Synchronizing with Sting

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Today I traveled back in time to 1983. Synchronicity by the Police. An incredible album. An incredible time in my life. Sixteen years old and everything to look forward to. This album began the summer of my first kiss which was set to the sound track of Every Breath You Take. He was my first boyfriend and I had him wrapped around my finger. That summer I realized that my childhood best friend's loss of innocence meant she would become a mother that winter, timed perfectly with the release of King of Pain. So many memories on this black vinyl disc with the primary color brush strokes. Each song can take me back to a different place along the time line of my junior year of high school.

That fall I was head over heels with my second boyfriend. I was so caught up in the din of my rice krispies...that I couldn't hear a single thing at all... I was too busy heaving tea in the Sahara to see the writing on the wall.

That album still holds such a special place in my heart. My youth, so much undiscovered me. So when I learned that Sting was releasing a new album today, titled Symphonicities...I was more than curious. I was more than intrigued. I wanted more than an iTunes download. I wanted to hold it in my hands and take it in as I had taken in Synchronicity more than 27 years ago.

I slid it in the cd player in the car on the way home. All 12 songs written by Sting, he reimagined them musically with an orchestra. The emotion that washed over me when I heard Every Little Thing She does is Magic with such intense orchestral passion brought me to tears. The tears carried me right through When We Dance and my heart actually skipped a beat and my breathing became shallow when I heard his hauntingly obsessive version of Roxanne. While first glancing at the 12 titles, I was disappointed to see that Every Breath You Take had not made the cut. When I read the insert, I learned that the feel and emotion of my favorite song was actually woven into the re-do of Roxanne. I had an entirely new impression of Roxanne after hearing that.

While Synchronicity to me is 16, sleep overs, homework and making out with my boyfriend, Symphonicites is 43, wine and soul searching with girl friends, my teaching career and tantric sex with my love. Synchronicity is young- t-shirts, jeans and casual while Symphonicities is mature, black tie and sophisticated. I am just head over heels with this chance to go back and relive the music of my youth in such a grown up way.