Sting.com 25 Days Countdown: 18 Days

September 15, 2011

What is your favorite Sting solo album and why? Do you have a special connection to a particular album? Is your all-time favorite song contained on one of the albums? Do you own more than one copy ­perhaps one to keep at home and one to keep at the office or in the car? Don't spare any details ­ we want to hear from you!
Comments
41
posted by lydia
respect
every song and every album are my favourites....and when i see a copy in some shop with a special price... i can t leave it there....i have to buy it,so i have double copyes especially abbout Police albums... It is just for respect!
posted by zenyatta101
Bring On The Night
Summer of 1986, My girlfriend asked me to listen to the vinyl record of BOTN live album and I was blown away with "I Burn for You". Later that week, she gave a cassette version of the album (the version of CD burning in the 80's, which become my favorite cassette in my car. During the 90's I was invited on a local radio station in Manila to feature one of my favorite album and I played 3 songs from BOTN, I Burn for you, Moon Over Bourbon Street and Tea in the Sahara. When I migrated here in the US, I found a music haven called "Amoeba Music" in Sunset Blvd. where I got a vinyl and DVD of BOTN album. For me the live version of I Burn for you is the best version ever that's why I consider BOTN as my favorite Sting Solo album and the coolest album cover too. If you like "I Burn for you" like I do, find the first version (Last Exit era) which is very dark and yet powerful.
posted by stingchronicity
Well...
I responded on this already , but somehow it has not shown up :( So a shortened more concise version of my repsonse the other day is this ... ( I did go on a bit...maybe thats why it isn't here :) Basically I could find something about each and every album that keeps me going back to it, connecting to it ...but "Nothing Like the Sun" has Fragile...and that song changed me as a person. It caused me, as a teenager, to look at people differently. Not just my family, & friends... But the person checking out my books at the library, or the person in front of me in line at the grocery... everyone has a story, everyone Fragile in thier own way. It is easy to be compassionate to people who are sweet and kind. But we all have bad moments or cranky days...some of us deal with very heavy stuff...So it moved me to show kindness and compassion...maybe even especially to people that seem to be having a bad time. Perhaps then, maybe lessening a persons fragility, and building them up..even for just that one bright small moment. As a very dramatic teen , "Fragile" made an impression on my heart that has stuck with me. Be a Bright Spot in Somenes day..reach out, show tenderness...for "How Fragile We Are.."
posted by trace75
These are the soul cages...
'Soul Cages' has to be my favorite. I fell in love with 'Why Should I Cry For You?' and it is still my favorite to this day. I have so many memories of driving and listening to these songs, but also of journaling while listening. Sting's songs brought me to a deeper level of creativity -- so much inspiration for my life.
posted by pcrag
Soul Cages/Winter's Night
For me it has to be The Soul Cages. A magnificent album without a bad track on it. However, as winter comes round If On A Winter's Night will continue to get played a lot. Kudos to Sting for recording a more challenging album than simply churning out the standard carols or "Rudolf the red nosed reindeer". It's an enduring and interesting album and typical of the man himself.
posted by summoners
Ten Summoners's Tales
Hard to make a choice...my all time favourite Sting song is 'a thousand year's' and next 'book of my life' Brand new day is also special for me because when it was released I became a member of sting.com and I love this fanclub. I love the lyrics of TST and the music with Dominic, Vinnie and David. For me the best band! But again, I love all the albums, it's all great music with wonderful lyrics and Sting's great voice. When I first heard The Police on the radio with Sting's voice in 1978, I thought 'this is it!' And it's still there after 34 years...Sting's music means a lot to me...
posted by scarborofleur
I'm so Happy
I was gifted a ticket to see Sting in Angers (France) just before Christmas 1991 by Becca an American student whom I had met whilst a mature student at the Université du Main in Le Mans. Becca was part of a group of students from Maine in the US and her kindness has never left me. Indeed she and her fellow students are never very far from my thoughts. Ever since then Sting has been a favourite of mine and I find his music has echoed much of my own life experiences. A line from 'I'm so Happy' when he is 'choosing stars' has a particular resonance with me. "If on a winter's night" is my current 'choice' album. My children have grown up with Sting's music very much a soundtrack, and I know that my daughter Caroline's favourite song is 'Why should I cry for you' although I'm not sure if she realises its significance yet. One more thing and something I learned only very recently - I share my birthday with Sting - he is exactly one year older than me.
posted by mimi03
The Soul Cages
I love all Sting's albums for different reasons,his songs definitely read like the book of my life. The Soul Cages is my favorite and maybe my favorite album of all time. I find it to be his most personal work. Love the recurring themes with the sea, ships, and love. 'Mad About You' and 'Why Should I Cry For You' two of my personal favorites, but love every song on that album A close second would have to be Mercury Falling. Yes, I have one more than one copy of each of Sting's albums/cds. Some I still have the original album. All my cds have been copied and I do not listen to the originals. They are safely tucked away.
posted by
Sacred Love
My favorite album is Sacred Love! I saw Sacred Love Tour in 2004 in Italy and it was just amazing. Sacred Love is also the first Sting's solo album I've heard to! I have just one copy of it and it is autographed by Chris Botti!
posted by nleite
Can't tell
I enjoy every Sting record but the first three albums (Blue Turtles, Bring on the night, Nothing like the sun) were the ones that really blended with my DNA. I have also grown to love The Soul Cages more and more over the years and the ones I find least inspiring are Mercury Falling and Sacred Love.
posted by juliej
Nothing Like the Sun
My favourite album is Nothing Like the Sun mostly because of the time of my life it was released. Lots of changes happening, good, great changes and I got to see Sting live for the first time on this tour. WOW I was hooked. All the songs bring back that time to me when I hear them and I remember watching Sting take his shirt off at the concert and my sister & I fighting for the binoculars! But my all time favourite song is Ghost Story from Brand New Day - I can't really put down in writing why! Sting hardly ever performs this song but last year in Vancouver for the opening of Symphonicity Tour I was in row 2 and he sang it! Although there was obviously a packed hall of people I felt like he was singing it just for me! What a great show that was and I can hardly wait for this next one Dec 8 in Vancouver!
posted by jrodhard
TST
Best album top to bottom. Songs like "Heavy Cloud No Rain" and "She's Too Good For Me" could have been hit singles if not for even stronger tracks on the album. It was also a turning point in Sting's solo career. "The Soul Cages" wasn't as well received by the critics for its dark mood and TST started Sting on the path he has took through all of his solo albums through Sacred Love. A mix of different styles, writing songs telling different stories but having a common thread running through them. For TST that thread was there wasn't one.
posted by abeille
Not fair!
It's so hard to only choose one! I'll go with Dream of the Blue Turtles. It was one of my first albums and I still have my original cassette of it! Moon Over Bourbon Street has always been one of my favorite songs.I don't even like vampires...so that's a little weird I guess.
posted by plaster3000
If I Ever Lose My Faith In You
This song was released in February of 1993. I heard it for the first time on WXRT out of Chicago on my way back to college after a long weekend. It was my first year of college with all of the adjusting struggles that came with it. This song was where I was at during my time in college. It connected with me deeply. It made me feel happy even with all the unknowns. I bought the album the day it was released in March. It got me through that year in college and many other times. It's my go to when I'm feeling sad or lost. I rely on that "Faith" and Ten Summoners Tales because it was there when I needed it most telling me exactly what I needed to hear. Some how, Sting and I are kindred spirits. Brand New Day did the same thing for me, but "If I Ever Lose My Faith in you, and subsequently, "Ten Summoners Tales" started that trend. Thank you Ryan Plaster3000
posted by gertie7
Nothing Like the Sun
I absolutely love this album! So many beautiful songs - amazing lyrics! Favorite Songs?? How do I pick? If I have to pick one - it has to be "Fragile." Other favorite songs - "Be Still My Beating Heart" - how can you beat a lyric like "Sink like a stone that's been thrown in the ocean. My logic has drown in a sea of emotion" ? "Lazarus Heart" is a beautiful tribute to Sting's Mom. Everytime I hear "We'll be Together" I picture the video, which I just love! "Rock Steady" is so much fun! All in all - a fantastic album! I have copies everywhere - in my car, on my Ipad, on my IPod. I even have a copy of the album framed in my office. LOVE the picture of Sting - so gorgeous!
posted by mikeii
Ten Summoner's Tales
It's quite difficult to pick a favourite Sting record, largely because his albums have always been of a consistently high quality. However, there is a particular period of his work that is definitive from my point of view, and that is the material he was writing and recording during the early to mid-1990's. The musicians he was working with during this period, namely Dominic Miller, Vinnie Colaiuta and David Sancious amongst others, really were second to none. When Sting formed this line-up for The Soul Cages tour I think there was a certain 'spark' and this was clearly evident when they came to record Ten Summoner's Tales. If I was to pick one album from that period, I would say that album was the pinnacle, though The Soul Cages and Mercury Falling are also all-time favourites of mine. TST is a wonderfully laid-back, fun album and Sting and his band clearly had a good time putting these songs together and subsequently taking them out on tour. Every track is a winner - the songs are produced to perfection by Sting and his co-pilot at the time Hugh Padgham. Although it was released during March, the album has a distinctly Summer-like complexion. I have great memories of listening to it in the car driving through the countryside on a Summer's day. I have paid numerous visits to Old Wardour Castle in Wiltshire where Sting had his promo photos taken for the album and each time I've been sure to sit on the edge of the well in the same place Sting is sat on the front cover - unfortunately I am yet to find an Icelandic horse to complete the picture! What's most important is that TST is an utterly timeless collection of songs. I honestly believe you could record exactly the same album in exactly the same way in 2011 and the music would be just as effective and relevant now as it was back in 1993. That is one of the marks of great songs and great albums - can you create something that will last forever? Sting can. And he proved it on Ten Summoner's Tales. An absolute classic which has stood the test of time and will continue to do so.
posted by releaseanotherday
The Blue Turtles
To me, this is Sting's master work. My favorite by far. The reason? After the Police broke up, I was not really aware it was happening. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free," seemed to come out of nowhere. The unique Pop-Jazz sound was unlike anything I had heard before. The songwriting was even above what he had accomplished in the Police. The 1985-86 band was only rivaled by Prince's Sign O The Times band a year later, as the best Pop Music had to offer. I had just turned 16, and the depth of songs like "Russians," "We Work The Black Seam," and "Moon Over Bourbon Street," were so wonderful, and so mature. I had hoped for a reformed Police around 1990 with Kenny Kirkland and Branford Marsalis added to the mix. It was not meant to be, but my imagination still wonders what could have been.
posted by sandrad
all this time
This is my favourite album just because I like live version of his songs. And Roxanne is a number one , maybe because itis so different and smooth with that different arangment. Sting is so handsome with that shirt. Number one song of all time is englishman in new york
posted by stingfan4life
Ten Summoner's Tales
I love all of Sting's music, but I think this would have to be my favorite solo album. It was the one album of his that both my now husband and I both had copies of and the songs mean so much to us both. We saw his symphony tour and can't wait for the pre-sale for the SF Back to Bass tour as it is just before my birthday!
posted by Astrid
When we dance
I only have three Sting albums and one Police album and they're all great. I used to go completely wild on "Every little thing she does". Nowadays, when I play "When we dance" (Symphonicities version especialy) I get all emotional: Last year I went to Symphonica in Rosso in Arnhem (NL) with my sister. And although there was this enormous crowd, all those people singing and dancing, I felt like being the only person there. As if Sting was singing just for me, me alone. And when he started "When we dance" tears just rolled from my eyes. The lyrics, the music, and most of all Stings voice really moved me.
posted by laurie401
Sacred Love
The beauty of this CD is the intensity you hear in Sting's voice. I love the fact that the CD was dedicated to two close friends he had known for twenty five years. And you certainly can hear the love and passion with which Sting sings the entire mix of songs. I can have a crazy day, a bad day, however, sliding in this CD soothes my soul. it's a bit like a spiritual experience for me. This CD was given as a birthday gift from my son many years ago, and it now skips on one song but I will keep listening to it till it does not play any longer. That's how much I love Sacred Love. My favorie song on the CD is Send Your Love. My favorite line of the song is "There's no religion but sex and music"
posted by lnjp
all
it' s so difficult to make a choice!! I like all Sting's album... every little song he sing is magic!!!
posted by Faroe
must I choose?!!
Dream of the blue turtle was my first punch-O.M.G-Sting album, the first album, period. Nothing beats that. AND it was an incredible gang of musicians. Wynton Marsalis saxophone... the whole LP was gob smackingly surreal. still is. then came "Bring on the night!" that succeded in surpassing the LP. "Bring on the night" is what I hear when I see the word Sting. that's an uncomparable song, the energy! the speed! the youth and LIFE. I've put it on on every hard heavy moment, to stay alive. It's my favourite. but then... you have the still water-Sting too. Fields of gold... We came sailing with good wind over the aft, music heard from within the boat, sun slowly sinking beneath the horisont while the evening came embracing us. can't help my self being in love with that tune some 10 years later... and "Fortress around your heart"... been there, done that. twice. or more likely, too many times... those words are what I always wanted to hear from some of my men. and I learned to see "my own doings" by hearing it. a lesson for life, thanks Sting. among other "Sting teaches" are Childrens crusade "The flower of England, face down in the mud", "Fragile"..They dance alone..." (made me a Amnesty member!!), All this time (a lovely delightful tune and good lyrics. one of my favourites). this last one helped me to heal, I was devastated (a man of course...) and stood by the shore, hearing the waves. the lyrics came to me "all this time, the river floated" and I realised that everything humans do, just end up in dust, while the sea, is always always the same. and always always there. soothing. there's a comfort in that, that line covers it totally. the music is terriffic too. love the tune change in it. it's hopeful in some way. one thing that really is a strong side in Stings music, are the slow heartbreaking beautiful tunes. "Why should I cry for you" - as icingly empty in orchestration as the arctic itself. don't know what it is all about, but it's moving. and so beautiful. love that one! From the same area: "When angels fall". For our wedding we choosed the walz "Until" from the film Kate and Leopold. but then I could be favouring that tune, because of the cello (and the orchestrations, which is marvellous with the strings and the piano...) (I'm a cellist). that's "our" song. but all time high is "Desert rose". together with the voice of Cheb Mami.... Priceless. it's not less important to me since it was the tune I played in the car, the first month of having my driving licence, age 36. I listened to nothing else. FREEDOM!!!! Sting remains the most important artist in my life. the only one that ever came in the near, except for J.S. Bach, is Peter Gabriel. but my youth, my futile heart brakings (and the healings) the joys, the hot nights, the relifts, the happiness in music, belong to the music of this man.
posted by anke65
Sacred Love
My favorite CD is the Sacred Love. The songs and the lyrics are great. Sting in a duet with Mary J. Blige is the best I've ever heard. Joe Lawry's good, but Mary has that special extra. The music hits my heart, and the lyrics blow my brain inside out. I love it
posted by Jody
Brand New Day
It was one of my Dad's favorites and he was always walking around singing Brand New Day. When Sting came to Raleigh in September of 2004, my sister and I took him. It was his first concert and he loved it. We lost him to cancer last year and every time I hear any of those songs it makes me smile from such a wonderful memory.
posted by kafka
Soul Cages
The album helped me understand the meaning of life at a young age. The song about Ozymandias. The poem begs the question: What should you do with your life? (If you pursue power or money or fame, nothing will remain.) The song answers the question with the only thing which can transcend all of these and last forever: Love.
posted by jsgrif
So many from which to choose
About six years ago my partner died from lung cancer. When we were putting together music for his memorial service I specifically did not include three Sting songs. If they had played at the service I would have fallen apart. Those songs serve as strong reminders of the powerful force of love in our lives and remind me of how lucky I've been to experience such love. The three songs are: Why Should I Cry for You, Ghost Story and Fields of Gold. Thank you Sting for such beautiful testaments to love.
posted by surpata
Poll On The mBoards
Add your vote in the Community under the ::Poll:: forum under your favourite of Sting's. Here's the link. http://community.sting.com/index.php?/topic/7014-your-favourite-of-stings/ ~s
posted by Cruzing
The Dream Of The Blue Turtles
for album it would be his first after The Police era, 1985 - The Dream Of The Blue Turtles and for fav song I love Fragile from the album 1987 - Nothing Like The Sun
posted by Cora
The Soul Cages
My favorite album still, no contest. I know every song by heart. It contains some of the most emotional and poignant of Sting's music and lyrics and it speaks to the melancholy streak inside of me. Ten Summoner's Tales and Mercury Falling come in a close second. He has a fantastic body of work and he's a common staple in my Ipod.
posted by stingfan42
The Soul Cages
Nothing can beat the music and lyrics of The Soul Cages. Almost every single track on that record is so incredibly dense, both musically, lyrically and emotionally, that even after years listening to the album, I am still discovering new things. Wonderfully nuanced, technically and emotionally complex, musically flawless, The Soul Cages is a dense and indispensable album.
posted by peter
Don't really know
It kind of depends on what mood I'm in(yes it's really that bad :-) ). If I look at the most played songs on my Itunes it'll be a cross between Soul cages,Mercury falling and If on a winter's night. I have this thing with 'Hounds of winter'. Every time I hear it it gives me a feeling of comfort with a melancholy twist. This is such a beautiful song. All this time is my favourite video. Great song too!! Since I was in Durham 'The snow it melts the soonest' and 'Gabriels message' are my new religion songs. First album I got from my mum was 'Nothing like the sun'(I was fifteen). It was on cassette tape. I loved 'We'll be together' with the line 'I see you with me, a baby makes three'.12 years later I played it the day we drove home from hospital with our new born daughter. I had that in mind all the time. Cheers.
posted by steve1965499
The Dream Of The Blue Turtles
Great memories of this album. Man that band could play!!! Remember 'Bring on the night' moving into' When the world is running down..?'FANTASTIC. My God I remember seeing them at the SEC in Glasgow (and meeting Trudie after queueing all day) and the sound was crystal clear and muscianship simply mesmerising. Also queueing again all day at the backstage door at The Edinburgh Playhouse with the album to try and get Stings autograph only for him to turn up at 7pm and go right through the front doors!! I was gutted though managed to meet the whole band who kindly signed my album including Miles! Incredibly straight after the gig Sting climbed ontop of his car and signed my album though it was more of a squiggle! As a footnote I told him this story when I met him at the first Manchester booksigning - he laughed at his signature and said he'd better do a better job this time... Great memories Truly Great album.
posted by iburn4u
Soul Cages
Hands down it's Soul Cages. So personal and I think most revealing about Sting. Reading Broken Music added a whole new layer to the poignance of this work. He just reaches in and yanks my heart out of my body with his lyrics and melodies. The middle eight of Island of Souls is the best poetry he's ever written. I love it so much I had to journey to Newcastle. I walked the length of the North Pier in Tynemouth by the Priory listening to the album in my iPod and cried like a baby. There is nothing more cathartic than listening to the Cages. Perfection.
posted by CrisPrado
Ten Summoner's Tales
Sting is a god of music to me. I remember hearing his songs since I was a very young child, in Rio de Janeiro/Brasil. My mother loves his songs as well, and I've learned a lot about Sting from her. I think it's hard to choose an album, but I could say that Ten Summoner's Tales tells a lot about me and my teenage years. The melody of Shape Of My Heart is like a prayer to me. So I would choose this song, from this album. But there are other Sting songs that have marked magical times of my life in a very special way. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free and Every Breath You Take (my childhood in Rio de Janeiro), We'll Be Together, Every Breath You Take and All This Time (when I came to live in São Paulo, with my father), Fields Of Gold and If I Ever Lose My Faith in You (my teenage years), and Fragile + When We Dance (I couldn't stop listening to these songs when I traveled to Europe in 2007). Then he came out with the beautiful and so unexpected album If On a Winter's Night... I got totally surprised and amazed by the songs, by his voice, and the strong deep feeling I get hearing each word and musical instrument. This album proves, one more time, why Sting is, and always will be, a god of music to me. And for the whole world, I'm sure. Long live Sting and the gems that he spreads around the Earth. I'm a singer and I'm always singing his songs to my friends and family, here in São Paulo/ Brasil. Plus, I read and loved his book Broken Music. Cheers and lot's of love!!! Cris Prado
posted by pueh
Mercury Falling ...
... is the album of Sting I´m in love with. Last year when I was ill and had to stay in hospital for six weeks , I heard it every evening before sleeping and the songs helped me to recover. Especially the song "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" I heard certainly a million times. Thank you, Sting for these beautiful lyrics, you are my soul mate!
posted by nitefly1
Bring it on!!
All time favourite would have to be 'Bring on the night'. All star line up (he poached miles davis' bass player & saxophone player, the drummer from Weather Report & Kenny Kirkland. What a line up! both the documentary & the album remain unparalleled!!
posted by MBeebs042
Nothing Like That Sun
Nothing Like That Sun. ("Sister Moon" is soooo My Jam)..This album came out when I was in the 8th Grade. I think it set a still unbeaten record for weeks at #1 on CHOM fm here in Montreal... I bought the Double Vinyl version and Played it to Death on my Dads Turn Tables... The show was sold out at the Montreal Forum. It was close to Christmas time and somehow My Dad managed to get us tickets to sit in the section where reporters sit during Hockey Games, we hovered WAY above the Stage... I had no Idea who Branford, Vinni, Daryl or Mr. Hakim were at the time (I was 14 and most of my friends were listening to Run DMC and the Beastie Boys)... This was my first concert EVER. The first Time I think I ever saw live music. To see Sting walk out and Sound as good or Even Better than he did on the records Blew my mind apart... My biggest regret was not getting a concert t-shirt at that show. I got one 2 years later at Amenesty international... I've see Sting all but one Time that he played in Montreal... And will do so again. Good Luck with the 20 years, And Here is to 20 More....Cheers Respect, Myles
posted by Jimmyz
All This Time
I love this live performance. I have seen sting many times over the years but found listening to this cd captures everything I enjoy about sting the performer. Of course 9/11 did occur right at the time this was recorded so it does hold a time stamp from an event that will forever be remembered. I bought the cd and it spent a lot of time in my car due to travel with my job. When I bought my ipod all things sting and police were the first things I uploaded. Now Sting goes everywhere with me. I still listen to this cd at least once a week.
posted by gargamella
Mercury Falling
that's the album of growing up, of winter, being a "complete" man, of family, and love. Very mature. a complete circle, I love it. I have everything from that album, every single, every song. love it Francesco
posted by pc
I say bring on
My favorite solo album is Bring on the Night: great musicians, great sound and great energy. It is a mixture of Sting melody and The Police powerful energy. I bought original LP, Tape and CDs of The Police and the first Sting solo albums. Often, I have more than one CD in several editions. At the Police time I bought a listening copy and an other to preserve. Bring it on bring it on ....
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