Schuetz

Are you looking for a timeless album that contains no filler songs and can be enjoyed year after year? If so, look no further than the album entitled Fields of Gold by Sting. Sting, born Gordon Matthew Sumner, was the lead singer of the popular band The Police. This talented artist has been producing high quality records ever since he decided to go solo in 1984.

Sting has always produced eclectic pop music revealing jazz, classical and world influences and Fields of Gold is certainly no exception. A wonderful assortment of songs in all these categories included. This album is a best of compilation of Sting's most popular songs from 1984 to 1994. What makes this best of album so unique is the fact that it contains 3 previously unreleased tracks. "When We Dance," "This Cowboy Song" and an alternate version of "We'll Be Together" isn't available on any of his previous albums. This provides added value to individuals who already own his other albums.

Fields of Gold includes 14 amazing songs, with not one wasted filler in the compilation. Sting is well renowned for his thought provoking, intelligent lyrics so you won't find any "pop fluff" on this album. What you will find on this romantic album are beautiful ballads such as "When We Dance," "Fields of Gold," "Be Still My Beating Heart," "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," and "Fragile." Sting's sensual voice and poignant lyrics provide a great backdrop to a cozy evening by the fire or slow dancing with your partner.

This compilation is filled with variety in addition to the romantic classics. The song "An Englishman in New York" is reminiscent of Sting's time spent with The Police and "This Cowboy Song" has a unique sound. "Why Should I Cry For You" is a slightly different version of the original song that graced the Soul Cages album. The songs "Fortress Around Your Heart," "If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free," and "Russians" have a distinct jazz feel. Sting brings a great melancholic mix to the album by including songs such as "All This Time" and "Why Should I Cry For You?" They relate to Sting's grief over the death of his father.

My favorite song on the album has to be "They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)." Perhaps this relates to the fact that I spent many months traveling throughout Chile. I learned firsthand about the awful atrocities committed by the dictator of the country, General Pinochet. He tortured and killed thousands of innocent young boys and men; the hauntingly beautiful lyrics of his song reveal the tremendous sense of loss experienced by the female survivors. Even if you aren't familiar with the background concerning the song, I'm sure you will fall in love with it just the same.

Johnny Moon is a contributer to the Music By Day Music Trivia website. This site features a "What happened on this day?" music trivia fact every single day of the year.