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Track Listings
| 1. If I Ever Lose My Faith In You |
| 2. Love Is Stronger Than Justice (The Munificent Seven) |
| 3. Fields Of Gold |
| 4. Heavy Cloud No Rain |
| 5. She's Too Good For Me |
| 6. Seven Days |
| 7. Saint Augustine In Hell |
| 8. It's Probably Me |
| 9. Everybody Laughed But You |
| 10. Shape Of My Heart |
| 11. Something The Boy Said |
| 12. Epilogue (Nothing 'Bout Me) |
| 13. If I Ever Lose My Faith In You |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
Taking it's name from one of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Ten Summoner's Tales is one of Sting's most accessible and optimistic albums. His new-found positivity suggests that the artist had finally recovered from the death of both his parents, which were so poignantly dealt with on his previous releases Nothing Like The Sun and Soul Cages. As the title suggests, the album also has mediaeval connections, apparent on biblical track titles such as "Saint Augustine In Hell" and "Fields of Gold". Moreover, in true Chaucerian style the album even has a "Prologue" and an "Epilogue". Even though the tone of the tracks on Ten Summoner's Tales is less melancholic than earlier albums, Sting still retains the ability to write deep, informed lyrics; "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You" and "It's Probably Me" are typically classic Sting moments. --John Galilee
Product Description
CD
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
A conceptual masterpiece, "Ten Summoner's Tales" must surely rank as the definitive Sting album. We're all familiar with the rathermore stereotypical Sting tunes, like "Englishman in New York" and his more recent releases. However, despite a prominent re-assertion into the otherwise painfully turgid pop world of today - something for which Sting must be congratulated - one wonders if he will ever again reach the musical heights achieved on this album.
The successor to the morbid "The Soul Cages", an album excessively derided by the critics, "Ten Summoner's Tales" turned the tables for Sting and showcased his skills as one of the most talented musicians anywhere. Armed with a trio of infallible session musicians, (drummers might like to note Vinnie Colaiuta's inimitable contribution here) Sting set about creating his most musical, listenable and amusing album to date.
The opener, "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You" is a great pop song, carried along by an infectious groove, and accompanied by a simplicity which makes it instantly listenable. "Fields of Gold" provides a mellow mood, and is a firm favourite from the album. Other noteable tracks are the fantastic "Seven Days", the sublime "Shape of My Heart" and the moving "Something The Boy Said". Really though, there is only one way to enjoy this album, and no review is going to do it justice. So do yourself a favour, and stick in the CD player. After several listenings I'm sure you'll agree that this is the Sting album.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Nicholas Casley
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Audio CD
The title of Sting's fourth studio album (1992) is a play on his real surname (Sumner) and also on his profession as a teller of tales, albeit in a musical form. Despite the title, there are in fact twelve tracks, the first and last acting as prologue and epilogue, as if this is his version of the Canterbury Tales. Again produced with Hugh Padgham, the album for me is as good as Sting's first, `The Dream of the Blue Turtles'.
I can take or leave the jazzy-rock "Love is Stronger than Justice" with its hillbilly chorus and country & western slide guitar; the two-minute rocker "She's Too Good for Me"; the jazz-rock, Hammond-organ infested "Saint Augustine in Hell" (a bit of a plodder despite its pretensions to pomp); the gentle rock ballad "Everybody Laughed But You" (with some good guitar work); and the upbeat epilogue that is "Nothing `Bout Me", which feels like something Sinatra would croon to during an evening.
Far better are the opening "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (another well-written and well-sung pop-rock love song); the blues stomper "Heavy Cloud, No Rain" with its wonderful guitar solo; the rousing "Seven Days" with its pizzicato strings and clever chorus; the atmospheric "It's Probably Me", music for a 1960s spy movie with its lone trumpet in the night; the meditation on playing-cards and war - `the sacred geometry of chance' - that is "Shape of My Heart"; and the well-told and well-sung story in "Something the Boy Said".
But the icing on this cake has got to be Sting's "Fields of Gold". An introduction of evocatively sustained chords, followed by a jangly guitar sounding visually like the morning sun shining through green leaves, leads to the sound of Northumbrian pipes.... Read more ›
I can take or leave the jazzy-rock "Love is Stronger than Justice" with its hillbilly chorus and country & western slide guitar; the two-minute rocker "She's Too Good for Me"; the jazz-rock, Hammond-organ infested "Saint Augustine in Hell" (a bit of a plodder despite its pretensions to pomp); the gentle rock ballad "Everybody Laughed But You" (with some good guitar work); and the upbeat epilogue that is "Nothing `Bout Me", which feels like something Sinatra would croon to during an evening.
Far better are the opening "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (another well-written and well-sung pop-rock love song); the blues stomper "Heavy Cloud, No Rain" with its wonderful guitar solo; the rousing "Seven Days" with its pizzicato strings and clever chorus; the atmospheric "It's Probably Me", music for a 1960s spy movie with its lone trumpet in the night; the meditation on playing-cards and war - `the sacred geometry of chance' - that is "Shape of My Heart"; and the well-told and well-sung story in "Something the Boy Said".
But the icing on this cake has got to be Sting's "Fields of Gold". An introduction of evocatively sustained chords, followed by a jangly guitar sounding visually like the morning sun shining through green leaves, leads to the sound of Northumbrian pipes.... Read more ›
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
Opening track "If I ever lose my faith I you" sets the tone for the entire album and there is no let down from there onwards. "Fields of Gold" and "Shape of my Heart" are real favorites too. Sting has really established himself as his own identity after Police. His voice is superb and he continues his romantic streak. I love this album, it is very relaxing and I can recommend it highly to anyone.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
One of those very few albums where every song is great! Verymellow tunes and easy to get lost in thought whilst listening to it. Great soft songs to listen to curled up on the sofa on a rainy day! Sting has a very expressive voice in most of the tracks - you can tell he is singing about something real and not just making up a nice tune to make money! One thing about this album too is that it hasn't aged. Although released a number of years ago, none of the songs seem old fashioned in style and it is still really popular.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By M. D. Rathbone
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Not being a very big Sting fan, although admiring most of his work with "The Police" I remember hearing the singles "Lose my faith" and "Fields of Gold" from this album on the radio and thought I'd chance the album... and I wasn't disappointed as it has remained one of my favourites ever since.
The stand-out track has to be "Shape of my Heart" which is a beautiful masterpiece, but there are some other classics including more narrative pieces such as "Love is stronger than justice" and "Saint Augustine in Hell" and the joyous fun of "Seven Days" which includes the great line "asked if I am mouse or man; the mirror squeaked, away I ran". Great stuff!
Definately not typical Sting and not a good intro to his lighter, pop abilities but still his best work represented here in the depth of lyrics, depth of music, atmosphere and oh I'm running out of words... just buy it and hear for yourself!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good
Very good cd, loaded onto iPod music for all ages, good for driving or relaxing, timeless classic, great addition to cd case
Published 2 months ago by O
5.0 out of 5 stars
Feed the soul in a soul less world
Music does not get better than this, be it in the Classical or the Rock world. It oozes love in contemplation and reflection. IT HAS SOUL in a souless world. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Alexander
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great album
One of my favorite sting's albums. This remastered version is slightly better than the original one, differently from the older records like "nothing like the sun" when you really... Read more
Published 10 months ago by jose araujo b jr
3.0 out of 5 stars
A disappointment for us.
No doubt it's standard Sting but we prefer his Mediaeval styles so we expected something similar because of the title, with its hint of Chaucer!. It came as a big disappointment.
Published 16 months ago by Dr. B. A. Juby
5.0 out of 5 stars
The seminal Sting album
I've been a fan of Sting since I was a teenager and although of recent years he seems to have gone a bit medieval and classical on us, I do consider this album 'Ten Summoner's... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Agnes X Nitt
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ten Summoner's Tales
Although I was initially disappointed at waiting for quite a long time before the product arrived, and finding that the outer casing of the CD, was a little damaged,the CD was ok,... Read more
Published on 29 May 2011 by lenika
3.0 out of 5 stars
Sting
Bought for one song (theme tune to Hustle) and hoped the others would be similar but they are not. But not bad
Published on 23 Mar 2011 by M. Swift
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sting - at his very best
No finer or more accesible poetry - this is the finest of all Sting's albums. Mercury Falling comes close, but his was his zenith. Read more
Published on 27 Feb 2008 by S. N. Hodgson
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Poetic, Story-Telling Side of Sting
This is indeed a quite notable CD to come from any pop singer, and Sting carries it admirably. There are, of course, the two hit songs here, "Fields Of Gold" and "If I Ever Lose My... Read more
Published on 30 Dec 2002 by Neal C. Reynolds
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sting grow's up and grow's wiser
Criticisms about rain-forests, the acrimonious split from The Police, and the accusations of Sting's 'getting soppy' aside, Ten Summoner's Tales is a fatastic album marking a true... Read more
Published on 10 Sep 2000
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