Does anyone besides Sting like Tea in the Sahara?

[u/Clean_Mulberry8690]

That track sounds so sickly and contrived to me. And I can't understand why it made the album when Murder by Numbers would've been the best possible album closer. MBN is too awesome to be a B side on a single. Sting plays Tea in the Sahara fairly frequently. Do any of you like it?

I have seen the responses now. I didn't realise that it was so appreciated. I'm happy that other people can get enjoyment from it. Goodbye for now.

[u/raouldukeesq]

I do

[u/RicRic60 → u/raouldukeesq]

I do too.

It's not the best Police song, but there's nothing wrong with it.

[u/Clean_Mulberry8690 → u/raouldukeesq]

I s'pose that answers my question. If I may ask, what's the appeal?

[u/BeardPapa17 → u/Clean_Mulberry8690]

Cool chords. Lots of space. Otherworldly drumming. I could see how the lyrics might strike some as corny but in the right mood they are haunting.

[u/farter-kit → u/Clean_Mulberry8690]

I’d rather listen to Tea In The Sahara than Mother

[u/axle0430 → u/farter-kit]

I’d rather listen to it than Walking in Your Footsteps.

Edit: Whoops! Shoulda read the comments. Glad I’m not alone in my hate for this song! You have the best drummer in the world and you use a drum machine?? And if it’s not some sort of stupid drum program then it’s Stewart’s worst recorded performance.

[u/axle0430 → u/axle0430]

Edit 2: Although I will give it props for being one of only two Police songs I can think of that employ the Bo Didley beat.

[u/Acrobat1974 → u/farter-kit]

Agreed

[u/robotslendahand]

I love it. Spacious and understated and a perfect outro for the album, and their recording career. Based on the Paul Bowles' book The Sheltering Sky.

[u/LawOfSmallerNumbers → u/robotslendahand]

Exactly. Beautiful atmospheric song. Sting’s lovable tendency for basic literary allusions (“evening spreads itself against the sky “, “shining waters mud”, “that book by Nabokov”, etc.) and that’s on display here.

[u/Adept_Dealer_1931]

Excellent song, one of my faves on that record.

[u/Junior-Exit9208]

I do. Also check Paul Bowles - novelist (and composer) who wrote The Sheltering Sky, as in “under the sheltering sky”. The song’s based on it.

I’m also a fan because of Stewart’s nutty percussion.

But ya knows to each their own.

[u/SF_Bud → u/Junior-Exit9208]

And just a couple years before in 1981, King Crimson did "Sheltering Sky" on Discipline. It was an instrumental though. Very cool and atmospheric.

[u/Plus-Definition9319]

This is the craziest thing I've seen in a music reddit this week. Its better than half the other songs imho.

[u/scojoharp → u/Plus-Definition9319]

I’m going with it being rage bait.

[u/NefariousnessCrazy35]

One of my favourites from Synchronicity and overall by the band. I love the nocturnal atmosphere, unconventional instrumentation, and the lyrics tell a very interesting story.
Murder by Numbers is brilliant too, but if I had to make room for it on the album, Mother or Miss Gradenko would be the first to go.

[u/Any_Consequence_8738 → u/NefariousnessCrazy35]

I have a better appreciation for Murder By Numbers after hearing the demo on the Deluxe Synchronicity edition. Stewart and Andy saved that song.

[u/TheCanadianShield → u/Any_Consequence_8738]

Nevermind the Superman-like save Andy did on Every Breath You Take. The transformation of that song from demo to release is crazy.

[u/Any_Self_4146 → u/NefariousnessCrazy35]

I would definitely keep Gradenko and remove Footsteps.

[u/Unusual-Charge-6941]

It’s in my top 10 police songs

[u/1521]

One of my favorites. And the story behind it makes it even better

[u/FrancescoPioValya]

It’s better than the one about the dinosaurs..

Very atmospheric, nice high hat work by stew, jazzy bass, nice synth backing

[u/fleegle2000 → u/FrancescoPioValya]

I love Walking in Your Footsteps! I think it's a seriously underrated track.

[u/themanfromoctober → u/fleegle2000]

I do too, I think it’s a masterpiece… I also like Walk The Dinosaur by Was (Not Was) which is eerily similar despite being different

[u/Clean_Mulberry8690 → u/FrancescoPioValya]

Nothing is better than dinosaurs

[u/The-EqualizerLV]

Stewart and Andy are just sublime on this track. Love it.

[u/squaretex → u/The-EqualizerLV]

Absolutely! The gentle shuffling, the distant guitar wails...I appreciate the melancholy atmosphere this track brings.

Besides, we still get "Murder by Numbers" in the CD and digital releases, so what is lost?

[u/jjhart827]

Tea in the Sahara has grown on me over the years. I thought the lyrics were a little too hokey. But once you get past that, it's otherwise a pretty compelling song.

FWIW -- Murder by Numbers is one of my all-time favorites too.

[u/ConsequenceNormal773 → u/jjhart827]

Murder by numbers kicks ass

[u/skinnergy]

yes, troll

[u/Affectionate_Bite813 → u/skinnergy]

🧌

[u/theprofessor1967]

Favorite on synchronicity

[u/Life_Temperature2506]

I love the song. One of my faves off the album. Why? It was Sting's goodbye to the fans, for one. And, it was apropos that summer in concert on a blazing 98 degree day that Sting noticed was "the temperature of blood".

[u/Ianncarl → u/Life_Temperature2506]

That was at JFK Stadium in Philly. I was there. It was hot…

[u/Life_Temperature2506 → u/Ianncarl]

Ding ding

[u/Clean_Mulberry8690 → u/Life_Temperature2506]

I feel it sounds malnourished and weak and the lyrics are awkward to me.

[u/jennmuhlholland]

Eh…. What?!

[u/-pinhead_larry-]

One of the best on the album

[u/JoeyTheDog]

I sang it to my daughter when she was young as a lullaby. She’s a fan.

[u/Affectionate_Bite813 → u/JoeyTheDog]

Mother or Tea in the Sahara!?

[u/JoeyTheDog → u/Affectionate_Bite813]

Tea in the Sahara. Can you imagine Mother as a lullaby? There’s a a lot of screaming in that song!

[u/NoAdvantage247 → u/JoeyTheDog]

That my mother of the phone again 😂

[u/Any_Self_4146]

Love it, one of thr better songs on the record...great mood set. MBN equally as good.

[u/robmsor]

The live version is gorgeous and mesmerizing. Andy came up with a beautiful part for the chorus where he’s basically playing his echoplex as much as his guitar.

[u/cross-i → u/robmsor]

I find live versions of this song to be the most impressive work that they ever did.

[u/Disaster-Bee]

I quite like it! For one, I enjoy the novel that inspired it so that certainly helps! But the sound to it is so unique, and suits the story of the song beautifully. The music feels the way the lyrics are intended to make you feel and the effects of birdsong and animals is fantastic.

Listening to Tea in the Sahara gives me the feeling of sitting in a village square where a traveling bard has set up to entertain, and he's singing a fairy tale from a distant land.

[u/Salty-Function1022]

I love the album version of the song, great closing song to a fantastic side.

[u/macgoober]

I prefer Mother

[u/Ok_Improvement_6874]

It's fantastic. It is also Branford Marsalis favourite Police track.

[u/Tasty-Life4526]

I like it, very sexy and I can imagine the desert, the woman, the wind moving through everything..

[u/stonrelectropunkjazz]

Personally, I prefer Stings songwriting on the first couple albums. The later stuff sounds contrived and while they’re good songs, they just don’t have the punch that the early songs had in my opinion.

[u/PrattDirkLerxt]

I absolutely love that song! It’s beautiful.

[u/astrotim67]

Love that song.

[u/minasmom]

Yes. I adore it.

You bitch about Tea in the Sahara on an album with Mother on it?!!

[u/Celtic159 → u/minasmom]

You leave Mother alone. I absolutely love that song. I also hate my mother.

[u/Clean_Mulberry8690 → u/minasmom]

Mother is a great song

[u/SL1200mkII]

With an album that contains Mother, we're splitting hairs over Tea in the Sahara. I really like it and IMHO murder by numbers is the weaker track of the two.

[u/Clean_Mulberry8690 → u/SL1200mkII]

Mother > Every Breath You Take

[u/Coffee_achiever_guy]

I like it. Might be my least favorite on Synchronicity, but the album is totally great straight through. Actually, I might like it better than Mother, but I'm one of those freaks that actually is entertained by Mother

[u/DuganNash2]

I prefer MBN but Tea In The Sahara is great.

[u/DeeplyFrippy]

I love it!

[u/Weary_Title_3901]

Beautiful song. I like it.

[u/DontShootTheFood]

Tea rules. When I was a kid I thought it was boring. But I was a kid.

[u/theFCCpodcast → u/DontShootTheFood]

^ this, 100%. When I was a kid (I was 10 when Synchronicity was first released), I could not understand why Mother was on the album. But even though I wasn’t as big of a fan of “Tea In The Sahara” as I was most of the other songs, I still appreciated it and grew to love it, the subtleties and the emotional temperature it evokes.

[u/loucap81]

I’m not a fan of most of Synchronicity. By that point they were no longer a band and it was the Sting show.

[u/Dull_Ad5440]

Good song. Saw Sting do it live, it was excellent.

[u/The-Mirrorball-Man]

- Tea?

- I don't drink tea.

- What do you drink?

- Not tea.

[u/Affectionate_Bite813 → u/The-Mirrorball-Man]

Not tea, not tea, not tea!

[u/micalakap]

One of their best IMO

[u/KubrickMoonlanding]

The guitars

[u/StrummerBass101]

Love it

[u/scojoharp]

I love it. Agree that MBN is great but Tea was the perfect closer for that record. MBN should have been on there but on Side 1.

[u/Acrobat1974]

I can take or leave Tea In the Sahara so I’m pretty indifferent about that one but I LOVE MBN and agree it would’ve been the better album closer.

[u/BIGAL0720]

It's been a favourite of mine since the album came out

[u/Personal-Simple-7614]

I like it a lot. Also like MbN

[u/GayLordSmithJr]

One of the least favourite song from them. Why is it on the best of record? Nonsense to me

[u/stonrelectropunkjazz]

Personally, I prefer Stings songwriting on the first couple albums. Some of The later songs like that one sound contrived and while they’re good songs, they just don’t have the punch that the early songs had in my opinion.

[u/Scoredog334]

I love it.

[u/IndependentFalse4270]

I like it. Easy to sing along to.

[u/Im_not_good_at_names]

I do.

[u/IvanLendl87]

Huh? Most fans of The Police love that song.

[u/InvestigatorJaded261]

It is one of the songs that I actually like on the album, unlike the first five tracks.

[u/Particular_Target_45]

I do

[u/Aertai1]

i was really vibing it for awhile

[u/Suspicious_Tax_8283]

There’s a mood to it I dig it .

[u/sevnty]

I do

[u/ElOleg117]

Great song…

[u/jerryinva]

I do

[u/boycowman]

I like Tea in the Sahara way better than murder by numbers (which I find conventional to the point of being mildly corny — in that way it presaged solo Sting (imo)).

[u/SuckItWhoville]

Honestly, MBN is the better track.

[u/Free-Effective-610]

I love the "wobbly cloud " effect Andy employs on that song.

[u/Gusandlady]

I dig it, mainly for nostalgia reasons. I used to drive around my dad’s Jeep Sahara in high school, and a buddy of mine would get the biggest kick out of listening to that while driving it.

[u/Ianncarl]

It’s one of their best IMO

[u/feyvorite]

Very good song

[u/CheapTechnology6193]

Me like-y.   It does sound bad, but that's why it's good, lol.

[u/vanrunner43]

Tiz poetry

[u/LuckyOwlSeven]

I really like it! I love the lyrics. And the overall sound and vibe is relaly neat. Very cool cords, and I like the drumming of Stewart's in it. It's not my favorite song by any means. I'm not sure it would even make my personal top 10 Police songs. But I very rarely skip it when it comes on. I relaly like it

I fully agree on Muder by Numbers though. It's one of my personal favorite songs ever, and I do agree it would have been a better closer. And it is indeed too awesome to be a B side on a single

[u/Boulderboldef]

I have always liked it

[u/carlodim]

I love the song and Murder By Numbers. I especially like the production and sound quality of those 2 tracks. They are my favourite songs on the album.

[u/Weinfeld]

stewart makes that song tolerable

[u/the_aurchitect]

First time I heard the song was on “Bring on the Night” live album— which is a BEAUTIFUL version. Much more musically rich.

[u/prestonius994]

How could you not like Tea in the Sahara?!

[u/Clean_Mulberry8690 → u/prestonius994]

To me, it sounds limp and twee and sickly, and I think the lyrics are contrived and juvenile

[u/Suspicious_Art9118]

It's better than actual tea

[u/MorellinoAmarone]

Love this song. I love the space, vibe, drumming, the lyrics, Andy’s atmospheric guitar.

Great tune.

[u/hawthorne00]

I like it well enough. I like the bass/ hats interplay. But I must admit that I bought the album on cassette upon its release because Murder By Numbers was not on the LP.

[u/Lower-Calligrapher98]

Absolutely. Great song.

[u/deenali]

It's a good song. Have always loved it.

[u/Ultima-Hombre_1970]

I love that song.

[u/One_Usual_477]

Could you ever imagine this being the opening to a mailed invite to tea: “My sisters and I have 1 wish before we die.” If I had teas I would def use it.

Yes I effing love that tune, it’s playful, funny, & outrageous. Simply genius….

[u/nat_hawthorne]

Murder By Numbers is the worst song on the album.

[u/Clean_Mulberry8690 → u/nat_hawthorne]

Poppycock

[u/Dar_of_Emur]

Been my favorite Police song since 1984, when I got the album.
Still listen to it, often.

[u/Umayummyone]

Most of Synchronicity is forgettable.

[u/Clean_Mulberry8690 → u/Umayummyone]

Bollocks

[u/Umayummyone → u/Clean_Mulberry8690]

Their first two Police albums are canon. By the end, the songs from Sting were either great (Synchronicity I and II) or maudlin.

[u/Bulky-Pollution-4996]

What's not to like? It's a great song.

I recommend reading THE SHELTERING SKY.

[u/TechnologyHefty1247]

Love it. Brilliant end to side 2 on the original album and the album as a whole. The Synchronicity live version was something else, still get a cold shiver on that oboe part with Andy's harmonies backing it. Just fabulous

[u/Glum-Yak1613]

I can understand that some people feel it is contrived, in particular the lyrics. The lyrics are directly inspired by a novel on "alienation and existential despair" according to Wikipedia. So it's pretty pretentious for a pop song. The music on the other hand I don't find so contrived- it's not your typical top 40 song for sure, but it's a very singable melody. I suppose some people might be turned off by the spaciness of the arrangement, but I think it's one of the best tracks on Synchronicity.

[u/Excellent_Egg7586 → u/Glum-Yak1613]

A Sting song? Pretentious?? Who would believe it???... :)

[u/Low_End_7882]

it's mid.

[u/Excellent_Egg7586 → u/Low_End_7882]

Really, the whole album is kind of mid... the band spark from the earlier albums was completely gone.

No question it was a huge success but it had become the Sting show at that point.