I don't know why everyone's so excited about The Police getting back together again. I mean, not only does their own drummer think they suck, but who wants to listen to retreads of hoary old chestnuts like "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" and "Synchronicity II" when Sting has so many gems like this in his solo repertoire?
[Ganked from Stereogum, as usual.]
Because no matter how bad Andy and Stewart may fail, it's still infinitely more interesting than Sting croaking out John Dowland. Let's face it, he hasn't done anything solo of solid consistency since 1993.
That said, I'm not $200 excited for anybody these days.
Posted by: Ryshpan | 12 June 2007 at 04:59 PM
Uh, David... you, ah, didn't click through to the YouTube video, did you?
Please don't make me add an "irony" tag.
Posted by: DJA | 12 June 2007 at 05:13 PM
You just picked that one because of his haircut.
Posted by: Andy H-D | 12 June 2007 at 05:21 PM
There is so much concentrated absurdity in there it's hard to winnow it down to just one thing, but yes, I will admit that Cowboy Sting wearing a mohawk apparently carved from Jason Priestley's hair was a decisive factor.
Posted by: DJA | 12 June 2007 at 05:27 PM
OMG, this song is like the gift that keeps on giving. Via Wikipedia:
Also, the name of the video's director? Lol Creme. I'm serious!
Posted by: DJA | 12 June 2007 at 07:06 PM
oh dear lord, there are aliens. they alone make this a cinematic work of GENIUS.
Posted by: sharkskin girl | 12 June 2007 at 08:28 PM
Uh, yeah - didn't click through until after I posted. Can I retract?
Egg, meet face. Foot, meet mouth.
Posted by: Ryshpan | 13 June 2007 at 11:29 AM
It's okay, David -- I think it's safe to say that unless you've started Krazy-Glueing ferret pelts to your head, you're not the one looking foolish here.
Posted by: DJA | 13 June 2007 at 02:07 PM
This is one of my very favorite Sting tunes. Mercury Falling is a fantastic record. Woo hoo!
Posted by: elizabeth! | 21 June 2007 at 12:35 AM
Elizabeth, are you really sure you want to blow all the cred you've accumulated opening for Arcade Fire? You might want to save some for a rainy day.
Posted by: DJA | 21 June 2007 at 03:37 AM
I don't think late Sting is as bad as some people make it out to be. (though that video makes it hard to say that with a straight face, as does this one):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C53vzRt8fzk
Ruining what could be a decent tune.
Not that different from reaction to Stevie Wonder (not comparing mind you)- the early stuff was sooo good that the later stuff suffers by comparison, even if it's not bad. I still think some of the hating on Sting is just pop culture eating it's young. (Or no longer young.) I didn't hate the Dowland. Sacred Love is a decent record, possibly his best in 10 years. I could never get with Mercury Falling- to many tunes for odd meter for their own sake. I actually heard that tour's boston stop- Caliuta (ds) was amazing. Horn line sucked, but vinnie was killin...
Then again, I'm the jazz blogger who's stood up for John Mayer...
I couldn't get tickets to the Police's Fenway Park hit here in Boston, but since you can any fenway concert well at quite a distance (I suffered through Jimmy Buffet two years ago, three miles away), I plan to sit a block from the park and check it out that way... will blog, of course
Posted by: Pat | 21 June 2007 at 10:10 PM
Can I just remind people that this song features the lines:
and:
These are lines that do not belong in any country song. Or any other kind of song, really.
Sting also recorded a duet version of this tune with Toby Keith, which is exactly as bad as you expect it would be.
"I Hung My Head" from the same record is a much better attempt at a country song -- but I refuse to get on board for any song that requires me to believe Sting is a cowboy. The song only really works when Johnny Cash sings it.
I've met a few jazz musicians who don't like the Cash version because "his voice sounds bad" and prefer Sting's version because "the odd meter is cool." This makes me despair.
Posted by: DJA | 22 June 2007 at 09:50 AM