The Police

[GuitarGeek]

That's one of my favorite Police tracks as well. That three song stretch closing Ghost (Omega Man > Secret Journey > Darkness) is terrific...

Ωmegaman (note correct spelling) is one of my favorites so far. Definitely one of Andy's best contributions. Apparently, A&M wanted to release it as a single, but Sting apparently vetoed such actions. Further proof the man is a pompous ass.

[GuitarGeek]

One thing I would say about 'Mother'...it's the 'Who Dunnit' factor. That is, musically it's quite intriguing but it's lyrically and vocally atrocious.

That's it exactly. But I can understand the point of how it fits into the album, vis-a-viz Freud vs Jung, etc. I don't skip the song when I listen to the album, but I don't think I'll be playing it on my radio show in the near future.

[JJ88]

Summers and Copeland should never have been let near a microphone. See another bit of nonsense, 'On Any Other Day'.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Ach! Andy Summers was given the specific task of writing an "ugly" song. Like Grace Skick with "Never Argue With a German" from Bark. Or Suicide with the now so rare "Oh Lord".

[GuitarGeek]

Ach! Andy Summers was given the specific task of writing an "ugly" song.

Given the task by whom? Sting?

Summers and Copeland should never have been let near a microphone. See another bit of nonsense, 'On Any Other Day'.

See, i like On Any Other Day. Yeah, it's kinda goofy, but to me it's a fun song, I get a good chuckle whenever I hear it. I wonder if that wasn't part of the tension, with Sting being this sort of straight faced, aloof "rock star", while Stewart and Andy being sort of a lot less po-faced about that sort of stuff.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Given the task by whom? Sting?

By TED NODDY!

[moecurlythanu]

One thing I would say about 'Mother'...it's the 'Who Dunnit' factor. That is, musically it's quite intriguing but it's lyrically and vocally atrocious.

Methinks you give "Who Dunnit?" far too much credit.

[GuitarGeek]

Methinks you give "Who Dunnit?" far too much credit.

I'm inclined to agree with JJ, actually, the lyrics sound like "place holder" lyrics, something you use while you're working out what the vocal melody is going to be, which you quite possibly intend to replace at a later date. I feel like if they had written some words that were better than "Was it A or was it B/Or was it X or Z" and edited out the bit where Phil is screeching "WE DON'T KNOW!!!!!" again and again through the vocoder or Harmonizer (not sure which it is), Who Dunnit would have a much better reputation than it does. I thikn the backing track itself is pretty good, they just needed to do something better with the vocals.

[moecurlythanu]

I'm inclined to agree with JJ, actually, the lyrics sound like "place holder" lyrics, something you use while you're working out what the vocal melody is going to be, which you quite possibly intend to replace at a later date. I feel like if they had written some words that were better than "Was it A or was it B/Or was it X or Z" and edited out the bit where Phil is screeching "WE DON'T KNOW!!!!!" again and again through the vocoder or Harmonizer (not sure which it is), Who Dunnit would have a much better reputation than it does. I thikn the backing track itself is pretty good, they just needed to do something better with the vocals.

Um, OK. I think it's a horrid mess, and quite likely Genesis' low point on record.

[GuitarGeek]

Um, OK. I think it's a horrid mess, and quite likely Genesis' low point on record.

I would rate it above Illegal Alien, and all those awful Barry Manilow wannabe ballads. If you ask me, In Too Deep and Hold On My Heart are the nadir here.

[3LockBox]

I'm inclined to agree with JJ, actually, the lyrics sound like "place holder" lyrics, something you use while you're working out what the vocal melody is going to be, which you quite possibly intend to replace at a later date. I feel like if they had written some words that were better than "Was it A or was it B/Or was it X or Z" and edited out the bit where Phil is screeching "WE DON'T KNOW!!!!!" again and again through the vocoder or Harmonizer (not sure which it is), Who Dunnit would have a much better reputation than it does. I thikn the backing track itself is pretty good, they just needed to do something better with the vocals.

Given the other songs available which they had recorded during the same sessions, I can't believe they put that song on the album.

[GuitarGeek]

Given the other songs available which they had recorded during the same sessions, I can't believe they put that song on the album.

I still say Another Record and Like It Or Not were the real duds on that album, and the oens that should have been left off in favor of Submarine and/or Naminanu.