Sting’s meaningful songs

The album All This Time is very special because it is an unusual greatest hits collection. Committed artist that he is, Sting refused to simply release a compilation of his big sellers or to put together tapes from his various concerts. What he did instead was to take his best songs and to rearrange each one in the manner into which these should have evolved over the years and then perform them live in an intimate setting.

The place Sting selected was the courtyard of his home in Tuscany, Italy and the audience was made up of 250 friends from all over the world. The date was Sept. 11. Given the events of that date, the concert Sting Live in Tuscany almost never happened. But it did because they felt they needed the music if they were to heal. They needed to celebrate life. They needed a memorial. Because of this situation some songs like An Englishman in New York and Every Little Thing She Does is Magic did not make the line-up. But those that did turned out to be doubly meaningful and Sting’s performance so much more expressive.

The cover says that the album "is respectfully dedicated to those who lost their lives on that day." Then it opens with Fragile, which stuns because it says everything there is about life and turned out to be most appropriate.

If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one/drying in the colour of the evening sun tomorrow’s rain will wash the stains away/but something in our minds will always stay.

Perhaps this final act was meant/to clinch a lifetime’s argument

that nothing comes from violence/and nothing ever could

for all those born beneath an angry star/lest we forget how fragile we are.

On and on the rain will fall/like tears from a star

like tears from a star/on and on the rain will say

how fragile we are/how fragile we are.

It was a few days after the Tuscany concert that Sting started work on Until..., the theme from the romantic comedy Kate & Leopold, starring Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman. This was named Best Original Song from a Motion Picture at the Golden Globe Awards and is now the song to watch out for at the Academy Awards. This is Sting’s first award for a film effort. His My Funny Friend and Me from the Disney animated flick The Emperor’s New Groove lost last year to Bob Dylan’s Things Have Changed from Wonder Boys.

Until... is also probably the most romantic song he has written. At a time when the world was in mourning, Sting chose to celebrate love with his music. Kate & Leopold tells the story of lovers who come from different times and for whom there might never be a happy ending. Sting’s song captures this hopeless situation with ease. And at a time when our thoughts veer once more towards romance, the message of love eternal embodied in Until... rings clear and true once more.

If I caught the world in a bottle and everything was still beneath the moon without your love would it shine for me?

If I was as smart as Aristotle and understood the rings around the moon

What would it all matter if you loved me?

Here in your arms where the world is impossibly still with a million dreams to fulfill

And a matter of moments until the dancing ends

Here in your arms when everything seems to be clear not a solitary thing would I fear

Except when this moment comes near the dancing’s end.

If I caught the world in an hourglass

Saddled up the moon so we could ride until the stars grew dim,

Until...

One day you’ll meet a stranger and all the noise is silenced in the room

You’ll feel that you’re close to some mystery

In the moonlight and everything shatters you feel as if you’ve known her all your life

The world’s oldest lesson in history

Until... is not one of the songs included in Sting’s new album All This Time. If you want a copy you will have to look for the Kate & Leopold soundtrack or a future Sting album. Meanwhile don’t forget to treat yourself to All This Time. This one also has Every Breath You Take, If I Ever Lose My Faith in You, Brand New Day, Roxanne, Dienda, When We Dance and others.