Sting released The Dream of the Blue Turtles

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

Tracks: Click on a song titled for more details. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free [4:14] Love Is the Seventh Wave [3:30] Russians [3:57] Children’s Crusade [5:00] Shadows in the Rain [4:56] We Work the Black Seam [5:40] Consider Me Gone [4:21] The Dream of the Blue Turtles [1:15] Moon Over Bourbon Street [3:59] Fortress Around Your Heart [4:48] Total Running Time: 41:40 The Players: Sting (vocals, guitar, keyboard, double bass) Kenny Kirkland (keyboards) Branford Marsalis (saxophone, percussion) Darryl Jones (bass guitar) Omar Hakim (drums) Dolette McDonald, Janice Pendarvis (backing vocals)

Rating: 4.221 out of 5.00 (average of 20 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album While Sting’s first solo album can certainly be viewed as closing a chapter on his stint with the Police, his former group never officially disbanded. After the monstrous success of 1983’s Synchronicity, the group just didn’t reconvene. While the Police were always marked by their spin on “white reggae,” Sting sets out here to put his spin on pop-driven jazz. To that end, he “raided Wynton Marsalis’ band for his new combo – thereby instantly consigning his solo debut, The Dream of the Blue Turtles, to the critical shorthand of Sting’s jazz record.” AM This “is partially true…but that gives the impression that this is really risky music.” AM In reality, he has assembled a group of “revivalists just developing their own style, and then had them jam on mock-jazz grooves – or, in the case of Branford Marsalis, layer soprano sax lines on top of pop songs.” AM While his songs could be dismissed as little more than jazz-tinged pop, this should also be assessed as a collection that goes deeper than the average lyrical themes for commercial-ready hits. Only two songs (“Consider Me Gone,” “Fortress Around Your Heart”) deal in the conventional love song mode AM while most of the songs address weighty topics. The flirtation with jazz and the serious-minded nature of the lyrics leads some to assess Sting as pretentious. AllMusic.com’s Stephen Thoms Erlewine says, “Sting cries out for the respect of a composer, not a pop star, and it gets to be a little overwhelming when taken as a whole…He proves that he’s subtler and craftier than his peers, but only when he reins in his desire to show the class how much he’s learned.” AM While Sting may well have earned the “pretentious” label over the course of his career, it’s eye-rolling to see him attacked for trying to stretch himself as an artist. The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

If You Love Somebody Set Them Free Sting

Writer(s): Sting Released: 5/28/1985 as a single, The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) Peak: 3 BB, 2 CB, 3 RR, 1 AR, 39 AC, 17 B, 26 UK, 18 AU, 3 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 36.80 streaming About the Song: On If You Love Somebody Set Them Free, “one of his greatest solo singles,” AM Sting avoids the conventional love song, preferring “to consider love in the abstract.” AM

Love Is the Seventh Wave Sting

Writer(s): Sting Released: 8/9/1985 as a single, The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) Peak: 17 BB, 20 CB, 16 RR, 19 AR, 20 AC, 41 UK, 57 AU, 9 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 1.20 video, 16.12 streaming

Russians Sting

Writer(s): Sting/Prokofiev Released: 11/29/1985 as a single, The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) Peak: 16 BB, 16 CB, 13 RR, 34 AR, 12 UK, 11 AU, 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 17.0 video, 37.62 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: In “Russians,” Sting raises the question about whether the people in a country considered the enemy have the same love for their children.

Children’s Crusade Sting

Writer(s): Sting Released: The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) Peak: 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.38 streaming About the Song: On “Children’s Crusade,” Sting explores the tragedy of children dealing with war.

We Work the Black Seam Sting

Writer(s): Sting Released: June 1986 as a single, The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) Peak: 25 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.97 streaming About the Song: Sting addresses the effect of coal mining in “We Work the Black Seam.”

Consider Me Gone Sting

Writer(s): Sting Released: The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) Peak: 21 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.68 streaming

The Dream of the Blue Turtles Sting

Writer(s): Sting Released: The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) Peak: 37 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 1.30 streaming About the Song: “The meandering instrumental title track)” AM barely clocks in over a minute and is the least substantial track on the album.

Moon Over Bourbon Street Sting

Writer(s): Sting Released: 2/7/1986 as a single, The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) Peak: 44 UK, 22 CO, 2 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 17.72 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: On “Moon Over Bourbone Street,” Sting turns in his take on Anne Rice’s book Interview with the Vampire and the notion of wandering “the streets of New Orleans as the vampire Lestat.” AM

Fortress Around Your Heart Sting

Writer(s): Sting Released: August 1985 as a single, The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985) Peak: 8 BB, 7 BA, 10 CB, 6 RR, 32 AC, 12 AR, 49 UK, 72 AU, 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, -- streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Not only Sting stretch himself musically by integrating elements of jazz into pop music, but he largely eschewed conventional subject matters for pop songs. “Only twice does he delve into straightforward love songs – the lovely measured Consider Me Gone and the mournful closer, Fortress Around Your Heart.” AM

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/24/2008; last updated 8/14/2025.

Boston's self-titled debut released

Boston Boston

Released: August 25, 1976 Peak: 3 US, 11 UK, 7 CN, 16 AU Sales (in millions): 17.0 US, 0.1 UK, 28.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: classic rock

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. More Than a Feeling [4:45] (9/11/76, 5 US, 4 CB, 4 HR, 2 RR, 1 CL, 22 UK, 4 CN, 11 AU) Peace of Mind [5:02] (5/7/77, 38 US, 33 CB, 39 HR, 1 CL, 41 CN) Foreplay/Longtime [7:48] (1/22/77, 22 US, 12 CB, 13 RR, 1 CL, 9 CN) Rock and Roll Band [2:50] (2 CL) Smokin’ (Delp/ Scholz) [4:20] (3 CL) Hitch a Ride [4:12] (6 CL) Something about You [3:48] (7 CL) Let Me Take You Home Tonight (Delp/ Scholz) [4:13] (6 CL) All songs written by Tom Scholz unless noted otherwise. Total Running Time: 37:08 The Players: Tom Scholz (guitars, organ, bass, clavinet, etc.) Brad Delp (vocals, acoustic guitar) Barry Goudreau (guitar) Fran Sheehan (bass) Sib Hashian, Jim Madea (drums)

Rating: 4.190 out of 5.00 (average of 26 ratings) Quotable: “Boston is essential for any fan of classic rock” – Vik Iyenyard, All Music Guide Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “Nearly every song on Boston’s debut album can still be heard on classic rock radio today due to the strong vocals of Brad Delp and unique guitar sound of Tom Scholz.” VI “This masterwork of studio-happy, high-school-parking-lot music” RW is now one of the best-selling albums of all time and second only to Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destrcution as the best-selling debut by an American rock band, WK but it wasn’t an overnight success. Scholz told The Vinyl Guide he’d worked on the album roughly six years, getting rejected from two dozen record companies along the way. VG “Because of the rise of disco and punk, FM rock radio seemed all but dead until the rise of acts like Boston, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen.” VI Scholz did most of the recording in his home recording studio in his basement at night while holding down a day-job with Polaroid. VG He has become legendary – or infamous, depending on your perspective – for self-designed equipment such as 12-track recording devices VI and studio perfectionism. He said he didn’t set out to do most of the work himself, but ended up doing it that way because it was the only way to get the sound he wanted. VG Eventually the demos attracted the attention of Epic Records, but they wanted the songs re-recorded in a “professional” studio. Scholz was determined to re-cut the songs on his own and Epic producer John Boylan helped “create a diversion” with a band making new studio recordings of the songs in Los Angeles while Scholz continued to redo the recordings in his home studio. WK Epic Records coined the slogan “Better music through science” to promote the album. Scholz hated the term, because it implied that he’d crafted the music with keyboards and synthesizers when, in fact, he hadn’t used them at all. VG He created “an anthemic ‘arena rock’ sound before the term was even coined. The sound was hard rock, but the layered melodies and harmonics reveal the work of a master craftsman.” VI He “fine-tuned his overdubbed guitar orchestra to a pitch that a thousand subsequent album-rockers couldn’t resist.” RW “While much has been written about the sound of the album, the lyrics are often overlooked. There are songs about their rise from a bar band (Rock and Roll Band) as well as fond remembrances of summers gone by (More Than a Feeling).” VI “The pseudo-cosmic ambience invites scoffs…but it’s really just part of the disc’s charm.” RW “Boston is essential for any fan of classic rock, and the album marks the re-emergence of the genre in the 1970s.” VI Even the album cover became iconic. Initially, though, the creative team sent Scholz potential covers of a head of Boston lettuce, a slice of Boston crème pie, and a pot of Boston baked beans. VG On The Vinyl Guide podcast, Scholz mused, “Did they even listen to the music?” VG He pondered if the record company was “confused in between selling records and selling produce.” VG Scholz suggested a guitar-shaped spaceship and Roger Huyssen ended up creating the artwork based on that idea.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Boston VI Vik Iyengar, All Music Guide VG Vinyl Guide podcast (8/23/2021). “Ep. 297: Tom Scholz – 45 Years of Boston” VG Vinyl Guide podcast (8/26/2021). “Ep. 298: Tom Scholz – Being Analog in a Digital World” WK Wikipedia RW Rickey Wright, Amazon.com Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 2/19/2008; last updated 8/25/2021.

Bob Marley & The Wailers released Natty Dread

Natty Dread Bob Marley & the Wailers

Released: October 25, 1974 Peak: 92 US, 44 RB, 43 UK, 98 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.1 UK, 2.5 world (includes US and UK) Genre: reggae

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to singles charts. Lively Up Yourself (1971, --) No Woman, No Cry (8/75, 8 UK) Them Belly Full But We Hungry Rebel Music (3 O’Clock Road Block) So Jah She Natty Dread (6/75, --) Bend Down Low (4/67, --) Talkin’ Blues Revolution Total Running Time: 38:59 The Players: Bob Marley (vocals, rhythm guitar) Aston “Family Man” Barrett (bass) Carlton “Carlie” Barrett (drums, percussion) Bernard “Touter” Harvey, Jean Roussel (piano, organ, keyboards) Al Anderson (guitar) Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, Griffiths (backing vocals)

Rating: 4.130 out of 5.00 (average of 20 ratings) Quotable: “The ultimate reggae recording of all time” – Jim Newsom, All Music Guide Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “Natty Dread is Bob Marley’s finest album, the ultimate reggae recording of all time. This was Marley’s first album without former bandmates Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston, and the first released as Bob Marley & the Wailers. The Wailers’ rhythm section of bassist Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett and drummer Carlton ‘Carlie’ Barrett remained in place and even contributed to the songwriting, while Marley added a female vocal trio, the I-Threes (which included his wife Rita Marley), and additional instrumentation to flesh out the sound.” AMG “The material presented here defines what reggae was originally all about, with political and social commentary mixed with religious paeans to Jah. The celebratory Lively Up Yourself falls in the same vein as ‘Get Up, Stand Up’ from Burnin’. No Woman, No Cry is one of the band's best-known ballads. Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) is a powerful warning that ‘a hungry mob is an angry mob.’ Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Road Block) and Revolution continue in that spirit, as Marley assumes the mantle of prophet abandoned by ’60s forebears like Bob Dylan.” AMG “In addition to the lyrical strengths, the music itself is full of emotion and playfulness, with the players locked into a solid groove on each number. Considering that popular rock music was entering the somnambulant disco era as Natty Dread was released, the lyrical and musical potency is especially striking. Marley was taking on discrimination, greed, poverty, and hopelessness while simultaneously rallying the troops as no other musical performer was attempting to do in the mid-‘70s.” AMG Notes: The 2001 Definitive Remasters edition also includes the track "Am-A-Do," which was recorded during the Natty Dread sessions but shelved until the 1991 compilation Talkin' Blues.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Bob Marley AMG All Music Guide review by Jim Newsom First posted 3/26/2008; updated 5/10/2021.