Tea In The Sahara
| "Tea In The Sahara" | |
|---|---|
| Recorded by The Police | |
| Released: | 1983 |
| Recorded: | December 1982 - January 1983 |
| Length: | 4:11 |
| Album(s): | Synchronicity |
| Label(s): | A&M |
| Writer(s): | Sting |
| Producer(s): | The Police, Hugh Padgham |
| Studio(s): | AIR Studios, Montserrat |
| Released as single? | B-SIDE (live version) |
"Tea In The Sahara" is a song written by Sting and recorded by The Police in 1982/1983.
Contents
About the song
Writing
Sting probably wrote this song in mid-1982.
Utopia demo
Sting recorded a 4:23 minute demo at Utopia Studios on October 8, 1982. This version features a drum machine pattern and doesn't have the reggae-ish feeling of the LP version. The bass line in the chorus is different and played an octave higher. The open chords guitar is also different. In the chorus Sting added a guitar arpeggio reminiscent of Bring On The Night.
After the second chorus Sting improvised an Arabic sounding guitar solo - which both Sting and Pete Smith made fun of.
The instrumental demo had the working title I Don't Know.
Alternate Mix
There's an early version of this song mixed by Hugh Padgham at AIR Studios on 1983-01-10. It can be found on the Synchronicity box set that was released on 2024-07-26 and lasts 4:13 minutes.
It features a few more bars at the intro. There are less guitar layers, especially in the chorus and the instrumental middle section. There's also no oboe yet.
Picture disc version
The version on the picture disc that was released on 2024-07-26 also features a few more bars at the intro. Sadly it fades out a few seconds sooner than the usual LP mix.
LP version
The LP version lasts 4:12 minutes.
Derangement
For his movie Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out Stewart Copeland created a few derangements using unused parts from studio and live recordings. A 3:35 minute derangement of this song can be found on the Synchronicity box set.
Personnel
Release History
Albums
Tea In The Sahara appears on the following album releases:
| Cover art | Album title | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Synchronicity | 1983-06-17 | USA |
Singles
CD Singles
| Cover art | Catalog no. | Songs | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Catalog no. | "Song"(s) | YYYY-MM-DD | Country |
7" Singles
| Cover art | Catalog no. | A-side song/B-side song | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Catalog no. | "A-side song"/"B-side song" | YYYY-MM-DD | Country |
12" Singles
| Cover art | Catalog no. | A-side song(s)/B-side song(s) | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Catalog no. | "A-side song"/"B-side song" (add more songs as necessary) | YYYY-MM-DD | Country |
Video
"SONG TITLE" appears on the following video and dvd releases:
| Cover art | Video title | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Video or dvd title | YYYY-MM-DD | Country |
Awards, nominations, and certifications
Awards
This section needs more information.
| Year | Winner | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| YYYY | WINNER (album, song, producer, etc.) | AWARD (Grammy, People's Choice, etc.) | CATEGORY |
Nominations
This section needs more information.
| Year | Nominee | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| YYYY | NOMINEE (album, song, producer, etc.) | AWARD (Grammy, People's Choice, etc.) | CATEGORY |
Certifications
This section needs more information.
| Country | Certifier | Classification | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| COUNTRY | CERTIFIER (RIAA, IFPI...) | CLASSIFICATION (Album, singles, foreign artist...) | CERTIFICATION (Gold, Platinum, Diamond...) |
Lyrics
Lyrics are property and copyright of their owners, and provided here for educational purposes only.
My sisters and I Have this wish before we die And it may sound strange As if our minds are deranged Please don't ask us why Beneath the sheltering sky We have this strange obsession You have the means in your possession Tea in the Sahara with you Tea in the Sahara with you The young man agreed He would satisfy their need So they danced for his pleasure With a joy you could not measure They would wait for him here The same place every year Beneath the sheltering sky Across the desert he would fly Tea in the Sahara with you Tea in the Sahara with you Tea in the Sahara with you Tea in the Sahara with you The sky turned to black Would he ever come back They would climb a high dune They would pray to the moon But he'd never return So the sisters would burn As their eyes searched the land With their cups full of sand Tea in the Sahara with you Tea in the Sahara with you Tea in the Sahara with you Tea in the Sahara with you
Quotations and trivia
In 1983-06 Musician Andy Summers explains the "wobbling cloud" sound in this song: "The basic technique consists of playing through an Echoplex with echo volume set to about three-quarter maximum and a volume pedal with a compressor; the movement of the chord position between swells and the choice of harmonies are crucial. Wearing a long-sleeved shirt is also helpful as the right arm can pivot as a long-handled brush on the strings above the twelfth fret - sea island cotton produces a pleasing tone. The effect is that of a shuddering, trembling cloud of sound which teeters on the brink of collapse at every second."
Alternative and cover versions
- a live version was released as the b-side for King Of Pain in the UK and on Message In A Box: The Complete Recordings
See also
This section needs more information.
External links
This section needs more information.
References
- Police, The. Synchronicity. (1983) [Audio recording], A&M Records.
- Fabio Trentini (demo info after listening to Pete Smith's tapes)
