Outlandos d’ Amour was the name of the debut album by The Police and So Lonely was the second track on the album. My first time I had ever heard of The Police was back when Zenyatta Mondetta was everywhere(1980)and The De Do Do Do De Da Da Da was everywhere and for me it was all about Metal at the time but I was in a old store here in Tbay called Eatons(a once national chain kinda like Sears etc ) and they had a record section and I wandered over to the new releases and there was Zenyatta Mondetta and once I flipped to the back cover and seen drummer Stewart Copeland sitting behind his drums with tape on his drum heads spelling “Fuck Off” I was in! I mean if a picture says a 1000 words well Stewie did that with the photo! Done! I’m In!
Once I got a casesette copy of Mondetta(bummed as it didn’t show that cool photo of Copeland) I went and got everything Police as by that time 1982ish early 1983ish I was digging power trios like Rush(doh) Triumph(pre Sap Of Kings) Motorhead(No Sleep Til Hammersmith) Santers, hell even Raven dented my sonic senses(All For One) so The Police were a change and man don’t judge the rock book on The Police by the looks. These dudes were mega talent extreme!
Once I realized how good there album was,a dip into the back catalogue was ordered by myself and I was able to score a double cassette of the debut album on side 1 and Regatta De Blanc on side 2.
Sting/Andy Summers and Bad Ass Stewie layed down a real cool groove and one song that I still love to this day is So Lonely!
So Lonely is The Police doing reggae rock! Man I dig that rhythm that Copeland lays down on the drums with that cool reggae rock drum sound. Shit,he’s the deal man! Andy Summers chills out some real laid back guitar pickings and Sting shoots in with some bass and delivers the vocal cool rock style! The tempo just chills along until the chorus and than it ramps up and The Police get ticketed for speeding as the chorus just rocks along and than someone at the Cop Shop rolls a fatty and sparks up a chill groove and the song cranks into reggae overdrive….Geez man! Play the clip! You will all know what I’m yammering on about!
It was cool to see how the influence of The Police creeped into Rushs Signals record from 1982(reviewed here) don’t believe me listen to New World Man and Digital Man and you can hear Rush meets the Police!
So lonely! So lonely! So lonely!
This and Syncronicity II are the two best examples of heavy Police rock! Nicely posted, Deke!
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Salami. Salami. Salami…
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Balogna! Balogna! Balogna!
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Hahaha…me and my Salami thank Ya!
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Pastrami!
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@leBrain
My user name on Yeeskuul is Pastrami Domine.
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Right on Deke, thanks for this! I have a 2CD set of the Hits of these guys, and I always seem to play it all together. It never occurs to me to single out one song! So Lonely is a great track. I always said Police were a reggae band by way of punk and then rock. And even at that, no one else sounds quite like them.
Now I have this song lodged in my head!
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Oh yeah I could do a few Sonic Waves on these guys no problem…..this response has been awesome!
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Awesome song from a kick-ass album. I believe Stew’s drums actually spelled out “F*ck Off C*nt.” That should make you love them even more, right?
For some reason, I’ve always sung “Sa-la-mi, sa-la-mi, sa-la-mi” whenever I play this song…and then I get hungry. Boar’s Head should use it as the theme song for their meat advertisements.
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Haha thanks a lot, Rich, now that’s all I can hear! Dammit! 🙂
Now, s’cuse me while I kiss this guy!*
* haha speaking of misheard lyrics…
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Just to clarify, I never thought they were singing “Salami.” I just enjoy changing the words when I sing along.
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@Rich My other favorite is…
Dont stand. Dont stand so. Dont stand so close to Sting,etc
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That’s great. I bet Stewart Copeland would agree with that assessment. I think they came close to killing each other many times before The Police split up.
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Haha no problem Rich, it’s hilarious stuff. Give ‘er!
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Hey Rich thanks for clearing up what was actually taped on Stewies drums! Hahaha! You know me I’m trying to keep this site respectable! Hahahahaha…..
So much more street cred now for Stewie!
Hahahaha…
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One of the many reasons Mr. Copeland is the drummer in my dream supergroup – well posted Deke, great tune!
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Thanks Geoff! Who else is in your supergroup?
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Using Mike’s ‘must be living’ rule, I voted for Thom Yorke/Slash/McCartney/Copeland with a late addition of Jake Shimabukuro on ukelele!
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Y’know, and this will sound odd, I know this tune … but, and here it comes, I had no idea who sang it. Seriously. How could I not know that was Sting? Jings. Great tune …
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Hey J I’m glad my scribbles are schooling Ya somewhat here at aArena Rock
Hahaha…..
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Great call – I love their singles so much. Their LP’s? much less so.
I love it when this one accelerates.
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Thanks Joe..I love this tune esp the drums they just kick it in the ass!
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I knew a guy in Saskatoon who was in a band called Mobadass (or was it Mo Bad Ass, I forget). Anyway, he said Copeland was his idol and yup, we saw them play and that style was right there. So awesome. I think they had a guy from Wide Mouth Mason playing with them, for a time? James might remember…
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I looked ’em up, they go by the name The Steadies now, and the Dude I knew isn’t drumming anymore. It was Earl from WMM though, ‘cos it still is!
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Ah, Eatons. Went the way of the dodo bird…
I love this track. Solo mi solo mi solo mi LOL
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