Every Mix You Make (Scranton-icity?)
So, in case you had your head under a rock, The Police reunited for a tame version of ‘Roxanne’ at the Grammys on Sunday night, telling all the good denizens of musicland that they don’t have to walk the streets for money. In case you weren’t within shouting distance of a TV (yeah, me neither) we can all reminisce:
I echo the first sentence of Bob Lefsetz’s column about the blessed confluence: “They’d better not play a f*cking medley.” For that, we are grateful. But I must admit, I was not blown away (except, um perhaps, by Sting’s fitted vest). Roxanne may be my least favorite Police song (they have way better ones, as we sometimes forget, but will soon remember as we scroll down). I was a little sobered by the aging Sting taking the lower-octave route for the chorus, but drummer Stewart Copeland definitely seemed to be having a great time, and that is always refreshing and heartening to see.
There was some discussion about the Police performance among friends of mine, one of whom was at the awards show. He mentioned in passing that he was sitting next to, and talking to, the chap who helped write Fergie’s “London Bridge.” My vision immediately became clouded and I was unable to continue further in the musical discussion because I had to fire off this missive:
“If I was freaking in the same room, much less NEXT TO, the lyrical criminal responsible for writing London Bridge (what is it?!?! what is her london london london bridge?!?! WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!?!) I would have straddled him with my hands around his neck and not let up on the pressure until he explained himself….
Whew.”
But I don’t have strong feelings on that song. You know. I could go either way.
In any case, the Police reunion gives reason to post some killer cuts from a Police mixtape that my friend Brian H. compiled. I left off most of the radio hits that you all know, and instead focused on the ones you might not know. Dang, there’s some good ones here that I’d forgotten.
EVERY MIX YOU MAKE: THE POLICE
Next To You (live)
Walking In Your Footsteps (Derangement remix – by Stewart Copeland)
Born In The ’50s (live)
Driven To Tears
Demolition Man
Synchronicity I (live)
Don’t Put On The Red Light/Roxanne (Derangement remix)
So Lonely (live)
De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
The Bed’s Too Big Without You (live)
Peanuts (live)
King of Pain
Can’t Stand Losing You (Derangement remix)
When The World is Running Down
Truth Hits Everybody (live)
I Burn For You
Bring On The Night
Roxanne ’97 (Puff Daddy remix)
Synchronicity II (live)
Canary In A Coalmine
[ZIP-A-DEE . . . DO-DO-DO, De DA-DA-DA]
Here’s what I know on those Derangement mixes:
“The Derangements by Stewart Copeland. Stewart has made a some very heavy remixes of the old Police tracks.There are 7 tracks, they have Sting’s original studio voice, the music has been mixed with live stuff and also different tracks mixed together. Track listing: Can’t Stand Losing You 4:25 – Don’t Stand So Close To Me 3:47 – Tea In The Sahara 3:34 – Walking In Your Footsteps 3:54 – One World (Not Tree) 4:01 – Demolition Man 3:44 – Roxanne 3:09.”
That’s from this Danish site: http://www.stingme.dk/remix/remix.htm. The author of that site also wrote me with a little more background info: “Stew made the Derangements 2-3 years ago – I think, he made them for fun. However he was so happy with the results that he sent them to Sting and Andy, asking them to be released as Police tracks. Andy was positive but Sting would not accept them. So they ended up on the new Stewart-directed Police DVD Everybody Stares.” Thanks Kenneth! I dig ‘em.
Name: Heather Browne
See, the tour could be totally hot. And seeing your list of songs gives me hope. They sounded good, I just wished they’d have played something OTHER than Roxanne.
Madame Courtney Whiny Complainy Pants, Esq. — February 13, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
There has to be an invisible sun …….its the percussive throb and twang that makes it such a pleasure to hear them together again.Heck – old razor cheeks was even smiling.Obviously no black spots on the sun today……
russell — February 13, 2007 @ 6:01 pm
Love the Police but I am not sure what was more offensive to my soul…. a crappy rendition of this pop classic or the price tag of $350 at the Pepsi Center. For that kind of jack I think I’ll go see 15 shows in better venues where I can actually hang out with the band.
Anonymous — February 13, 2007 @ 7:25 pm
Roxanne was played as a 30th anniversary tribute. Sure, Invisible Sun is a great song, but count how many people there at the Grammys or watching from home would recognize it. You wouldn’t find many other bands playing a less popular song if in their shoes.
Bryce — February 14, 2007 @ 12:54 am
Wow… I haven’t heard “When the world is running down” in years! It brings back fuzzy memories (I think I was in high school). Invisible Sun is still one of my favorite Police songs ever, though.
el walto — February 14, 2007 @ 2:20 am
liked the performance, but one question…who sang the backup vocal harmonies on the chorus? check out the video. sting’s voice was back-tracked. pictures don’t lie. say it ain’t so, police.
Anonymous — February 14, 2007 @ 7:20 am
Love the Scrantonicity reference. The Office rules!
Michael — February 14, 2007 @ 7:38 am
its agreed that we all have our favorite police songs but really is it necessary for them to reunite? i saw them at there height in 1983 at shea stadium with rem and joan jett and the black hearts. and saw sting twice once with mark knofler (excuse the spelling) and herbie hancock. the other time when springsteen showed up.
to parphase the underappreciated wonderstuff. when i say,” its your money there after baby”
mike — February 14, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
Heather,
Where are these “Derangement remix” tracks from? I have never heard of them before, any info on em?
Also, have you seen “Everyone Stares?” It’s the documentary that Copeland culled from his high 8 movies he shot. I wrote about a screening I attended back in August of last year and heard Stewart speak at the engagement. My, so much has changed since then. Anyway, if ya wanna read my post from that day, you can find it here .
Claim E. Claimer — February 14, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
if you love the Police, you will enjoy reading the books Wild Thing, by Ian Copeland. This is Stings Agent, and it recounts some pretty amazing times that also surround the Police era. It gives some cool insights into their history, and of course his brother Stewart Copeland.
Anonymous — February 14, 2007 @ 6:20 pm
It would’ve been cool if they did “Behind my camel” would’ve pissed all the music execs off but ral fans would have loved it!
Toxicsox — February 15, 2007 @ 4:52 am
big THANKS for the derangement remixes. i love THE POLICE!
kmd — February 15, 2007 @ 8:17 am
thanks very much for providing the Police tracks + thanks to http://iguessimfloating.blogspot.com/ for pointing me in this direction
Anonymous — February 15, 2007 @ 1:52 pm
Wow! I’d always been curious about the songs on the Police’s 1995 “Live!” compilation. And with almost a decade’s distance, that Puff Daddy remix sounds pretty good now. (I’m probably just nostalgic for college yet again.) Thanks for the sampling, Heather!
Mulberry Panda 96 — February 18, 2007 @ 9:16 am
Don’t know how I found your blog, but I was/am the guitarist in Scrantonicity!
Damn Police stole our thunder, don’t you think? Must’ve found out about us on the Thurs. episode before the Grammy’s and decided to capitalize on the free publicity.
For what it’s worth, I am the lead gtr. player with The Scrantones, another fictious off-shoot of the Off-ice. They asked me to come in and put the Scrantonicity thing together.
And for some true-to-life indie cred, Carla, from Autolux, played the drums for Kev/Brian!
The Magic Kitchen — February 19, 2007 @ 10:50 pm
Oh no, the links are dead
It’s my favorite band ! PLease, have you an another link, please ?
thanks for advance
Anonymous — March 30, 2007 @ 4:56 pm