart Be Still My Beating Heart FU, 25-3 Englishman in New York FU, FI, 97, 98, 02, SC, LB, 25-2, 25-3 History Will Teach Us Nothing They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo) FU, FI, 25-2, 25-3 Fragile FU, FI, 98, AT, LB, 25-2, 25-3 We’ll Be Together FU, FI, 25-2, 25-3 Straight to My Heart Rock Steady Sister Moon 25-3 Little Wing The Secret Marriage 25-3 About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

The Soul Cages Sting

Released: January 22, 1991 Peak: 2 US, 11 UK, 12 CN, 3 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.1 UK, 6.0 world (includes US and UK), 7.14 EAS Genre: rock Rating: 3.964 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Island of Souls All This Time FU, FI, AT, 25-2, 25-3 Mad about You FI, AT, LB, 25-2, 25-3 Jeremiah Blues, Pt. 2 Why Should I Cry for You? FU, FI, LB, 25-2, 25-3 Saint Agnes and the Burning Train The Wild Wild Sea The Soul Cages 25-2, 25-3 When the Angels Fall 25-3 About the Album: The loss of his father inspired 1991’s The Soul Cages, “a dense, dark, and complex album” A-S that reached #2 in the U.S. and #1 in the UK. All This Time was a top-5 hit in the U.S. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

Ten Summoner’s Tales Sting

Released: March 9, 1993 Peak: 2 US, 2 UK, 3 CN, 9 AU Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.6 UK, 9.0 world (includes US and UK), 16.15 EAS Genre: rock Rating: 4.355 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: If I Ever Lose My Faith in You FU, FI, 97, 98, 02, AT, LB, 25-2, 25-3 Love Is Stronger Than Justice (The Munificent Seven) Fields of Gold FU, FI, 97, 98, 02, AT, LB, 25-2, 25-3 Heavy Cloud No Rain 25-2 She’s Too Good for Me SC Seven Days 98, 02, AT, 25-2, 25-3 Saint Augustine in Hell It’s Probably Me FI, 25-3 Shape of My Heart AT, LB, 25-2, 25-3 Something the Boy Said Epilogue (Nothing ‘Bout Me) About the Album: This was “a light, pop-oriented record that became a hit on the strength of…If I Ever Lose My Faith in You and Fields of Gold.” A-S The album reached #2 in the UK and U.S. That same year, Sting recorded All for Love with Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams. The song was featured in The Three MusketeersA-S Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

Fields of Gold (compilation) Sting

Covers: 1985-1994 Released: November 8, 1994 Peak: 7 US, 2 UK, 14 CN, 20 AU Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.9 UK, 10.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: rock Rating: 4.371 out of 5.00 (average of 22 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks (U.S. edition): (1) When We Dance (2) If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (3) Fields of Gold (4) All This Time (5) Fortress Around Your Heart (6) Be Still My Beating Heart (7) They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo) (8) If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (9) Fragile (10) Why Should I Cry for You? (11) Englishman in New York (12) We’ll Be Together (13) Russians (14) This Cowboy Song Tracks (international edition): (1) When We Dance (2) If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (3) Fields of Gold (4) All This Time (5) Englishman in New York (6) Mad About You (7) It’s Probably Me (with Eric Clapton) (8) They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo) (9) If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (10) Fragile (11) We’ll Be Together (12) Moon Over Bourbon Street (13) Love Is the Seventh Wave (14) Russians (15) Why Should I Cry for You? (16) This Cowboy Song (17) Fragillidad (18) Take Me to the Sunshine About the Album: The U.S. and international editions of Sting’s first compilation differed some in their track listing, but shared 12 songs. Both editions included an alternate version of “We’ll Be Together.” The version of “It’s Probably Me” on the international edition is the original recording with Eric Clapton as released on the Lethal Weapon soundtrack. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Fragillad (originally on EP Nada Como el Sol, 1988) FI When We Dance (10/29/94, 38 US, 37 CB, 37 RR, 12 AC, 9 UK) FU, FI, 97, 98, 02, AT, SC, 25-2, 25-3 This Cowboy Song (2/11/95, 15 UK, 88 AU) FU, FI Take Me to the Sunshine (2/11/95, B-side of “This Cowboy Song”) FI

Mercury Falling Sting

Released: March 12, 1996 Peak: 5 US, 4 UK, 8 CN, 14 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.3 UK, 4.5 world (includes US and UK), 4.52 EAS Genre: rock Rating: 3.561 out of 5.00 (average of 22 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: The Hounds of Winter AT, 25-3 I Hung My Head SC, 25-3 Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot 97, 98 I Was Brought to My Senses 25-2, 25-3 You Still Touch Me 25-2, 25-3 I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying 25-2, 25-3 All Four Seasons La Belle Dame Sans Regrets Valparaiso Lithium Sunset About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

Brand New Day Sting

Released: September 28, 1999 Peak: 9 US, 5 UK, 12 CN, 21 AU Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.3 UK, 8.0 world (includes US and UK), 9.25 EAS Genre: rock Rating: 3.882 out of 5.00 (average of 21 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: A Thousand Years AT, 25-3 Desert Rose (with Cheb Mami) 02, LB, 25-2, 25-3 Big Lie Small World (with David Hartley) After the Rain Has Fallen Perfect Love…Gone Wrong (with Sté Strausz) AT Tomorrow We’ll See (with David Hartley) [4:47] LB Prelude to the End of the Game Fill Her Up (with James Taylor) Ghost Story 25-3 Brand New Day (with Stevie Wonder on harmonica) 02, AT, 25-2, 25-3 About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for more about this album including chart data, sales, awards, and information on individual songs.

The Very Best of Sting & The Police

Covers: 1978-1997 Released: 11/17/1997, 2/18/2002 Peak: 46 US, 12 UK, -- CN, 22 AU * Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 5.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: rock Rating: 4.028 out of 5.00 (average of 20 ratings)

Tracks (1997 version): (1) Message in a Bottle (2) Can’t Stand Losing You (3) Englishman in New York (4) a href="https://davesmusicdatabase.blogspot.com/2011/06/polices-synchronicity-turns-28.html#every_breath_you_take">Every Breath You Take (5) Walking on the Moon (6) Fields of Gold (7) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (8) If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (9) Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot (10) Russians (11) If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (12) When We Dance (13) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (14) Roxanne (15) Roxanne ’97 (Puff Daddy Remix) Tracks (1998 version): (1) Message in a Bottle (2) Can’t Stand Losing You (3) Englishman in New York (4) a href="https://davesmusicdatabase.blogspot.com/2011/06/polices-synchronicity-turns-28.html#every_breath_you_take">Every Breath You Take (5) Seven Days (6) Walking on the Moon (7) Fields of Gold (8) Fragile (9) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (10) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (11) If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (12) Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot (13) If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (14) When We Dance (15) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (16) Roxanne (17) Roxanne ’97 (Puff Daddy Remix) Tracks (2002 version): (1) Message in a Bottle (2) Can’t Stand Losing You (3) Englishman in New York (4) a href="https://davesmusicdatabase.blogspot.com/2011/06/polices-synchronicity-turns-28.html#every_breath_you_take">Every Breath You Take (5) Seven Days (6) Walking on the Moon (7) Fields of Gold (8) Fragile (9) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (10) De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (11) If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (12) Brand New Day (13) Desert Rose (14) If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (15) When We Dance (16) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (17) Roxanne (18) So Lonely About the Album: This title was confusingly released by three different record companies in three different years with three different track listings. The 1998 version subtracted “Russians” from the 1997 version and added “Seven Days,” “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da,” and “Fragile.” The 2002 version bumped “Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot” and “Roxanne ’97” from the 1998 version and added “Brand Nes Day” and “Desert Rose” from the 1999 album Brand New Day. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Roxanne ’97 (remix) (12/27/97, 59 US, 17 UK) 97, 98

All This Time (live) Sting

Recorded: September 11, 2001 (live) Released: November 20, 2001 Peak: 32 US, 3 UK, -- CN, 68 AU, 12 DF Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 1.60 world (includes US and UK) Genre: rock Rating: 3.952 out of 5.00 (average of 17 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Fragile (2) A Thousand Years (3) Perfect Love…Gone Wrong (4) All This Time (5) Seven Days * (6) The Hounds of Winter (7) Mad About You ** (8) Don’t Stand So Close to Me (9) When We Dance (10) Dienda (11) Roxanne (12) If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (13) Brand New Day (14) Fields of Gold (15) Moon Over Bourbon Street (16) Shape of My Heart *** (17) If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (18) Every Breath You Take * Japanese bonus track ** not on U.S. edition *** UK/Japanese bonus track Total Running Time: 61:41 About the Album: Sting’s second live album draws from both his solo studio efforts and his work with the Police. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Dienda

Sacred Love Sting

Released: September 29, 2003 Peak: 3 US, 3 UK, 3 CN, 13 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.1 UK, 3.5 world (includes US and UK), 3.29 EAS Genre: rock > adult alternative Rating: 3.585 out of 5.00 (average of 26 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Inside Send Your Love (with Vicente Amigo) 25-2, 25-3 Whenever I Say Your Name (with Mary J. Blige) LB, 25-2, 25-3 Dead Man’s Rope Never Coming Home 25-2, 25-3 Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing) 25-2, 25-3 Forget about the Future This War The Book of My Life (with Anoushka Shankar) Sacred Love Total Running Time: 52:37 About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Best of 25 Years (compilation) Sting

Recorded: 1985-2003 Released: October 24, 2011 Peak: 104 US, 27 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: rock Rating: 3.494 out of 5.00 (average of 10 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (2) Love Is the Seventh Wave (3) Moon Over Bourbon Street (4) Fortress Around Your Heart (5) Englishman in New York (6) They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo) (7) Fragile (8) We’ll Be Together (9) All This Time (10) Mad About You (11) Why Should I Cry for You (12) The Soul Cages (13) If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (14) Fields of Gold (15) Seven Days (16) Shape of My Heart Tracks, Disc 2: (1) When We Dance (2) I Was Brought to My Senses (3) You Still Touch Me (4) I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying (5) Desert Rose (6) Brand New Day (7) Send Your Love (8) Whenever I Say Your Name (9) Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing) (10) The End of the Game (11) Never Coming Home (12) Russians (live) (13) Message in a Bottle (live) (14) Demolition Man (live) (15) Heavy Cloud No Rain (live) About the Album: After the 2011 release of the three-disc box set 25 Years, additional one-disc and two-disc configurations were released. The two-disc anthology essentially serves as an extension of Sting’s 1994 Fields of Gold compilation as it features nearly every song from that collection plus another decade of material beyond that.

Songs from the Labyrinth Sting with Edin Karamazov

Released: October 10, 2006 Peak: 25 US, 24 UK Sales (in millions): 1.03 world (includes US and UK) Genre: classical Rating: 3.319 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Tracks: Walsingham Can She Excuse My Wrongs Ryght Honorable Flow My Tears (Lachrimae) Have You Seen the Bright Lily Grow Then in Time Passing On The Battle Galliard The Lowest Trees Have Tops And Accordinge as I Desired Ther Cam a Letter Fine Knacks for Ladies From Thence I Went to Landgrave of Hessen Fantasy Come, Heavy Sleep] Forlorn Hope Fancy And from Thence I Had Great Desire to See Italy Come Again Wilt Thou Unkind Thus Reave Me After My Departures I Caled to Mynde Weep You No More, Sad Fountains My Lord Willoughby’s Welcome Home Clear or Cloudy Men Say That the Kinge of Spain In Darkness Let Me Dwell About the Album: Comments here. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

If on a Winter’s Night… (Christmas) Sting

Released: October 26, 2009 Peak: 6 US, 15 UK, -- CN, 58 AU, 12 DF Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, -- UK, 1.10 world (includes US + UK) Genre: Christmas Rating: 3.050 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Gabriel’s Message Soul Cake 25-3 There Is No Rose of Such Virtue The Snow It Melts the Soonest Christmas at Sea Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming Cold Song The Burning Babe Now Winter Comes Slowly The Hounds of Winter AT, 25-3 Balulalow The Cherry-Tree Carol Lullaby for an Anxious Child The Hurdy-Gurdy Man You Can Only Cross Mind in Winter Total Running Time: 50:18 About the Album: Sting delivers his first Christmas/winter-themed album with mostly covers of less familiar songs, including “Gabriel’s Message” which first appeared as the B-side of “Russians” and then on the various artists’ compilation A Very Special Christmas. Sting wrote “The Hounds of Winter,” which originally appeared on Sting’s 1996 Mercury Falling album. The only other original is “Lullaby for an Anxious Child,” which first appeared on an extended version of Mercury Falling.

Symphonicities (re-recordings) Sting

Released: July 13, 2010 Peak: 6 US, 30 UK, 9 CN, 24 AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: rock Rating: 3.165 out of 5.00 (average of 19 ratings)

Tracks: (1) Next to You (2) Englishman in New York (3) Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (4) I Hung My Head (5) You Will Be My Ain True Love (6) Roxanne (7) When We Dance (8) The End of the Game (9) I Burn for You (10) We Work the Black Seam (11) She’s Too Good for Me (12) The Pirate’s Bride Total Running Time: 55:39 About the Album: This is one of the most unnecessary albums in Sting’s repertoire. While the songs are supposed to be re-recordings and that might generate some mild interest, most of these stick so close to the original as to not be worth it. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: The Pirate’s Bride (B-side to “I Was Brought to My Senses,” 1996) SC, 25-3 The End of the Game (B-side to “Brand New Day,” 1999) SC, LB, 25-2, 25-3 You Will Be My Ain True Love (from the Cold Mountain soundtrack, 2003) SC

Live in Berlin (live) Sting

Recorded: September 21, 2010 (live) Released: November 22, 2010 Peak: -- US, 180 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: rock Rating: 2.838 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks: (1) If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (2) Englishman in New York (3) Fields of Gold (4) Why Should I Cry for You (5) All Would Envy (6) Tomorrow We’ll See (7) The End of the Game (8) Whenever I Say Your Name (9) Shape of My Heart (10) Moon Over Bourbon Street (11) Mad About You (12) King of Pain (13) Desert Rose (14) Fragile Total Running Time: 75:41 About the Album: Sting’s third live album leans heavily on album cuts and lesser singles and only one Police song (“King of Pain”). Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: All Would Envy LB

25 Years (box set) Sting

Recorded: 1985-2010 Released: September 27, 2011 Peak: -- US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU, 1DF Sales (in millions): -- Genre: rock Rating: 4.236 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (2) Love Is the Seventh Wave (3) Consider Me Gone (4) Moon Over Bourbon Street (5) Fortress Around Your Heart (6) Bring on the Night (live) (7) Driven to Tears (live) (8) I Burn for You (live) (9) Be Still My Beating Heart (10) They Dance Alone (Gueca Solo) (11) Englishman in New York (12) Fragile (13) We’ll Be Together (14) Sister Moon (15) The Secret Marriage Tracks, Disc 2: (1) All This Time (2) Mad About You (3) Why Should I Cry for You (4) The Soul Cages (5) When the Angels Fall (6) If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (7) Fields of Gold (8) Seven Days (9) It’s Probably Me (10) Shape of My Heart (11) When We Dance (12) I Hung My Head (13) I Was Brought to My Senses (14) You Still Touch Me (15) I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying Tracks, Disc 3: (1) A Thousand Years (2) Desert Rose (3) Ghost Story (4) Brand New Day (5) Send Your Love (6) Whenever I Say Your Name (7) Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing) (8) Soul Cake (9) The Hounds of Winter (10) Next to You (11) We Work the Black Seam (12) The Pirate’s Bride (14) Russians (live) (15) The End of the Game (live) About the Album: Sting celebrates his 25th year as a solo artist with a 3-disc box set celebrating his solo output. Unfortunately, the collection sticks largely to Sting’s studio albums and almost completely ignores his vast number of quality B-sides and miscellaneous tracks he recorded for other projects.

Resources/References: A-S All Music Guide bio on Sting by Stephen Thomas Erlewine RH Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bio for the Police Wikipedia page for Sting Fields of Gold Wikipedia page for The Very Best of Sting & the Police Related DMDB Links: First posted 3/31/2008; last updated 4/20/2026.