The Dream of the Blue Turtles

Sting | Format: Audio Cassette

Product Details

• Audio Cassette (October 17, 1990)
• Label: A&M
• ASIN: B000002GFB
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #599,736 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. If You Love Somebody Set Them Free

2. Love Is the Seventh Wave

3. Russians

4. Children's Crusade

5. Shadows in the Rain

6. We Work the Black Seam

7. Consider Me Gone

8. The Dream of the Blue Turtles

9. Moon Over Bourbon Street

10. Fortress Around Your Heart

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The first is still the best, January 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Dream of the Blue Turtles (Audio CD)

I can't believe it's been 15 years since I bought my first copy of this album on vinyl, but what doesn't surprise me is how great it is even today. Every song tried something new and started introducing jazz overtones to a 15-year old kid who was straight rock-and-roll. Not only is the music great, but this has to be far and away one of the best collections of lyrics ever written. Where else do Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Sergei Prokofiev come together with a white former punk and his all black jazz band? Anyone?

The Police were great for taking New Wave and mixing it with reggae and jazz to create something completely unique. Sting took it to the next level and, if you look closely at the lyrics and liner notes, took what was just a vacation from the Police and forged himself a solo career. I don't think he's ever been able to re-create the greatness of this album (although Nothing Like The Sun is close) simply because it wasn't intended to do anything but be fun and different. When the Police broke up, he suddenly was forced to think of himself as a solo artist and I think that hurt him in the long run. Going back and listening to Dream of the Blue Turtles is a pleasure that doesn't go away.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sting's first solo effort shows a new direction, May 22, 2003

By 

Jack Fitzgerald "JFD" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Dream of the Blue Turtles (Audio CD)

With the release of "Dream of the Blue Turtles" in 1985, Sting embarked upon a new musical direction. This was a definite break with his style with The Police, but Sting has a way of recycling his music. In one way he was getting back to his jazz roots, but in another way he was heading toward the mainstream adult contemporary genre that he occupies today.
Sting also hired a crack band of young jazz pros, including Omar Hakim on drums, Darryl Jones on bass, Kenny Kirkland on keys and Branford Marsalis on saxophone. Sting switched from bass to guitar, but did perform the very cool double bass line on "Moon Over Bourbon Street."
"If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" is a Motown-style song with lyrics that transcend the usual love song, focusing more on the freedom in the relationship.
"Love is the Seventh Wave" has a world music feel and is a plea for everyone to get along.
"Russians" finds Sting getting a bit preachy, but this Cold War era tune has a haunting (borrowed) classical bent and ticking clock and well-intentioned message.
"Children's Crusade" is a sad ballad about the loss of generations of young men in WWI, first to the war and then to the addiction to morphine. Fast forward to 1984 and the image resonates as another generation is lost to heroin.
"Shadows in the Rain" is a revised Police song, with the classic intro of someone shouting 'wait, what key is it in!' and some outstanding drums. This is a great rock/jazz combination.
"We Work the Black Seam" is a complex tune the invokes the difficult life of coal miners, but also digs into the past and the future of energy and what it means to the focal character.
"Consider Me Gone" uses home metaphors about a relationship gone south, backed by a cool swing beat.
"The Dream of the Blue Turtles" is a the most 'jazzy' piece on the disk, a keyboard led instrumental where the musicians get to break loose and have some fun.
"Moon Over Bourbon Street" is Sting's ode to Anne Rice's 'Interview With the Vampire' and features some very cool lyrics like 'I've the face of a sinner but the hands of a priest.' Very cool double bassline and haunting sax work by Marsalis.
"Fortress Around Your Heart" paints another complex picture of relationships, this time using kind of a mainland WWII metaphor as the basis for the issues between this couple.

Not a weak song in the bunch, and it actually gets string in the second half. A definite must have for your collection, and excellent introduction to Sting's solo work.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, adventurous, wonderful debut album, July 7, 2006

By 

PLM - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dream of the Blue Turtles (Audio CD)

When Sting's first solo album came out in 1985, there was a lot of buildup, hype and even NERVOUSNESS!--even from fans, music critics and fellow artists. Can Sting do well on his first album away from the Police? Will it have many hits? Can he continue that momentum? I can say that he has and this debut has been responsible for a lot of his solo success the past two decades. It sold over 3 million copies, a huge seller during '85 and early '86! It's pop, but with a surprisingly jazz touch that fit quite well on mainstream radio. My favorites are If You Love Someone, Set Them Free, Russians and others. I especially love Fortress Around Your Heart and its adventurous landscapes--I actually play that more than the larger hits he had from here. As always, Sting is a dynamic songwriter and he is in top form when it comes to the lyrics of these songs. So if you have been more into Sacred Heart of 2003 and his more recent songs, please make an effort to get this stellar album that he made in 1985. One of his finest works to date!