TS: "Message In A Bottle" vs. "Don't Fear The Reaper"

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Two great tracks built on virtually the same insistent six-note foundation.

Points to "Message" for one of Sting's strongest vocal performances, some really cracking Andy Summers fill work, and for that hypnotic "sendin' out an SOS" outro.

Points to "Reaper" for a killer guitar solo, for being one of the flat-out weirdest tracks to maintain 30 years of consistent airplay, and for coming up with that hook 3 years earlier.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:12 (eighteen years ago) link

"Reaper" x100000000003

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:16 (eighteen years ago) link

Reaper. Much cooler, sonic vocals.

Points given to stingy from the secret policemans ball version.

― geyser muffler and a quarter (Dave225), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:18 (eighteen years ago) link

Also, awesome guitar riff and the only good repeated use of "Come on, Baby" in a song.

― geyser muffler and a quarter (Dave225), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:19 (eighteen years ago) link

Don't Fear The Reaper

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:23 (eighteen years ago) link

Reaper. Seasons don't fear it, why should we?

― Big Loud Mountain Ape (Big Loud Mountain Ape), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:23 (eighteen years ago) link

agree - Reaper. cooler sound, way cooler lyrics.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:25 (eighteen years ago) link

"Don't Fear the Reaper," though "Message in a Bottle" was one of the best Police singles (if not the best?).

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:26 (eighteen years ago) link

"Reaper" seventhed.

(Tim Ellison otm)

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:27 (eighteen years ago) link

Oh, forgot to mention that first one to mention the missing cowbell in "Message" wins a free pop in the mouth.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:31 (eighteen years ago) link

Tim Ellison otm seconded.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:31 (eighteen years ago) link

"Reaper". Most one-sided TS evah?

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:33 (eighteen years ago) link

"Reaper" by about 100000000 miles. If pressed to name a favorite Police single I might go with "Roxanne" but I could do without pretty much all of them.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:35 (eighteen years ago) link

REAPER

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:38 (eighteen years ago) link

Reaper. MITB repeats "sending out SOS" about eight times too many in the end. < /nitpick >

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:38 (eighteen years ago) link

Wow. Toughie, actually. I think "Message in a Bottle" has more of an exciting sorta groove, but points off for Sting and his stupid lyrics. "Don't Fear the Reaper" wins.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 17:39 (eighteen years ago) link

Well, if nobody else will: I can't hear "Don't Fear the Reaper" without thinking about WCXR, the crappy classic rock station I listened to non-stop before the existence of better records was explained to me. Plus, "Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity" is a line of almost Sting-level badness. Finally, "Message in a Bottle" is the one good manifestation of the "sentimental Sting" who specializes in heartfelt messages about the possibility of universal human connection (compare "Russians" for the downside of "sentimental sting") and since "MiaB" therefore suggests an alternate-history Sting solo career much better than the one our universe presents, it wins.

― Guayaquil, Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:23 (eighteen years ago) link

yeah, "Reaper." Doesn't seem as dated as the Police singles (altho I still like the "Zenyatta" album a lot).

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:29 (eighteen years ago) link

The production on "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" is really just peerless.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:32 (eighteen years ago) link

"Plus, "Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity" is a line of almost Sting-level badness."

I wonder if the line was sort of intentionally bad and intended a bit as humor.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:35 (eighteen years ago) link

Reaper! More mood in that production then the entire Police output.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:37 (eighteen years ago) link

oh god that is true.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:39 (eighteen years ago) link

Plus, "Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity" is a line of almost Sting-level badness

In the context of the song, it is genius. If you were trying to get your girl to join you in a suicide pact, Romeo & Juliet is just the kind of hackneyed romance you'd want to mention.

I'm sorry, but for mainstream '80s new wave rock, even Duran Duran shit all over the Police from a great height.

― o. nate (onate), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:40 (eighteen years ago) link

reaper has one of the best guitar riffs ever.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:42 (eighteen years ago) link

Shows their Byrds influence.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:44 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm sorry, but for mainstream '80s new wave rock, even Duran Duran shit all over the Police from a great height.

"even"? This is practically a given.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 18:49 (eighteen years ago) link

xpost - totally Byrds-esque. the whole track with regard to mood as well. maybe we should be giving police (although i hate them as much as the next good person) more credit for being innovative? i don't think these tracks compare very well. at the time weren't the police trying for a minimalist sound...which didn't really stand the test of time. back then it was probably way more evocative/moody in its own way.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 19:00 (eighteen years ago) link

I'll go with Reaper, only by a hair because it's overplayed, but it is one of the eeriest and best things that crap classic rock stations have on their stale old play lists. If it's BOC vs. Police, I much, much prefer the Police.

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 19:09 (eighteen years ago) link

Reaper... awesome guitar riff...
-- geyser muffler and a quarter, July 12th, 2005 11:19 AM.

reaper has one of the best guitar riffs ever.
-- M@tt He1geson, July 12th, 2005 12:42 PM.

True, but a wash, as "Message In A Bottle" uses the same hook.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 19:12 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm sorry, but for mainstream '80s new wave rock, even Duran Duran shit all over the Police from a great height.
-- o. nate (syne_wav...), July 12th, 2005 12:40 PM.

"Message In A Bottle" is vintage 1979, and so sneaks in just under the wire.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 19:15 (eighteen years ago) link

sting has done so much to ruin the legacy of "message in a bottle" with his solo performances of it. so bland. argh. awful. even still, though "Don't Fear the Reaper" is waay better.

for some reason, "Reaper" freaked me out as a child. It was on k-tel's "The Rock Album" compilation and i always lifted the needle to avoid it. now, i looove it.

― teh Nü and Impröved john n chicago (frankE), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 19:17 (eighteen years ago) link

"Reaper," for the mid-song freakout alone. Always a pleasure when someone covers the song, freakout intact. It shows they really care. Like Elliott Smith when he toured with Grandaddy and had half of that band on, erm, cowbell.

But those looking for more mood in Police tracks should seek out some of the album tracks, plus songs like "I Burn for You."

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 20:45 (eighteen years ago) link

Plus, classic for its use in "Halloween!"

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 20:48 (eighteen years ago) link

I'm voting for the Police strictly on a consolation platform!!

Come to think: No, actually, I am not.

― Rob Uptight (Rob Uptight), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 22:17 (eighteen years ago) link

Mix tape tip: Shadow of a Doubt (Sonic Youth)into Don't Fear The Reaper. Rather good. BOC by a long way.

― elwisty (elwisty), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 22:29 (eighteen years ago) link

obviously, your utter disdain for Sting has clouded your opinions.
BOC is one goofy second tier pseudo metal band. The Police rocked. with a sense of intelligence. oops forgot. ILM doesn't like their rock to have some sense of intelligence.

― gabble rachet, Tuesday, 12 July 2005 22:58 (eighteen years ago) link

i think i should get some credit for hating yet sorta recognizing this. and you have to admit though that The Police rock with a sense of pseudo-intelligence.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 23:04 (eighteen years ago) link

x-post: I agree that BOC is too kitschy at times, but you give them a bit of short shrift. They started out as a real bizarro psych group with avant-garde lyrics by R. Meltzer. They continued to have some good songwriting through the years, some good sense of humor, and Buck Dharma was a very good guitarist.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 23:05 (eighteen years ago) link

And there's like no humor in the Police, is there?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 23:06 (eighteen years ago) link

Sally to thread.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 23:06 (eighteen years ago) link

She's cuddly and she's bouncy
She's like a rubber ball
I bounce her in the kitchen
And I bounce her in the hall...

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 23:08 (eighteen years ago) link

ILM doesn't like their rock to have some sense of intelligence.

Duhhuh-hoo! I vote for "Don't Fear the Reaper."

― RS LaRue (RSLaRue), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 23:23 (eighteen years ago) link

BOC is one goofy second tier metal band

And yet, in their finest hour (or second-finest, depending on who you ask), BÖC managed to transcend their innate secondtieriority and come up with a bona fide classic. Kinda poignant, right?

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 23:26 (eighteen years ago) link

"Don't Fear the Reaper" easily. Even if it were up against "Walking On the Moon" and "Synchronicity II" (my favourite Police singles), I'd still probably pick "Reaper". Actually, no, I think I would take "Synchronicity II" over "Reaper".

― Ian Riese-Moraine: that obscure object of desire. (Eastern Mantra), Tuesday, 12 July 2005 23:49 (eighteen years ago) link

Look, this isn't fair at all, "Reaper" all the way, but this is just going too far:

I'm sorry, but for mainstream '80s new wave rock, even Duran Duran shit all over the Police from a great height.

― Sundar (sundar), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 01:43 (eighteen years ago) link

Really, no one's seen the Gnarly Eye after being hit by a laser at a Police concert, have they?

(And fuck, there ain't nothing second tier about Secret Treaties. Or maybe there is and I can't tell because I like it anyway.)

― Sundar (sundar), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 01:47 (eighteen years ago) link

Their best album?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 02:21 (eighteen years ago) link

(Secret Treaties, that is.)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 02:43 (eighteen years ago) link

Sure, obv. it's BÖC by a mudslide - those endless layers of chiming guitars and insurmountable vocals - but come on, "Message" is one of the great Police songs, don't sell it short. Their best songs were always the ones with the (seemingly) too-long fadeout, stretching it out just a little bit longer than comfortable.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 02:55 (eighteen years ago) link

reaper reaper reaper reaper reaper reaper reaper reaper x 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

― president carter loves repetition (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 03:01 (eighteen years ago) link

Reaper. 'Cause it, you know. Rocks. Wilco's cover version on their current tour turned me onto it. And pretty much every Police chorus I've heard manages to ruin the song - the interesting, mysterious verses always lead into a poorly-toned chorus.

― Cheek0 (Cheek0), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 03:20 (eighteen years ago) link

Two great tracks built on virtually the same insistent six-note foundation.

To get nerdy, I don't really think they're built on virtually the same notes, nor are there six of them. But I do hear the similarity that you're talking about.

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 03:35 (eighteen years ago) link

No, no, you're absolutely right. But I figured that would get the gist acrosss more easily...

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 03:47 (eighteen years ago) link

Yeah, and I actually never noticed the connection before, and there absolutely is one. I'd totally put them one-after-another on a mix CD and then feel clever about it.

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 03:49 (eighteen years ago) link

MASH-UP!!!

Don't Fear The Bottle, baby...

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 05:12 (eighteen years ago) link

I like 'Message in a Bottle', but its got to be 'Reaper' by a mile.

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed the 'missing' harmony in 'Message'? I always think that the third 'I hope that someone gets my...' just before the chorus, just cries out for a high vocal harmony, and I always find myself filling it in.

― avery keen-gardner, Wednesday, 13 July 2005 09:44 (eighteen years ago) link

BOC....

http://www.legacyrecordings.com/boc/images/BOC1.jpg

Not the coolest looking band in the world.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 12:41 (eighteen years ago) link

Is that Jeff Lynne on the left there?

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 12:45 (eighteen years ago) link

Fuck. I can't find it, but there's an unintentionally hilarious picture of BOC's Albert Bouchard in the booklet for...I think it's Secret Treaties that almost makes it impossible to enjoy BOC's music without spitting up all over yourself. I'm still looking. Stay tuned.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 12:46 (eighteen years ago) link

And pretty much every Police chorus I've heard manages to ruin the song - the interesting, mysterious verses always lead into a poorly-toned chorus.

I could probably come up with an exception or two ("Bombs Away"? "Born In The Fifties"?), but wrt "Bottle" this is so OTM. That "exciting groove" that Alex in NYC mentioned stops completely dead so that Sting can say "message in a bottle" and noodle on his bass for a measure (repeat!).

Surely an omen of what was to follow, if we had only known to look...

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 12:53 (eighteen years ago) link

The "exciting groove" only lasts until Sting starts singing, yes. The opening (Andy's guitar and Stew's drum hammering) is still great, though.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 12:58 (eighteen years ago) link

Their best album?

Secret Treaties is great sinister boogie-rock. "Career of Evil" and "Dominance and Submission" are lots of fun to blast from a stereo. Apart from "Reaper", Agents of Fortune is a bit patchy IMO.

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 13 July 2005 13:13 (eighteen years ago) link

two months pass...

"Don't Fear The Reaper" is really cool and all, but I think it's time we revisited all the bogosity in this debate. I especially like the claim that "Reaper"'s production "doesn't sound dated at all" or whatever. Um... I have one word, and it starts with "cow." Have you guys actually listened to the song recently? The guitars are great, but the lyrics are stupid (or at least weak enough to put them on an even playing field with "Bottle"), and the way everything drops out to that lame "do do de do do de" instrumental is so dull that the shredding that follows isn't even worth it.

"Bottle" is by no means the best single the Police ever released (which already makes this a skewed contest, since BOC clearly maxed out everything they had on "Reaper") but it's also not the worst. As for the chorus being off-tone...uh, whatever. Okay, so things do come to a halt on the last line ("message in a boooootle") but they've got to bring things down to speed somehow, right? The REST of the chorus has tremendous energy and sells the song the way a good chorus should.

Plus, my dad thought the line was "A year has passed since I broke my nose." For that alone my vote goes to "Message in A Bottle" - although it IS a pretty tight contest.

― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 24 September 2005 21:39 (eighteen years ago) link

Another vote for "Reaper" and another otm for Tim E

― k/l (Ken L), Saturday, 24 September 2005 23:55 (eighteen years ago) link

fourteen years pass...

Rose McDowall of Strawberry Switchblade's Flamenco-inspired cover of "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" is just stunning

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym6cv6WnskU&disable_polymer=true

― beamish13, Friday, 29 May 2020 20:45 (four years ago) link

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