Bring On the POLL - ILM Artist Poll #116 - THE POLICE - (Results Thread)

Sting - Fragile Live

2. Fragile - Sting
210 Points, 5 Votes, 1 Number One

Didn't vote as I'm only casually familiar with their discography but am happy to follow along with the rollout. Thanks Bee OK!

One of Neil Tennant's favorite songs by anybody.

I forgot “Fragile”, most likely would have voted for it. Guessing “IBFY” as number 1 then!

Sting - Fortress Around Your Heart - 1985 (from the movie Bring On The Night)

1. Fortress Around Your Heart - Sting
445 Points, 10 Votes, 2 Number Ones

"Fragile" might be the closest Stinghas ever come to writing a song that sounds like a standard he is covering.

Fortress Around Your Heart - Sting	445	Points	10	Votes	2	Number Ones
Fragile - Sting	210	Points	5	Votes	1	Number Ones
All This Time - Sting	204	Points	5	Votes	1	Number Ones
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free - Sting	198	Points	5	Votes		
Don’t Care - Klark Kent	189	Points	4	Votes	2	Number Ones
I Advance Masked - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp	168	Points	4	Votes	1	Number Ones
Fields of Gold - Sting	150	Points	4	Votes		
We'll Be Together - Sting	149	Points	4	Votes		
Red Rain -  Peter Gabriel w/Stewart Copeland on hi-hat	132	Points	3	Votes	2	Number Ones
If I Ever Lose My Faith In You - Sting	126	Points	3	Votes	1	Number Ones
Englishman In New York - Sting	112	Points	3	Votes		
Money for Nothing - Dire Straits w/Sting	109	Points	3	Votes		
Away From Home - Klark Kent	96	Points	2	Votes	1	Number Ones
Children's Crusade - Sting	92	Points	2	Votes		
Why Should I Cry for You? - Sting	90	Points	2	Votes	1	Number Ones
We Work the Black Seam - Sting	83	Points	2	Votes		
Consider Me Gone - Sting	82	Points	2	Votes		
Don’t Box Me In - Stan Ridgway w/Stewart Copeland	79	Points	2	Votes		
Love Is the Seventh Wave - Sting	78	Points	2	Votes		
Desert Rose - Sting	74	Points	2	Votes		
Across the River - Peter Gabriel/Stewart Copeland/Shankar/David Rhodes	50	Points	1	Votes	1	Number Ones
I Burn For You - Sting	50	Points	1	Votes	1	Number Ones
Bring On the Night/When the World Is Running Down (Bring On the Night) - Sting	46	Points	1	Votes		
Only You - Sting	46	Points	1	Votes		
Shape of My Heart - Sting	46	Points	1	Votes		
I Hung My Head – Sting	43	Points	1	Votes		
Excesses - Stewart Copeland	43	Points	1	Votes		
There's A Spy (In The House Of Love) - Animal Logic w/Stewart Copeland	40	Points	1	Votes		
Be Still My Beating Heart - Sting	38	Points	1	Votes		
The Equalizer Busy Equalizing - Stewart Copeland	38	Points	1	Votes		
Long Long Way to Go - Phil Collins and Sting	36	Points	1	Votes		
Big Time - Peter Gabriel w/Stewart Copeland	35	Points	1	Votes		
Hardy Country - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp	35	Points		Votes		
How Can I Forget - Andy Summers	35	Points	1	Votes		
Mad About You - Sting	34	Points	1	Votes		
The Soul Cages - Sting	34	Points	1	Votes		
Brimstone and Treacle (Theme) - Sting	33	Points	1	Votes		
China Yellow Leader - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp	33	Points	1	Votes		
Seven Days - Sting	33	Points	1	Votes		
Brand New Day - Sting	32	Points	1	Votes		
Guide - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp	32	Points	1	Votes		
Mr. Oysterhead - Oysterhead w/Stewart Copeland	32	Points	1	Votes		
The Ballad of Mack The Knife - "Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill"	32	Points	1	Votes

1	Fortress Around Your Heart - Sting	445	10	2
2	Fragile - Sting	210	5	1
3	All This Time - Sting	204	5	1
4	If You Love Somebody Set Them Free - Sting	198	5	
5	Don’t Care - Klark Kent	189	4	2
6	I Advance Masked - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp	168	4	1
7	Fields of Gold - Sting	150	4	
8	We'll Be Together - Sting	149	4	
9	Red Rain -  Peter Gabriel w/Stewart Copeland on hi-hat	132	3	2
10	If I Ever Lose My Faith In You - Sting	126	3	1
11	Englishman In New York - Sting	112	3	
12	Money for Nothing - Dire Straits w/Sting	109	3	
13	Away From Home - Klark Kent	96	2	1
14	Children's Crusade - Sting	92	2	
15	Why Should I Cry for You? - Sting	90	2	1
16	We Work the Black Seam - Sting	83	2	
17	Consider Me Gone - Sting	82	2	
18	Don’t Box Me In - Stan Ridgway w/Stewart Copeland	79	2	
19	Love Is the Seventh Wave - Sting	78	2	
20	Desert Rose - Sting	74	2	
21	Across the River - Peter Gabriel/Stewart Copeland/Shankar/David Rhodes	50	1	1
22	I Burn For You - Sting	50	1	1
23	Bring On the Night/When the World Is Running Down (Bring On the Night) - Sting	46	1	
24	Only You - Sting	46	1	
25	Shape of My Heart - Sting	46	1	
26	I Hung My Head – Sting	43	1	
27	Excesses - Stewart Copeland	43	1	
28	There's A Spy (In The House Of Love) - Animal Logic w/Stewart Copeland	40	1	
29	Be Still My Beating Heart - Sting	38	1	
30	The Equalizer Busy Equalizing - Stewart Copeland	38	1	
31	Long Long Way to Go - Phil Collins and Sting	36	1	
32	Big Time - Peter Gabriel w/Stewart Copeland	35	1	
33	Hardy Country - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp	35	
34	How Can I Forget - Andy Summers	35	1
35	Mad About You - Sting	34	1
36	The Soul Cages - Sting	34	1
37	Brimstone and Treacle (Theme) - Sting	33	1
38	China Yellow Leader - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp	33	1
39	Seven Days - Sting	33	1
40	Brand New Day - Sting	32	1
41	Guide - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp	32	1
42	Mr. Oysterhead - Oysterhead w/Stewart Copeland	32	1
43	The Ballad of Mack The Knife - "Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill"	32	1

"Fortress Around Your Heart" is a catchy motherfucker. What a chorus!

Going to try one more.

Place, Points, Votes, Number Ones, Song - Artist

1	445	10	2	Fortress Around Your Heart - Sting
2	210	5	1	Fragile - Sting
3	204	5	1	All This Time - Sting
4	198	5		If You Love Somebody Set Them Free - Sting
5	189	4	2	Don’t Care - Klark Kent
6	168	4	1	I Advance Masked - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp
7	150	4		Fields of Gold - Sting
8	149	4		We'll Be Together - Sting
9	132	3	2	Red Rain -  Peter Gabriel w/Stewart Copeland on hi-hat
10	126	3	1	If I Ever Lose My Faith In You - Sting
11	112	3		Englishman In New York - Sting
12	109	3		Money for Nothing - Dire Straits w/Sting
13	96	2	1	Away From Home - Klark Kent
14	92	2		Children's Crusade - Sting
15	90	2	1	Why Should I Cry for You? - Sting
16	83	2		We Work the Black Seam - Sting
17	82	2		Consider Me Gone - Sting
18	79	2		Don’t Box Me In - Stan Ridgway w/Stewart Copeland
19	78	2		Love Is the Seventh Wave - Sting
20	74	2		Desert Rose - Sting
21	50	1	1	Across the River - Peter Gabriel/Stewart Copeland/Shankar/David Rhodes
22	50	1	1	I Burn For You - Sting
23	46	1		Bring On the Night/When the World Is Running Down (Bring On the Night) - Sting
24	46	1		Only You - Sting
25	46	1		Shape of My Heart - Sting
26	43	1		I Hung My Head – Sting
27	43	1		Excesses - Stewart Copeland
28	40	1		There's A Spy (In The House Of Love) - Animal Logic w/Stewart Copeland
29	38	1		Be Still My Beating Heart - Sting
30	38	1		The Equalizer Busy Equalizing - Stewart Copeland
31	36	1		Long Long Way to Go - Phil Collins and Sting
32	35	1		Big Time - Peter Gabriel w/Stewart Copeland
33	35			Hardy Country - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp
34	35	1		How Can I Forget - Andy Summers
35	34	1		Mad About You - Sting
36	34	1		The Soul Cages - Sting
37	33	1		Brimstone and Treacle (Theme) - Sting
38	33	1		China Yellow Leader - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp
39	33	1		Seven Days - Sting
40	32	1		Brand New Day - Sting
41	32	1		Guide - Andy Summers and Robert Fripp
42	32	1		Mr. Oysterhead - Oysterhead w/Stewart Copeland
43	32	1		The Ballad of Mack The Knife - "Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill"

More to come...

I thought "Fragile" was too slick to do anything for me, but I gave it another shot just now...if you mentally isolate the vocal, I can see the appeal. Like that melody is actually beautiful and can be moving (and do justice to the song's inspiration - an American civil engineer who was killed by the Reagan-backed Contras while working on a hydroelectric project in Nicaragua).

I just think the way they recorded it is too glossy. The delicate backing is devoid of emotion - it's an overly tasteful backdrop that feels like a poor match to what the song's supposed to do. And the little prettifying touches like the chimes at the end feel like a lapse in judgment.

"Fortress Around Your Heart" is a catchy motherfucker. What a chorus!

Yeah, this is another keeper for me. My three favorite tracks on Turtles and "All This Time" are pretty much all I need anymore from solo Sting.

I think it was sort of foolish of me to think that an album outside of the band would crack the Top 5.

22 Album Ballots Received

https://i.imgur.com/ztwfktY.jpg

5. Outlandos d'Amour
126 Points, 18 Votes, 1 Number One

I didn't vote in the solo poll due to my lack of knowledge about Stuart and Andy's extra-curricular stuff, but a little gutted that my favourite Sting solo track, 'They Dance Alone', missed the cut.

I don’t get the love for “All This Time” at all. It’s fine enough for early 90s VH-1 fare but the creaky river metaphor and Paul Simon-isms of the verse (who himself loved a river metaphor) feel, well, secondhand. The arrangement is pedestrian and snare drum irritatingly insistent. And while the chorus is memorable I don’t find it particularly catchy.

“Fragile” OTOH …

might be the closest Stinghas ever come to writing a song that sounds like a standard he is covering.

I thought "Fragile" was too slick to do anything for me, but I gave it another shot just now...if you mentally isolate the vocal, I can see the appeal. Like that melody is actually beautiful and can be moving (and do justice to the song's inspiration - an American civil engineer who was killed by the Reagan-backed Contras while working on a hydroelectric project in Nicaragua).

I just think the way they recorded it is too glossy. The delicate backing is devoid of emotion - it's an overly tasteful backdrop that feels like a poor match to what the song's supposed to do. And the little prettifying touches like the chimes at the end feel like a lapse in judgment.

https://i.imgur.com/2NQootb.jpg

4. Synchronicity
147 Points, 19 Votes, 2 Number Ones

I remember decoding the imagery on the sleeve as a teen - different for LP/CD/CS if I recall correctly

different cover variations on the LPs as well

Feels about right - Outlandos and Synchronicity both have some amazing songs but I feel like those two also have some of the worst things they ever did? I mean I remember wincing at 'Sally' when I was 10, and it's only got more cringe with age

I had this on cassette and thinking the same thing. So much filler was on this album.

But the good songs are great and the bonus was awesome too.

one confession, I can't sing 'walking In Your Footsteps' in my head anymore without it turning into 'hakuna matata' halfway through

https://i.imgur.com/nsxaQ9G.jpg

3. Zenyattà Mondatta
164 Points, 20 Votes, 4 Number Ones

Where I had it but surprising nonetheless. You could argue Zenyatta is their best.

https://i.imgur.com/WTCq0Gg.jpg

2. Ghost in the Machine
174 Points, 20 Votes, 7 Number Ones

https://i.imgur.com/8ZY60TS.jpg

1. Reggatta de Blanc
190 Points, 22 Votes, 7 Number Ones

Place, Points, Votes, Number Ones, Album

1	190	22	7	Reggatta de Blanc
2	174	20	7	Ghost in the Machine
3	164	20	4	Zenyattà Mondatta
4	147	19	2	Synchronicity
5	126	18	1	Outlandos d'Amour
6	10	1	1	The Soul Cages - Sting
7	8	1		...Nothing Like The Sun - Sting
8	8	1		Klark Kent
9	7	1		Dream of the Blue Turtles - Sting
10	6	1		Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings

Zero votes for "Russians" lol

Fascinating that so many love Zenyatta when they always used to talk about it as a rush job and slapped together between tours. There are a fair few “feel pieces” but they seem to have aged better than a lot of the lesser “proper songs”.

Yeah it’s a cool record if you just wanna hear them play.

The order of the albums almost matched my ballot, but I had #s 4 and 5 flipped.

I think that was exactly mine. Outlandos definitely my #5 but that's a pretty good worst album to have.

I didn't include albums on my ballot, but Outlandos would've been my #1. It the least fussy of all their albums and I admire that (which means I'm probably seeking out the wrong qualities in The Police). It's the only one I ever play with no skips.

I do dig the early-installment weirdness on it. there are several directions on that album they'd never go in again.

yeah i’d swap outlandos with zenyatta, zenyatta kinda gives up after the first 4 tracks

Zenyatta was my pick. That scrappy, raggedy sound on "When The world is Running Down..." is heaven to my ears.

Albums results are about right imo

By the way, the Eva Cassidy cover of "Fields of Gold" seems to have had a longer shelf life (in terms of TV / movie use and general lovability) than the Stingster's.

Was surprised to find Outlandos ranked so low. But it was my gateway into the band, so maybe I have an outsized sense of its rep generally. The highs are really high! I admit that Born in the 50s, and the spoken-word part of Be My Girl, are kind of unbearable.

The BBC often used to have humorous poets with regional accents on early evening light entertainment shows - I'm thinking of Pam Ayers etc - and 'Sally' always make me think I've just accidentally caught the tail-end of That's Life and some joker's doing a bad knock-off of 'In Every Dream Home A Heartache'. It is quite impressive how much of the shittest bits of Britain in the late 70s are encapsulated in that piece

That scrappy, raggedy sound on "When The world is Running Down..." is heaven to my ears.

Mine too — I ranked that song VERY high on the tracks ballot. And I like the album, but it is a bit of a hodgepodge and I don't love its big singles.

Thirded, voted for that track but also had the album as my #1. I thought it was uneven when I first heard it, but it's all grown on me and wouldn't change a thing. I know the Police don't think highly of it because of the deadline pressure but in retrospect I wonder if that helped. They didn't labor too much over anything, and they had to fall back on what they did easiest/best. Great rhythms, great hooks, for the most part nothing they messed with too much, much to the album's benefit.

Doing a Top 40, which is really too many. I did a Top 60 when I ran Daft Punk earlier this year and the 60th placement only had three votes. But that is a different animal and that was the right length, good collaborations in the bottom half of that poll but I digress. The Police poll has a floor of four votes, which works. This way we get all number ones in the main rollout, where if I went for only 30 then some would have missed the rollout.

https://i.imgur.com/xmDJBpK.jpg

40. Mother
From: Synchronicity
Released: June 17, 1983
110 Points, 4 Votes

I didn’t know how I wanted this poll to look. There aren’t a lot of different band shots and video shots did intrigue me. I finally decided to go with movie posters from the year the song came out. I would not say 1978- 1983 is a golden age for Hollywood but there are some pretty good posters. I did mess up a bit as these are gross US numbers so some films do bleed into to more then one year. I don’t think I will repeat a poster however.

too high

solo is awesome tho