Sting/Police Mistake?

[N Scott Shaw]

Sounds intentional to me. My band just picked up this song!

 

[squeally dan]

On Roxanne, there is no guitar in the choruses - the vocals take over the guitar part. The Police worked a lot on arrangement stuff - there is very little chance to that any thing is a "mistake" of that magnitude.

How did I never notice this?

 

[Queue]

I had to listen a few times before I heard it. I'd thought he was resting, like the intro. Verse 3, he comes in with Andy.

My brother/guitar player said he wanted to do this song. (The guitar part is supposedly quite challenging, at least that's what my son told me.) I might start playing that little slide on Verse 2.

 

[dave64o]

I always heard that and assumed it was just how he was playing it. Well, NOT playing it, but you get my point. I've never questioned whether or not it was intentional. I guess I assumed it was. FWIW, I like it.

That being said, how many artists play a song note-for-note as recorded every time? They don't, only tribute bands do that. I'd be willing to bet he's both rested and played through that part many times live.

 

[mcnach]

So you think it was intentional? If you were covering it would you put it in?

Absolutely.

That sounds intentional to me. Why do you think it is a mistake?

 

[Killing Floor]

Also if the guitar solo (1:40) wasn’t a problem no way Sting’s slide in would be.

 

[bobyoung53]

at the beginning of the second verse sting plays a little slide down from C# then stops playing. Time 1.00 in this vid
Think this was intentional or they just left it in?

Intentional for effect, he comes back in on the third line.

 

[bobyoung53]

I agree with intentional, and it's always how I've played it when our band has covered it. I always exaggerate the bass entry just to make damn sure everyone knows what's going on LOL.

As for (what I think is) unintentional, a good example is Zeppelin's "Good Times, Bad Times", coming out of the guitar solo back into the chorus. I guess JPJ wanted the solo to go on, but maybe that's just me. I like it though.

There are a lot of mistakes on Zep's first album, they recorded it pretty much live and in only a few days. There are mistake in a lot of old albums, Beatles, lots in the Stones etc.


Listen to the crash landing when they end this song. I think the ending was a surprise, the guitars started playing the B7 turn around and then tried to sneak the E in, Wyman was smart, he held off. Lots of flat bass E strings in the old stuff too for some reason



Well known mistake here at 3:19, Berry Oakley came in a beat too early after the drum break and the whole band turned around within two measures, masters. You can hear one of the drummers double hit the snare and get in synch with Berry, that's how good drummers turn the beat around when someone comes in wrong.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I don't hear anything other than amazing musicianship. Honestly I tried hearing for it several times.

It's barely there. You can hear it momentarily in headphones if you have some good ones. It's much easier to hear and see in the post #7 by @bearhart74.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Everything in both the studio version and the live version sounds intentional. Mr. Sumner is one hell of a bass player songwriter and arranger.

 

[pfschim]

Intentional. Sting is great at small but tasty dynamics touches like this one. My vote is to play it like the record.

 

[Altitude]

I think it's just a little approach note.

 

[Altitude]

Here's one. This is "Mood Swings" by Mike Stern and Jaco is on bass. The song kills.

The beginning is a free vamp until the Mike plays the head. At 1:05, Jaco clearly changes to a half time feel, thinking that Mike is going to play the head, but Mike goes another 8 bars before he does. Jaco picks it up within a measure but it's definitely a goof.

 

[Harper]

Completely intentional and a bit of genius arrangement. That whole "it's what you don't play" thing....

 

[brianrost]

Think this was intentional or they just left it in?

Intentional I'm sure. Sting used space beautifully with the Police.

 

[atquinn]

Completely intentional. Now the flat singing at the beginning of the 2nd Verse in Every Little Thing She Does is Magic. That's a mistake they left in.

 

[Lo-E]

Sounds pretty intentional to me. I'd play it.

 

[perfektspace6]

It's not a mistake if it's intentional. I assume it is intentional.

 

[CletusMarley]

Great tune. Everyone in that band was so talented. Sting always played the perfect bassline for the song.

 

[bearhart74]

I'm gonna go with the intentional so keep it idea.. thanks for the debate.