The Story Behind Sting's The Dream of the Blue Turtles Album
Sting - The Dream of the Blue Turtles: A Classic Pop Rock Album
Introduction
The Dream of the Blue Turtles is the debut solo album by Sting, released in 1985. It was a huge commercial and critical success, selling over 10 million copies worldwide and earning six Grammy nominations. It also marked a significant departure from Sting's previous work with The Police, as he experimented with jazz, reggae, and world music influences.
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Who is Sting?
Sting is a British singer-songwriter, musician, and actor. He was born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner in 1951 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. He started his musical career as a bassist and vocalist for The Police, one of the most popular and influential rock bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s. He also launched a successful solo career in 1985, releasing 14 studio albums and winning 17 Grammy Awards. He is known for his distinctive voice, his versatile musical style, and his activism on various social and environmental causes.
What is The Dream of the Blue Turtles?
The Dream of the Blue Turtles is Sting's first solo album after leaving The Police. It was recorded in Barbados with a group of jazz musicians, including Branford Marsalis on saxophone, Kenny Kirkland on keyboards, Omar Hakim on drums, and Darryl Jones on bass. The album features 10 original songs written by Sting, covering topics such as love, politics, war, and spirituality. The title of the album comes from a dream that Sting had, in which he saw four blue turtles falling from the sky and landing on his bed.
Why is it a classic album?
The Dream of the Blue Turtles is widely regarded as one of Sting's best albums and one of the finest pop rock albums of the 1980s. It showcases Sting's musical talent, creativity, and diversity, as he blends elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, and world music. It also contains some of his most memorable and iconic songs, such as "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free", "Russians", "Fortress Around Your Heart", and "Moon Over Bourbon Street". The album received rave reviews from critics and fans alike, and was nominated for six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
The Songs
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
This is the opening track and the lead single from the album. It is an upbeat and catchy song that expresses Sting's philosophy of love and freedom. It features a funky bass line, a horn section, and a gospel choir. It was a huge hit worldwide, reaching number one on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and number three on the UK Singles chart.
Love Is The Seventh Wave
This is the second track and the second single from the album. It is a reggae-inspired song that uses the metaphor of waves to describe the power of love to overcome hatred and violence. It references various conflicts around the world, such as nuclear war, terrorism, apartheid, and religious fundamentalism. It also contains a hidden message at the end of the song, where Sting sings "Every breath you take" backwards, as a nod to his previous hit with The Police.
Russians
This is the third track and the third single from the album. It is a political song that addresses the Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1980s. It samples a theme from Sergei Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite, which was used in a Soviet television program about children. It also quotes a speech by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, who famously said "We will bury you". The song questions whether both sides have any humanity left in them, and pleads for peace and mutual understanding.
Children's Crusade
This is the fourth track from the album. It is a somber and haunting song that compares two historical tragedies involving children: the Children's Crusade of 1212, where thousands of young European Christians marched to Jerusalem to reclaim it from Muslims but ended up being sold into slavery or dying along the way; and the heroin epidemic in London in the 1980s, where many young people became addicted to drugs and died from overdoses or AIDS. The song criticizes both religious fanaticism and social apathy that led to these events.
Shadows In The Rain
This is the fifth track from the album. It is a remake of an earlier song by The Police from their 1980 album Zenyatta Mondatta. It is a fast-paced rock song that describes a paranoid and delusional state of mind caused by drugs or stress. It features a prominent saxophone solo by Branford Marsalis.
We Work The Black Seam
This is the sixth track from the album. It is a protest song that opposes nuclear power and supports coal mining as a source of energy. It was inspired by Sting's childhood memories of growing up near a coal mine in Newcastle upon Tyne, as well as by his involvement in Live Aid in 1985, where he met Bob Geldof and learned about the famine in Ethiopia caused by droughts linked to climate change. The song argues that nuclear power is dangerous and unsustainable, while coal mining provides jobs and dignity for workers.
Consider Me Gone
This is the seventh track from the album. It is a jazz ballad that expresses Sting's desire to leave behind his past relationships and start anew. It features Kenny Kirkland on piano and Branford Marsalis on soprano saxophone.
The Dream Of The Blue Turtles
This is the eighth track from the album. It is an instrumental piece that showcases Sting's skills as a bassist. It was inspired by his dream of four blue turtles falling from the sky.
Moon Over Bourbon Street
This is the ninth track and the fourth single from the album. It is a jazzy song that tells the story of a vampire who wanders around New Orleans at night, looking for victims and lamenting his cursed existence. It was influenced by Anne Rice's novel Interview with the Vampire, which Sting read while recording the album. It features Omar Hakim on drums, Darryl Jones on double bass, and Branford Marsalis on clarinet.
Fortress Around Your Heart
This is the tenth and final track and the fifth single from the album. It is a rock anthem that reflects on Sting's divorce from his first wife, Frances Tomelty, and his new relationship with Trudie Styler. It uses the metaphor of a fortress under siege to describe the emotional barriers that prevent him from opening up to love. It was one of the most successful songs from the album, reaching number one on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and number eight on the UK Singles chart.
The Reissue
What's new in the 2022 reissue?
The Dream of the Blue Turtles was reissued in 2022 to celebrate its 37th anniversary. The reissue features remastered sound quality, bonus tracks, and new liner notes by Sting. The bonus tracks include live versions of some of the songs recorded during Sting's world tour in 1985-1986, as well as demos and alternate takes of the songs. Some of the demos and alternate takes are: - If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (Original Sketch) - Love Is The Seventh Wave (New Mix) - Russians (Demo) - Children's Crusade (Alternate Version) - Shadows In The Rain (Live In Paris) - We Work The Black Seam (1993 Version) - Consider Me Gone (Live In Arnhem) - The Dream Of The Blue Turtles / Demolition Man (Live In Paris) - Moon Over Bourbon Street (Cornelius Mix) - Fortress Around Your Heart (Hugh Padgham Remix) The new liner notes by Sting provide some insights into the making of the album, his influences, his collaborators, and his personal life at the time. He also reflects on the legacy and impact of the album after 37 years.
Where can you download it?
The 2022 reissue of The Dream of the Blue Turtles is available for download on various platforms, such as Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube Music. You can also find it on torrent sites, such as RuTracker.org, where you can download it in FLAC format for free. However, downloading from torrent sites may be illegal in some countries, so you should be careful and use a VPN if you choose this option.
Conclusion
Summary of the main points
The Dream of the Blue Turtles is a classic pop rock album by Sting, released in 1985. It was his first solo album after leaving The Police, and it showcased his musical diversity and talent. It featured 10 original songs that explored themes such as love, politics, war, and spirituality. It was a huge commercial and critical success, selling over 10 million copies worldwide and earning six Grammy nominations. It also contained some of Sting's most iconic songs, such as "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free", "Russians", "Fortress Around Your Heart", and "Moon Over Bourbon Street". The album was reissued in 2022 with remastered sound quality, bonus tracks, and new liner notes by Sting.
Call to action
If you are a fan of Sting or pop rock music in general, you should definitely check out The Dream of the Blue Turtles. It is one of Sting's best albums and one of the finest pop rock albums of the 1980s. You can download it from various platforms or torrent sites, or you can buy it on CD or vinyl. You will not regret it!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about The Dream of the Blue Turtles:
- Q: What does the title of the album mean? - A: The title of the album comes from a dream that Sting had, in which he saw four blue turtles falling from the sky and landing on his bed. He interpreted it as a sign of his subconscious telling him to pursue his solo career and explore new musical directions. - Q: What is the significance of the cover art? - A: The cover art shows Sting standing in front of a painting by Brazilian artist Romero Britto. The painting depicts four blue turtles surrounded by colorful geometric shapes. It represents Sting's musical vision and his collaboration with jazz musicians. - Q: Who are the musicians that played on the album? - A: The musicians that played on the album are: - Sting: vocals, bass guitar, double bass, keyboards - Branford Marsalis: saxophone, clarinet - Kenny Kirkland: keyboards - Omar Hakim: drums - Darryl Jones: bass guitar - Dolette McDonald: backing vocals - Janice Pendarvis: backing vocals - Eddy Grant: congas - Frank Opolko: trombone - Kenwood Dennard: drums - Ray Cooper: percussion - Q: What are some of the influences and references on the album? - A: Some of the influences and references on the album are: - If You Love Somebody Set Them Free: inspired by Bob Marley's song "Stir It Up" - Love Is The Seventh Wave: inspired by a book by Arthur C. Clarke called "The Deep Range" - Russians: samples a theme from Sergei Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite and quotes a speech by Nikita Khrushchev - Children's Crusade: references a historical event where thousands of young European Christians marched to Jerusalem to reclaim it from Muslims but ended up being sold into slavery or dying along the way - Shadows In The Rain: a remake of an earlier song by The Police from their album Zenyatta Mondatta - We Work The Black Seam: inspired by Sting's childhood memories of growing up near a coal mine in Newcastle upon Tyne - Consider Me Gone: inspired by a poem by William Shakespeare called "Sonnet 35" - The Dream Of The Blue Turtles: inspired by Sting's dream of four blue turtles falling from the sky - Moon Over Bourbon Street: inspired by Anne Rice's novel Interview with the Vampire - Fortress Around Your Heart: inspired by Sting's divorce from his first wife Frances Tomelty and his new relationship with Trudie Styler