Sting reminds of the kid who didn't know better, so he just keeps on with what he is doing. I think he saw and heard David Byrne expand into the third world for influences and hopped on the bandwagon. At least he tries and that is something many musicians don't do. All I do is turn down the volume when his songs get played and turn the volume up when they are over.

spot on....the whole reason anyone has heard of Moby is he sold his stuff to anyone who would pay him.
then it got heard by people that would other wise NEVER here or BUY his CDs.

Man - some of you really have a mean streak :???: Sting is a great srtist and songwriter in his own right - maybe not to everyone's taste. And BTW the Police are past ( a great past) - get over it.....and what is wrong with an artist making money ?? That makes him a sell-out ?? What about his charity work ? He has been involved with many charities over the years, including: Band Aid/Live Aid (with Sir Bob Geldoff), Amnesty International, and Sir Elton John's Aids campaign. He is also a founder member of the Rainforest Foundation, doesn't that justify cutting him some slack? And btw - I've never seen the Jaguar commercial - so to me Desert Rose is just a Sting song.

Forget whether Sting has "sold out" or not--the problem with this song has nothing to do with Sting's product endorsements or anything else. Musically, the song just sucks. The only thing to recommend it is Cheb Mami's vocals, but Sting's dreadful, banal vocal manages to drown it out most of the time. Drop Sting and you'd have a good song.

Go back to car ads, Sting. You're better at them now than you are at writing songs.

I have absolutely no problem with musicians making money.

I am more disturbed with Yoko (Sting) breaking up a great band like The Police and producing uninspired mediocre soft Jazz.

AAAAhhhhh! Make it stop!

Is Non-commercial music consumed by... non-consummer? I'm afraid there's nothing free. Even Steve Jobs is learning it...

The reason he "Sold out" is because this song does not neatly fit into our countries homogenized and neatly categorized radio system. It isn't "smooth jazz" it isn't boy band, it isn't hard rock, or country, or alternative, or R&B. The only way he could get it heard was by putting it in a commercial. Thus, I don't blame him for selling out. I blame the radio industry for not having an outlet where this type of music could be heard. This same scenario has happened repeatedly for artists like Moby, and for other music (Those mitsubishi car commercials for example)

I like Sting but somehow find it hard to like this song. I've tried but it still is too "poppy(?)"

true, he doesn't need to get any richer, but it's not like he was just greedily gobbling up money for the hell of it -- sting was posting negative profits for this cd until he did the jaguar commercial, and that ALONE made sales pick up. i'm not saying selling out doesn't render art a little less meaningful, but it was a shrewd business move.

also, i like the arab vocals. it's the first sting song in ages that i've actually noticed.

Well, I guess I don't watch enough TV because I have no idea what you guys are talking about. :D I happen to like this song quite a bit.

This song is a commercial, all other analysis of "quality" has been rendered moot.

Time to move on. Desert Rose is dead, as consumerism continues to consume all.

Lisää tätä musaa. Tää biisi on mahtava!
Meaning: More this. This song is great!

This song is great in particular because of Cheb Mami's excellent backing vocals. The Prince of Rai is really fantastic and would make an excellent addition to RP's formst. More RAI!!! Check out his song Meli Meli which is great!

Dont you think that is slightly harsh? Personally, I think the mix is great. Always liked his older stuff, and am getting to really appreciate him more as a diversified artist (Sting); he's great live too.

Wow this thread is really negative, which surprises me since I absolutely love this song, and in fact appreciate most of what Sting has done. He's gotten a lot of flack over the years -- accusations of trying to be cool by incorporating other cultures sounds... but I'm glad he doesn't listen to the nay-sayers. I feel Sting has enriched my life with his music and am glad he's out there, doing his thing.

He doesn't need the Police. So Nya Nya. :D

I can't help but think of car commercials now when I listen to this. Its a real let-down and its pretty much ruined the song for me. Doesn't sting have enough money that he doesn't have to resell his art to corporate intrest? Artists should have a little more respect for themselves and their art and stop pimping it out to the highest bidder.

no wonder he's singing 'i'm an englishman in ny' you guys are not very friendly and he's probably sensed that...

Anyone who thinks of Jaguars when listening to this song is probably watching too much TV.

As far as world music goes, my introduction to the sitar came from the Beatles' "Revolution", otherwise I doubt I would have learnt about it. So the more exposure to world music the better, me thinks.

I really want to respect Sting's musical sensibilities, but all I can think of is
1) his bragging about his sex life with Trudy
2) him in the Jag commercials
3) that the rest of the Police are still alive - strike while the iron is hot, dammit! Take a lesson from the Beatles and let bygones be bygones...

Why does this song make me want to either buy a Jaguar or shoot myself?

What makes you say he think's he's superior? Because he takes rock music to another step and incorporates middle-eastern vocals? Perhaps you shouldn't listen to RP, go listen to the classic rock stations or something that plays Matchbox 20

I hate Sting.
Another jackass who thinks he's superior because his music has features from other cultures.

Maybe we should just play the music from the other cultures. That would be nice. Where's the Tibetan girl?

Crap It Is.

I really like this one...which probably explains why so many others on here hate this "new sting," since I was never a big Sting fan.

I thought this song was awesome the first time I heard of it, but it was so overplayed 1-2 years ago. I think this should remain in consideration on the playlist, but perhaps go on hold for another year or so.

That's one of the best parts.

I've always enjoyed Sting, but I could do without that arab idiot singing in the background! Screw that.

Bleh - I've never been able to get into this song.