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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. The Lazarus Heart |
| 2. Be Still My Beating Heart |
| 3. Englishman In New York |
| 4. History Will Teach Us Nothing |
| 5. They Dance Alone |
| 6. Fragile |
| 7. We'll Be Together |
| 8. Straight To My Heart |
| 9. Rock Steady |
| 10. Sister Moon |
| 11. Little Wing |
| 12. The Secret Marriage |
| 13. Englishman In New York |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Sting's second and most conceptually dense solo album moved on from jazz to ideas picked up from Latin music. Even when he's not using Latin music's tricky polyrhythms, the melodies of the ballad "Be Still My Beating Heart" and the hit dance single "We'll Be Together" suggest he'd been listening to lots of salsa. If you can sting, you can cross-pollinate, too, and there are some other subtle hybrids here, notably the Gil Evans Orchestra's gliding arrangement of Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing" and the reggae-in-a-Cole Porter suit of "Englishman in New York". Of course, the former schoolteacher has some lyrical messages to deliver and the three songs that originally made up the second side of a double LP are a bitter meditation on Latin American politics and history. --Douglas Wolk
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
One of my favourite albums of all time - the songs are classic, timeless. Sting's voice is reminiscent of the sunshine on a sultry summer's day; caressing your psyche into blissful lethargy (but maybe this is just me!) :)
I love 'Little Wing' too (best rendition I've heard in a long while), and 'Secret Marriage' is brief but breathtakingly beautiful. 'Fragile' may be overplayed, but you can see why - it is moving, haunting.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I've just got back into the tantric one's music having had the benefitof seeing "The Police" playing live last week. Yes Mr Sumner can do no wrong but this is probably my favourite of his solo albums. The album opens with the jazz tinged "Lazarus Heart" guitar courtesy of Mr Andrew Summers no less. This is jazz inflected genius where the tempo shifts mid song due to exceptional bass and percussion."be still my beating Heart" is excellent "Englishman in New York" is quintissentially British and a marvel to behold. "History will teach us Nothing" is okay but "Fragile" is astoundingly beautiful We'll be together is funk at its best, "sister Moon" is Languid jazzy brilliance closely followed by an astounding version of "Little Wing" and is finished with by "The Secret Marriage" which was dusted off for the four weddings soundtrack. Sting is in fine musical form and in good company. Mark knopfler and Eric Clapton pop up through the album.
The sleevenotes are highly entertaining and eloquent. Sting advocated the quotation of Shakespeare to rid oneself of inebriates. When "accosted by a drunk in Notting Hill who demanded to know how full was the moon that night Sting replied that his Mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun." A Good answer" replied the drunk who lurched on like a "listing galleon" absolutely fantastic!
The sleevenotes are highly entertaining and eloquent. Sting advocated the quotation of Shakespeare to rid oneself of inebriates. When "accosted by a drunk in Notting Hill who demanded to know how full was the moon that night Sting replied that his Mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun." A Good answer" replied the drunk who lurched on like a "listing galleon" absolutely fantastic!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Sting's second studio album overall does not live up to the strengths of his first, but has many glittering gems nonetheless. Its sun in its title largely reflects past and present glories rather than illuminates future vistas. There's no doubting the strengths of the supporting session artists, many of which were used on the previous album. But this is quite a self-indulgent album. Opportunities have been wasted, and the production is a little disappointing. But I do not want to appear too negative: this is a very good album, beating many of his contemporaries hands-down with its subtle arrangements and thoroughbred lyricism.
So what of the songs themselves? The least appealing to me are the opening track "The Lazarus Heart"; the reggae "History Will Teach Us Nothing"; the Latino-edged "Fragile" (a good feel to the song but an uninspiring arrangement, despite the truth of lyrics such as "Nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could"); "Straight To My Heart" (complex but ultimately tedious rhythms and Sting's voice too far back in the mix); the hackwork "Rock Steady" (too steady - I'm bored now); and the limp, bland, unfinished closing track, "The Secret Marriage".
For me, the gems are "Be Still My Beating Heart" with its insistent rhythm and atmospheric piano; "Englishman In New York" with its pizzicato string beat and meandering high sax; the strangely hollow and colourless, yet moving "They Dance Alone" ("One day we'll dance on their graves": in the intervening twenty years time has been thankfully kinder to Latin America); "Sister Moon", an intimate but sparsely-produced song enhanced by a wailing saxophone; and "Little Wing", written by Jimi Hendrix and played with the Gil Evans orchestra. Of Jimi Hendrix I knew, of Gil Evans I did not - which may explain a lot - but what a wonderful change in atmosphere, with guitars, keyboards, sax, all so strangely beautiful; it was a shame to fade out so early.
I think much of the problem with this album is down to the sparse production sound. This is highlighted for me by the one track with a different producer (Bryan Loren instead of Neil Dorfsman), namely "We'll Be Together". Here there is an immediacy of sound that is more urgent and more active. If only the whole album were the same.
Still, I'm not complaining (much) and am happy to give this album the four stars it deserves. By the way, Sting, if you're reading this, "History will teach us ..." EVERYTHING!
So what of the songs themselves? The least appealing to me are the opening track "The Lazarus Heart"; the reggae "History Will Teach Us Nothing"; the Latino-edged "Fragile" (a good feel to the song but an uninspiring arrangement, despite the truth of lyrics such as "Nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could"); "Straight To My Heart" (complex but ultimately tedious rhythms and Sting's voice too far back in the mix); the hackwork "Rock Steady" (too steady - I'm bored now); and the limp, bland, unfinished closing track, "The Secret Marriage".
For me, the gems are "Be Still My Beating Heart" with its insistent rhythm and atmospheric piano; "Englishman In New York" with its pizzicato string beat and meandering high sax; the strangely hollow and colourless, yet moving "They Dance Alone" ("One day we'll dance on their graves": in the intervening twenty years time has been thankfully kinder to Latin America); "Sister Moon", an intimate but sparsely-produced song enhanced by a wailing saxophone; and "Little Wing", written by Jimi Hendrix and played with the Gil Evans orchestra. Of Jimi Hendrix I knew, of Gil Evans I did not - which may explain a lot - but what a wonderful change in atmosphere, with guitars, keyboards, sax, all so strangely beautiful; it was a shame to fade out so early.
I think much of the problem with this album is down to the sparse production sound. This is highlighted for me by the one track with a different producer (Bryan Loren instead of Neil Dorfsman), namely "We'll Be Together". Here there is an immediacy of sound that is more urgent and more active. If only the whole album were the same.
Still, I'm not complaining (much) and am happy to give this album the four stars it deserves. By the way, Sting, if you're reading this, "History will teach us ..." EVERYTHING!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Just perfect.
This is the second solo album of Sting and this remastered version makes it even better. The band is awesome and the songs are so soft and sofisticated.
Published 7 months ago by jose araujo b jr
Combining influences DOES work.....
This album is now nearly 20 years old, and although one or two tracks have dated a little, due to the excesses of 1980's production, as a previous reviewer has noted, the album as... Read more
Published on 21 July 2006 by Dino Amore'
Great follow up to turtles
Same sort of sound as his first album, same high quality material. His unique voice helps enormously - he sounds like no one else. Excellent adult pop
Published on 6 Jun 2006 by Hill Walker
Old love...
I had used up the old vinyl, so I had to have on CD. Love it!
Published on 5 Nov 2003
Sting's finest hour
i'm not a Sting fan at all. He just doesn't reach me... which is cool; each to their own and all that. Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2001 by Jim Fitzsimons
Silky smooth, amazing clarity, warmth and a treat to the ear
Sting`s version of Jimi Hendrix`s classic `Little Wing` is absolutely amazing listen and love it. Oh, and the rest of the album is pretty amazing too.
Published on 31 Aug 2000 by J. White
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