The police song Sting served to make people more spiritual

STING – 1990s – Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner

(Credits: Far Out / Last FM)

Monday 7 October 2024, 8:00am, UK

Sting, known for his undeniable musical talent and his tendency to make bold claims – such as his infamous tantric sex comment – was often viewed as a bit pretentious. Particularly in his post-police career, Sting, although well-intentioned, often drew criticism for his cocky image and moments of self-indulgence.

Many aspects of his personality qualify Sting as a despicable character who could even be described as a caricature at this point. Some of his wildest opinions were sent into the airwaves while discussing his own music, and they go a long way toward qualifying him as one of music's most controversial figures. It is moments like these that make up John Lydon's following comment Far Out of ring true: “He left and took himself way too seriously, didn’t he? “I'm an intellectual, honestly, please believe me. 'Look how unshaven I can be.'”

While Sting has made several outlandish comments throughout his life, one is the most undeniable Sting Moments where he explained in all seriousness that he hoped a Police song would make listeners more “spiritual.” The track in question is “Spirits in the Material World,” which is also one of the trio’s most ridiculous songs. Whether it's the bass line or the hilarious keyboard cues that drive it forward, it's a lousy number.

As with many Police songs, Sting's performance adds an extra layer of pretentiousness that makes the music slightly worse. His lyrics are particularly bad, containing lines like the refrain “We are spirits in the material world,” and while his intentions were social and spoke to something weighty, they make for an odd listen amidst the music. In typical Sting fashion, he also significantly reduced the presence of guitarist Andy Summers on the track, as he had originally wanted to record the song without him at all and, according to the usual arguments, had to compromise on the use of a synthesizer and the six-string.

According to Sting, the song's lyrics and the album it comes from are from 1981 Ghost in the machineare based on the writings of the Hungarian philosopher Arthur Koestler. The late thinker believed that outside forces could have a seriously detrimental influence on a person's mind and thinking, describing the machine as governments and big business. Sting took this idea and developed it into “Ghosts in the Material World.”

In the eye opening Sting lyrics The songwriter explained how he used the track as a channel to hopefully make listeners even more spiritual. He said: “I thought that while political progress is clearly important to resolving conflicts around the world, there are also spiritual (as opposed to religious) aspects of our recovery that need to be addressed.” By “spiritual” I mean I think it's the ability to see the bigger picture, to step out of the narrow confines of our conditioning, and to access the higher modes of thinking that Koestler spoke of. Without this, politics is just the rhetoric of failure.”

Regarding Ghosts in the machine Overall, Sting claimed that when he wrote the music, he wanted to give the impression of something rising to the surface, a thought buried deep in the recesses of the mind, emerging from the subconscious. I know he's an artist, but what a ridiculous comment. He also failed miserably. The album is one of his worst works.