by Robert Wilkinson
Our Saturday Night Attitude dance features one of the greatest who had a birthday today! Besides the legendary duo of Groucho Marx and Mahatma Gandhi, October 2 is also the birthday of Sting, singer-songwriter, human rights activist, philanthropist, and great guy!
Gordon Sumner, a.k.a. Sting (October 2, 1951) began his claim to fame as the bass player for one of the greatest bands ever, the Police. I had the privilege of seeing them in 1981 during the Spirits in the Material World tour in the Meadowlands, and it was a major event with lots of kinetic and magnetic energy! It truly was one of my top 10 of all time.
Since his days with the Police, Sting has gone on to become one of the top performers and a global musical conscience for human rights in our world, and still writes hauntingly beautiful songs. Today are some performances of a bunch you know and a bunch you may not know, from early on to the present day.
Since the Police were among the first bands to hit MTV, there are a ton of music videos of their songs, as well as live clips!
From September 1979 on Veronica's Countdown in Voorburg, the Police doing a live performance of their first huge hit, "Roxanne." Also from 1979 live at Pinkpop, the Police doing "Roxanne." Here's the music video of "Roxanne."
Here are the Police in 2007 at the Grammy reunion, sounding awesome doing an updated version of "Roxanne."
Here’s a great 33 minute performance video of the early Police! The Police Live at the Beat Club in 1979
Also from 1979, this time in Paris, for the French tv show Chorus, 19 minutes of The Police at Paris – 1979
Last year I had a 20 minute video gem from Veronica’s Countdown of the 1979 Voorburg concert, but it’s gone. Instead, here the audio of the entire set off the soundboard! The Police at Voorburg – 1979
Speaking of that great obscure Police hit, here’s great video footage of them in Atlanta on the Synchronicity tour in November 1983 doing “So Lonely”
Here's the music video of "So Lonely."
Another great tune, this one from the 1979 Hatfield Polytechnic concert, of The Police performing "I Can't Stand Losing You." Here's the original music video of "I Can't Stand Losing You"."
Here’s the clip to the entire 40 minute set of Rock goes To College – The Police Live at Hatfield Polytechnic Feb 1979
Live in 1980, here’s great footage of the Police doing "Walking On The Moon." Here's another live concert in Atlanta on the 1983 Synchronicity tour of "Walking On The Moon." From 2008 in Rio, here’s a great live video of the Police performing "Walking On The Moon."
In this clip, the Police announce their 2007 reunion tour at Hollywood's Whisky a Go Go with a "rehearsal" performance of "Message In A Bottle." Here's the music video of "Message In A Bottle."
Here's the music video of "Don't Stand So Close To Me."
Here's a 1983 live performance in Atlanta by the Police of the amazing "Invisible Sun." Here's an extremely trippy psychedelic video set to the original studio version of “Invisible Sun."
Live on the The Kenny Everett Television Show Christmas 1981, here are the Police live doing "Spirits In The Material World." The live performance from Top of the Pops in 1981 has disappeared, so I found this live in the studio performance of “Spirits In The Material World"
Live from Chile in 1982, here are the Police performing “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic.” From the same show, “De Doo Doo Doo De Da Da Da”
From 1986, a live performance by the Police of "King of Pain"
Here’s a great live performance by Sting at the 2011 Festival de Viña del Mar in Chile of “King of Pain.” From that same show, the beautiful “Fields of Gold” and the compelling “Desert Rose,”
Here are the reunited Police in February 2008 at the Tokyo Dome doing “King of Pain.”
Two music videos! First, "Wrapped Around Your Finger." and second, the original music video of the Police doing "Every Breath You Take"
A great acoustic performance by Sting with Dominic Miller of "Every Breath you Take"
From 1985 Live Aid, Sting with Phil Collins and Branford Marsalis performing “Every Breath You Take.” They also did this duet on Phil’s “Long Long Way to Go.” He also teamed up with Mark Knopfler to crank out "Money For Nothing." (Yes, it was Sting who sang the intro and harmonies in the original studio version!)
From that same historic show, Sting giving us “Roxanne,” " “Driven to Tears” and though the video’s gone this year, here’s the audio of “Message in a Bottle”
A Libra duet! Here’s both songs on one clip! This is a great 13 minute video of Sting with Bruce Springsteen doing a great live performance in 1988 of ”Every Breath You Take” and “The River”
And from Sting’s 60th birthday at the Beacon in NYC, here’s the Boss and the birthday boy cranking out a very electric version of “I Can’t Stand Losing You.” And from the same birthday celebration, Sting and Stevie Wonder doing “Brand New Day”
For those who want to see the whole 1 hour 33 concert, here’s Sting’s 60th Birthday Show - NYC
Here’s Sting on his Brand New Day tour in a live video performance at the Universal Amphitheater of “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”
The following are all Sting’s various post-Police hits.
“If You Love Somebody Set Them Free"
In an interesting find, here is Sting live in Italy on September 11, 2001, doing “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free.” From the same concert, “Desert Rose”
The haunting "Russians." Here's a live performance in 1984 of "Russians," and here he is in Moscow doing a live performance on New Year's Eve 2010 complete with symphonic accompaniment of "Russians." Pretty awesome!
His 1988 performance of “Fortress Around Your Heart” for “Amnesty in Canada” has disappeared, so instead, from May 1988 in Verona, a live performance of ”Russians” and "Fortress Around Your Heart."
Here’s the official music video for "All This Time."
Here’s the 1991 music video for "Soul Cages."
Here’s a great acoustic video performance of “Shape of My Heart”
Here’s Sting live in Italy in a great video performance of “An Englishman in New York”
Sting live in Morocco in 2010 performing “Whenever I Say Your Name”
“If I Ever Lose My Faith In You."
Here's the beautiful "Fields of Gold."
"I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying."
And now, some complete shows by the Police at their peak!
From 1980, an hour and 27 show! The Police Live at Rockpalast, 1980
Live in Nov 1980, a full 1 hour 27 in NJ! The Police Live at the Capitol Theater in Passaic, NJ - 1980
From the 1982 Ghost in the Machine tour, an entire 1 hour 29 minute show! The Police Live at Gateshead, England 1982
From 1983, here’s 15 separate clips which add up to an entire concert! “The Police – The Synchronicity Concert (Last year I had the entire a full 1 hour 15 minute video on one clip, but it’s nowhere to be found.)
From 2007, here’s an entire 1 hour 48 minute concert! The Police Live in Rio de Janeiro 2007
Last year I had a full 2 hour and 54 clip of this show, but it’s gone. So instead, from 2008, an hour and 33 of The Police Live at the Tokyo Dome 2008
The entire video of Sting with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Berlin in 2010 is still gone, but I did find this mishmash of several videos of that show! Sting and the Berlin Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - 2010
Last year I had a 5 hour and 17 minute show in Antwerp from 2015 but this year it’s gone, so instead, here’s a 2 hour and 53 show featuring Sting and Paul Simon! Sting and Paul Simon in concert - 2015
We'll close this birthday celebration with one of my all-time favorites! It’s our second song welcoming the Christmas season!
Though he didn't write this, he did sing on this collective effort that blew the doors down all over the world, and opened humanity's heart to millions of starving Africans! This may very well have been one of the most influential efforts ever done, and it’s certainly the most important Christmas song ever written. Here's Band Aid doing the incredible “Do They Know It's Christmas?" Simply awesome!
I also found the original live performance at London Wembley in 1985 of the Live Aid band, with Sting, David Bowie, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Sir Paul, Bono, Bob Geldolf, George Michael, and the rest, doing the finale “Do They Know It’s Christmas”
So a giant shout out to you on your 69th, Mr. Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, CBE. May you have many, many more years of playing, singing, and working for the betterment of humanity! The world’s a better place for you being here. Thanks.
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On a more nostalgic note, October 2 was also the birthday of an obscure composer named Leroy Shield (October 2, 1893 - January 9, 1962) who did film scores between 1922-1955. The world might not remember him, except for one HUGE composition. For your amazement, here is Leroy’s original composition from 1930 titled “Good Old Days,” known to millions as The Our Gang (Little Rascals) Theme Song
Thanks for the childhood memories, Leroy. Your song made millions of children’s hearts quicken while waiting for the Our Gang kids to begin their authentic and (at times) magical performances!
© Copyright 2022 Robert Wilkinson
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