The Police, Roxanne - A Classical Musician’s First Listen and Reaction

#virginrock #thepolice #roxanne
American folk ballads, Ren, Queen’s “Love Of My Life”, “Roxanne” brought these all to mind.
Here’s the link to the original song:
• The Police - Roxanne (...
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Credits: Music written and performed by The Police
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[@generichuman2044]

Ah, Stewart Copeland. A man who makes everyone wish they were able to drum like him

[@davidarmstrong4743]

Indeed!

[@LongplayCentral]

Stewart Copeland - One of the best drummers in the world Sting - Not good enough lol

[@luizarthurbrito]

Great flowing drummer. So musical!

[@jaumepiquebernaus1853]

Cimbels master !!!

[@edgarsnake2857]

Fantastic song. This is beautifully extracted from and influenced by reggae music crossed with rock and punk-rock. Loved your thoughtful reaction. This is a three piece band at maximum utility and efficiency. Sting's vocal is amazing. The drumming is phenomenal. And Andy's guitar work set some new boundaries without flashiness.

[@orcaflotta7867]

Zackrly. Andy's prolly the most overlooked guitar hero ever, eventhough he musically had the biggest impact on the Police sound. He kinda bonded the 2 others together when they theatened to go off the path. Like "Stu, Mat, please come back and focus on the fuxn song." kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGead6RqbLpnpMk

[@daniellllll45419]

"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" is also a great masterpiece from them too

[@DavidKennaway1]

I watched an interview with the drummer and he said he had difficulty cutting through the mix because of the treble in the guitar. To compensate he tightened his drum skins to a pitch above the guitar and this became part of the police's unique sound.

[@brucehodges9926]

As a long time muso myself, I think I can safely say... Sting's ability to sing while playing bass, in ways that *really* push the envelope both melodically and rhythimcally, is still 'friggin amazing to me after all these years. I'm no stranger to the idea of separating out musical ideas between one hand and another / what's played and what' sung at the same time, but when you look at some of the stuff this guy has put together and played on bass / sung at the same time... damn. No idea how he pulls it off.

[@Zundfolge]

I believe the song is supposed to feel somewhat disjointed and incomplete, because the kind of guy that falls in love with a prostitute (or exotic dancer or porn actress) especially when introduced to her as a "customer", is not generally a psychologically healthy, fully self-actualizing person. In fact among men we often joke about that one friend that "thinks the strippers loves him". He's a dreamer and at the same time kind of emotionally stunted and a little delusional. This song captures that beautifully.

[@stellajayne]

None of my friends are the kinds of jerks who go to watch strippers, but nevertheless you make a fair point.

[@giuliogrifi7739]

I think in history there have been countless men who married women that didn't practice the profession, but, actually, sell their bodies just in a different manner.

[@grahamokeefe9406]

This is a great example of the "New Wave" that happened in the late 70s and early 80s. It was a reaction to punk rock in the sense that it kept punk's stripped down, DIY aesthetic, but brought in some more sophisticated song craft and instrumental ability, and brought in elements of other styles, such as Reggae in the case of the Police. There were other bands doing this stripped-down thing as well. Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, REM, and The Ramones come immediately to mind, but there are others. (REM opened for The Police when I saw them in 1983.) This is one of their earlier songs, and you can see how the arrangements got more complex over the years (compare to Every Breath). Same tih a lot of others. Joe Jackson is a great example there. A lot of these bands didn't have much money or resources in the beginning, so they had to be creative with very basic gear. Trivia: The noise and laugh at the beginning are Sting accidentally sitting on a piano and then laughing about it. They liked it so they didn't edit it out.

[@wayne_twentyfive]

Really like all those artists you mentioned, and have almost every album by Elvis Costello ( up to his middle period ), Talking Heads, Joe Jackson, and The Ramones .. I loved their earlier work in particular, and it was that stripped down sound combined with creativity, edge, and conviction in both performances and the lyrics .. My favourite period of music !

[@altair8598]

Good points. Another musical flowering. Would maybe add Paul Weller's solo career, Blondie, Magazine, U2?

[@kendallneason3645]

Love every thing The Police and Sting has done over the years. This song is a favorite-haunting. Sting is inspired by Bach which he says he listens to in order to find inspiration. Early when Sting was in The Police the music was seemingly simpler in style but immediately identifiable and atmospheric for sure. When you listen to his later music I think you’ll hear more complex music. ❤Thanks Amy.

This song was written as a bossa nova and you should listen to Sting's arpeggiated solo version from The Secret Policeman's Ball for contrast and edification. This rock treatment with a reggae beat (emphasis by the drummer on the 3) is what Andy and Stewart brought to the single, brought out at the height of punk. Always remember as brilliant as Sting is as a composer, he is also the bass player and singer, top and tailing every song and for rock interpretations that means singing in his highest register...like a heavy metal singer, and that he is able to play his bass composition at the same time is extraordinary.

[@jenscee7679]

One of the best bands ever and my favourite drummer. Anything with Copeland is so on point.

[@vetstadiumastroturf5756]

"Sting would be another person who's a hero. The music he's created over the years, I don't really listen to it, but the fact that he's making it, I respect that." - Hansel, from the film "Zoolander"

[@f104G]

Damn that Hansel, he's so hot right now!

[@GlennErikMathisen]

🤣

[@Lasaril-e9i]

One of the best lines from that movie! 😃

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

We used to cover this song but only in rehearsal. Song requires that everyone comes in on the precise point of the rhythm, which was challenging considering the main theme restarts a few times with a couple of straight rock sections to navigate. We played it wrong and wrote a new song out of our errors and never performed Roxanne. The reggae / ska rhythm was popular at the time and was prominent in rock coming out of London. A very notable drummer in this band. Good song. Thanks VirginRock

[@luizarthurbrito]

Every police member is a master of theur craft

[@orcaflotta7867]

There craft. Thar craft. Thur craft.

[@hughcdavies]

I love playing the chords to this song, possibly even more than Every Little Thing She Does. The Police inspired me to learn to play guitar. Apparently The Police were in Paris for a gig in spring 1977, Sting walked through the Red Light district and that was genesis of this song.

[@Ramoono]

Something I've felt about this song, and your comments kind of reinforce this feeling, is that Roxanne has no idea of how this guy feels, as if he's telling all this to the void, not to her and she's probably oblivious as to who he even is. We never hear from her, and we don't know if he has actually been with her. I imagine it as she works the streets nearby where he lives, and he sees her all the time, maybe shared a glance, maybe he said hi to her, but nothing more, he made this all up in his head as if he's going to save her from that life.

[@ClaireWW]

He's also immature, assuming she needs or wants saving. He refers to himself as a boy, and you can hear his voice breaking. He sees a woman as his posession that he has a right to make only his, and he gets quite angry about it. Roxanne, beware of this boy.

[@Ramoono]

@@ClaireWW yes, good point.

[@gemanscombe4985]

Perhaps he drives a taxi?

[@Dickey_Moe09]

It's the perfect vocal range for the story of the song. Boy falls in love with a prostitute & tries to convince her to not sell her body anymore. He's a boy No experience with women "I wouldn't talk down to you" As one of their song says "I'll be wrapped around your finger"

[@patrickdepoortere6830]

Enjoy when you bring unconsidered POINTS to the table, breathing new / different life (perspective) into something I've exhausted but still love. Thanks.

[@unusual686]

Eddie Murphy, if you know, you know.

[@thekaratekidpartii2169]

I was going to say, Eddie Murphy does a great cover of this.

[@DavidF-y4t]

ROOOOOOOOXANNE!

[@annatraustadottir4387]

As probably most comments are saying, there is a reason it sounds like this, jagged and angular, as you describe it. The reason is that it is highly influenced by reggae and ska, and maybe you don't know these genres yet, and that's why it sounds so surprising. Then you also have the raw punk elements, and often in The Police music you have Jazz influence. But this is fun and good reaction nevertheless. Ren, that you mention, is a Police fan. And Sting, the singer in The Police, has been a big influence on Ren's singing. In Ren's singing you most often will hear reggae/ska influences, also often in the way he plays the guitar. In Hi Ren and The Tales of Jenny and Screech, two songs/works you have reacted to by Ren, you can indeed hear elements of reggae/ska.

[@WocciTokosel]

Excellent commentary. Thank you

[@LeeKennison]

Hi Anna, great comment. I'm glad you made the Ren, Sting and reggae connection. I just posted something similar, but you provided more detail on the connection which is great, along with tying it to the Ren songs Amy has heard. I also really liked Ren's "Back on 74/Message in a Bottle" mashup with his partial cover of the Police/Sting classic "Message in a Bottle."

[@annatraustadottir4387]

@@LeeKennison Yes, I'm great Ren fan and Back on 74/Message in a bottle a great cover. He also, as you probably know, has busking covers of Police songs on KZbin. Walking on the moon and probably more. And also reggae covers with The Pig Push, his busking band.

[@kylelewis4685]

Invisible Sun, Spirits in the Material World, King of Pain, and Wrapped around Your Finger are all tracks I cannot recommend enough from The Police.

[@LeftLib]

My take is a little different. I feel a sense of angst in the song, that he wants to persuade Roxanne not to be a prostitute. I reckon this is their best song, deserves to be in the top 500. Another song you may want to check out is "Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have?" by the Buzzcocks. Musically it is amazing, and superb lyrics.

[@LeeKennison]

Lol, I think maybe your sense of humor is starting to be predictable (in a good way), since I knew your were going to make the joke about wondering if Roxanne is who he will be watching (from your "Every Breath You Take" reaction).😉 I enjoyed your look at the lyrics. You had some interesting comments on the rhythm (Stewart Copeland is an amazing drummer), but I don't think you have the context yet to recognize it as reggae influenced. While the Police are not a reggae band, they have a lot of songs with a strong reggae influence. Ren, who you mentioned, is a huge reggae and String fan. I am so glad that you have returned to the Police and hope you return again, along with checking out Sting's solo career. Great reaction!

[@Zundfolge]

The Police is what happens when a bunch of educated jazz musicians start a punk band and it drifts away from punk.

[@ForbiddTV]

So far you have only listened to the popular 'hits', both of which are very simplistic musically. Wait until you get into some of their more artistically and musically complex songs. Try the title track from Reggatta De Blanc, a 1980 Grammy award winner that's really three songs in three minutes.

[@dealerovski82]

Toto, there is musical genius complexity.

[@lupcokotevski2907]

A lonely man, unsuccessful with women, desperate, leads to him becoming a fantasist, that he will end up with Roxanne. The loneliness and despair of the prostitute is beautifully conveyed in Buy and Sell (1967) by Laura Nyro.." cocaine and quiet beers..." .

[@happycactus]

Stuart Copland is my favorite drummer. He is amazing!

[@jtf2dan]

Little trivia....at the start you can hear a piano chord...followed by a few seconds later some laughter in the background. Sting has mentioned that while recording he had walked backwards and bumped the keys of a piano with his butt......then laughed afterwards....once you know that you cant unhear it!

[@Veritas-TheGoader]

1:05 “Haha, I sat on the piano”

[@Hornet71]

A bum note!

[@Veritas-TheGoader]

@@Hornet71 🤣

[@madraccoon5934]

Supposedly, at the beginning of the song, when you hear the faint piano chime and Sting Laugh, he was drunk/tired in the recording and stumbled/sat onto the piano. It's him laughing at himself for stumbling/sitting into it. *Edit* There's an interview where he confirms being up all night and tired and sitting down thinking the key-cover was on it, and it wasn't.

[@mightyV444]

That's an exaggeration, unfortunately; All he did was sitting down on the keys and accidentally, too 🙂

[@madraccoon5934]

​@@mightyV444 heh, which is why I said supposedly! Save myself from the internet XD

[@mightyV444]

@@madraccoon5934 - Yeah, you did, too! 😁👍

[@thomassharmer7127]

They're three super-talented musicians, steeped in jazz, rock, reggae, and African rhythms. The pulse is often found in the spaces they leave as much as the notes they play. Sting (Gordon Sumner) has written some achingly beautiful and sophisticated melodies. His lyrics are often very literary (he started out as a high school English teacher). He is deeply rooted in British folk music too. This is one of their first hits. The spiky angularity and vocal stylings are influenced by punk which was in vogue at the time.

[@tlc9316]

Me when I reverse my shopping trolley at the store 3:55

[@averageaimer8533]

This is an example of each instrument being fairly sparse almost incomplete, but put together they dance. The Strokes do this well also.

[@stlmopoet]

Great review. Love your description of the musical qualities. New Wave. But also a big reggae influence. If you haven't already, listening to some Bob Marley would add some musical history/background. But I guess that's up to Vlad.

[@davidperlowski1477]

The Police are one of a number of punk (or post-punk) bands that were... convinced to become rock/pop bands. Other examples include Blondie and the Go-Gos. Their sound got much more refined as time went on and they went more mainstream. I still think "Be My Girl Sally" is probably the best love song ever written about an inflatable sex doll.

[@rogercageot-prod]

plong (piano sit) then it's magic, the big space of the bass, original guitar riffs, and drums (not the best one here, but still great) and the broken voice

[@FABIO_MARTINSS]

Stewart Copeland, a great drummer, said in an interview that he learned to like John Bonham, drummer for Led Zeppelin, over time, as he couldn't listen to Led Zepp because of Robert Plant's voice. Well, I like both Sting and Robert but I don't see much of a difference between the two. Both use their voice as an instrument and sing at the limit of their range, extremely high pitched. Here Sting's innocent and childish tone reminds me of Plant in "Four sticks"

[@SpaceCattttt]

You can't save anyone unless they want to be saved. Not without some major heartache. This is as true for someone you know as it is for a random lady of the night. Sting's protagonist (antagonist?) sounds almost like an obsessed stalker. It won't end well...

[@TheBluemikes]

The Police were genius. Sheer genius.

[@joshuasugden4823]

Great drinking song this one, every-time they sing Roxanne take a sip, every-time they sing red light spin around.

[@Jaxy451]

The song was originally written as a bossa nova on nylon string guitar. However punk and reggae were all the rage and so they simplified it into a punk reggae format.

[@DerEchteBold]

Angular? Jagged? Interesting, that's the weirdest description of such a smooth groove I ever heard.

[@Dämä-g4m]

Now you can listen to the cover version of ANNEN MAY KANTEREIT and MILKY CHANCE. Both relatively well-known bands. ANNEN MAY KANTEREIT started with street music.

[@richpeltier9519]

Now you're ready to ; watch the movie 48 hours and listen to some reggae (Bob Marley anyone).

[@jenewbee]

This is about a man stalking a prostitute and eventually killing her for rejecting a marriage proposal

[@toniyoung5131]

Ren also does reggae, many covers, but he uses the style in his original music too. He loves the Police and Sting, he can give the same vibes just by changing his voice.

[@WocciTokosel]

You may come to enjoy Bob Marley one day, from what I hear from your very enjoyable commentary. Thank you for your posts by the way.

[@gtjacobs]

Have you listened to any reggae music? Knowing that style helps with understanding what The Police do.

[@gtjacobs]

It's wild that you mention Ren, when Sting has been one of his greatest musical influences

[@rieskorin2027]

No one can beat the power and emotion that Eddie Murphey put into his performance of this track 🔥🔥

[@BigTimeRushFan2112]

In my mind this song will always be linked to Eddie Murphy singing it in the opening of the movie 48 Hours.

[@WoodyGamesUK]

The word you want is 'reggae'. Although the song has various influences, relating to something else would inform your analysis.

[@lupcokotevski2907]

This is apparently a tango rhythm. Copeland's idea. Sting's initial idea was to make it Bossa Nova.

[@Vrealita]

Not a tango, more like a reggae. The kinda tango version was made for the Moulin Rouge movie soundtrack, mixing Roxanne up with Mariano Mores' "Tanguera" theme.

[@alunjones2550]

Listen carefully and you can hear Sting accidentally sit on a piano keyboard and then laugh, right at the start of the song. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWWtmHiLf7-drdE

[@G_Widdicombe]

7:25 second time it was cut off before his anguished uttering of her name. 😢

[@joecromwell2471]

This song is also kind of a comedy trope... Sting has a pretty high voice, almost falsetto that very few guys can imitate. Guy has a few drinks, hears the song, honestly tries to sing along...fails miserably and comedy ensues, lol. Also butchers it while singing in the shower, etc.

[@marcwright8395]

4:51 I would say it's a reggae influenced song

[@XFLexiconMatt]

These days, Sting and his solo band mate, Dominic Miller, listen to Bach for inspiration.

[@copilunio]

What happened with The Beatles 150 series?

[@Jaxy451]

This band was actually quite a musically accomplished troupe who dumbed themselves down in order to be commercially successful in the late 70s punk era. String was a jazz musician. The guitarist is a well known virtuoso. Even the drummer is a highly proficient musician. But they were in the era of basic three chord punk rock. They had to dumb themselves down.

[@diogenesagogo]

You might be interested to know that sting released an album of lute music. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songs_from_the_Labyrinth

[@DaveTweedy-vv2tp]

please do ABBA THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL

[@prueba9348]

It's interesting that you say it seems as if the song comes from centuries past. They do say the sex trade is the oldest job in the world after all.don't they?

[@lejoe48]

Where are the beatles? Some explanation of their sudden absence on the channel would be a polite gesture on your part. Thanks.

[@rudolphvanrooyen2655]

The music sounds like bed springs.....

[@wesleyrodgers886]

Romeo is bleeding. Tom Waits. 😊

[@igorlevchuk]

George Michael cover is incredible.

[@Richard2003]

What happened to this week's Beatles reaction??

[@ChewyAndGo]

I am watching you.

[@mikepaulus4766]

Of course you are, I'm over here taking breaths.

[@jaumepiquebernaus1853]

A kind of SKÀ

[@Ulexcool]

Someone explain Reggae to her please 😂👍

[@reneolthof6811]

Although there are (many) notable exceptions, especially rock music is best consumed LIVE. It always strike me as slightly odd that it is mostly studio versions that gets reacted to, whereas the real soul is to be found in live sessions and recordings. I suspect the difference between live and studio in rock music is much bigger than in classical music.

[@ForbiddTV]

I won't watch reactions of a song for the first time of a live performance. It disrespects the music and the artist having spent so much expensive studio time getting it perfect to their liking. The studio versions are always better, unless a live recording is what they initially released (like Peter Frampton for instance).

[@dbasstij512]

@@ForbiddTV Me too. I think the person should hear the studio version first so they can appreciate what the band did with it live.

[@ForbiddTV]

@@dbasstij512 Yes, in the case of Roxanne, I have about 100 bootleg LP's of The Police live concerts and I always would rather hear the studio versions. It would of course be different if you were present at the atmosphere of a live concert, you probably wouldn't want to see them lip sync to the studio recording as was sometimes done for 'live' TV performances of the day.

[@thomaseast7699]

Police... Synchronicity 2

[@tomtompkins7546]

Steely Dan....Aja. Pretty please?

[@paperthinpizza]

**LOVE THE POLICE BUT...LITERALLY THE 2 LEAST TECHNICAL POLICE SONGS** Try Synchronicity II or Spirits In A Material World. It's all about the fast and subtle drum and base parts with unique time signatures. It's subtle but that's the Genius of Sting who basically wrote all the parts for the police songs and showed his band mates how he wanted them to be played. Sting was ultimately a control freak. Perhaps this is why the 'Band' didn't last that long and Sting went solo.

[@250hertz1]

Please react acdc it's a Long Way to the top 🙏🏼

[@FabioRabelodeCarvalhoGuimarães]

You've listened to a reggae song for the first time 😊

[@mightyV444]

There's no Reggae-typical off-beat guitars in it, though!? In fact, the guitar is the only instrument in the verses that's playing _on_ each beat! 😉

[@sharonsnail2954]

No you haven't

[@binxbolling]

Reggae style. You need to research reggae to understand the song.

[@shamisengupta984]

It would be cool if you did a 50 song react for The Police and Sting as you did with Queen. Really enjoy your reactions. I learn a lot

[@-R.Gray-]

Would it be cheating if you looked up the characteristics of reggae music ?

[@binxbolling]

Who the hell is Ren?

[@FABIO_MARTINSS]

he still wants to control the poor girls. Now he wants to make the girl change her life because of his love. Don't wear that dress, don't wear makeup, I'll be watching you. Sting is a controller 😂

[@Greg-om2hb]

It’s a reggae song. Sting did not invent the style, he just copied it. You should learn a bit about reggae and its predecessor ska.

[@ChewyAndGo]

It's at best reggae/ska influenced.

[@mightyV444]

​@@ChewyAndGo - Yes, and the guitar isn't on the off-beat either.

[@radman8321]

It has a reggae flavour without being reggae. Like all good dishes it has multiple flavours to stimulate your taste buds.

[@jfziemba]

That is an excellent suggestion

[@featherinthewind333]

The verse is a tango

[@jacquesdemolay2699]

Sting does not make music for music - he does it to tell a story with emotional content - you won't find "reasons" in the classical music context. this is Rock as rock can be. you are translating too much from a space to another. and will interpret in your own technical world but lose the original creation.

[@gadfly9376]

Again...absolutely ZERO chance you haven't heard this before. MANY times.

[@rogercageot-prod]

or Amish?

[@Forever...Wanderer]

Or you need to get out of your bubble and realize that not the entire world revolves around famous names like the Police, Queen and so on.

[@martinzissou11]

Just out of curiosity, what are you hoping to achieve? I assume you say this on multiple videos she makes. Let’s say she has heard these songs, do you think she will see your comment and crack and come clean about it in the next video? There absolutely ZERO chance of that happening. Or do you think viewers will see your comment and start wondering more about it? I think people who believe her won’t be swayed from it by random comments. Do you not believe her but still enjoy her analysis? I’m just wondering why are you hanging around if you think she’s lying, because you certainly won’t be able to expose her and take her down just by insisting she’s full of it without any evidence.

[@BigSky1]

@@martinzissou11Nicely said.

[@andreacosentino4645]

i prefer Sting singing a little bit lower, in the chorus i can't really make it, genius arrangement of the drummer Stewart Copeland, in the beginning it was a sleepy bossa by sting