Desert Rose (Sting song)

"Desert Rose" is a song by British musician Sting, featuring Algerian raï singer Cheb Mami, from Sting's album Brand New Day (1999). It is noted for Sting and Mami's duet. According to Sting, the lyrics have to do with "lost love and longing".[1] Riding a wave of pre-9/11 interest in Latin and Arabic cultures,[2][3][4] "Desert Rose" peaked at No. 2 in Canada, No. 3 in Switzerland, No. 4 in Italy, No. 15 in the UK, and No. 17 in the US.

"Desert Rose"
Single by Sting featuring Cheb Mami
from the album Brand New Day
Released17 January 2000 (2000-01-17)
GenreWorldbeat
Length
  • 4:45 (album version)
  • 3:55 (radio edit)
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Sting singles chronology
"Brand New Day"
(1999)		 "Desert Rose"
(2000)		 "After the Rain Has Fallen"
(2000)
Music video
"Desert Rose" on YouTube

Reception

Brand New Day received moderate to positive reviews,[5][6][7] with one critic calling it "world-beat".[6] Sting took issue with the classification of Brand New Day as "world music", although he acknowledged the North African feel of "Desert Rose".[8] Reviewers noted that the "exotic"[9] song differed from the rest of the album,[5] and cited it as one of Brand New Day's highlights.[9]

Music video

The music video was directed by Paul Boyd,[10] and features Sting taking a trip through the Mojave Desert in a Jaguar S-Type driven by a masked female chauffeur while recording himself on a JVC GR-DVX4 video camera, and then going to a nightclub in Las Vegas to perform the song with Cheb Mami. Scenes also feature Sting walking alone in the desert holding the camera up. It ends with a shot of Sting with his eyes shut (possibly asleep) in the back seat of the Jaguar, which is then seen driving off into the distance. After shooting the video, Sting's manager Miles Copeland III approached a music licensing maven, Lloyd Simon, to work with Jaguar on a collaboration, and the auto company featured the video in their prominent television advertisements during the year 2000.[11]

Remixes

Also included on the single releases were club remixes by Victor Calderone. One remixed version of the song was used in an alternative edit of the video, which included more sexually explicit footage. The song was later re-released on Sting's later album Duets.[12]

Track listings

UK CD1 (497 240-2)

  1. "Desert Rose (radio edit)" – 3:55
  2. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (live at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles) – 4:27
  3. "Fragile" (live at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles) – 4:10
  4. "Desert Rose" video (CD-ROM)

UK CD2 (497 241-2)

  1. "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix radio edit)" – 4:47
  2. "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix)" – 9:21
  3. "Desert Rose (Filter Dub Mix)" – 5:21
  4. "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix)" video (CD-ROM)

UK 12-inch (497 241-1)

  1. "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix)"
  2. "Desert Rose (Filter Dub Mix)"
  3. "Desert Rose" (original)

US CD (0694973212)

  1. "Desert Rose (radio edit)" – 3:54
  2. "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix radio edit)" – 4:44
  3. "Brand New Day (Murlyn Extended Mix)" – 5:01
  4. "Brand New Day (Murlyn Radio Mix)" – 3:54

Europe CD (497 233-2)

  1. "Desert Rose (radio edit)" – 3:54
  2. "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix)" – 9:20
  3. "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix radio edit)" – 4:44
  4. "Brand New Day (Murlyn Mix)" – 5:01
  5. "Brand New Day" video (CD-ROM)

Charts

Release history
Release dates and formats for "Desert Rose"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United Kingdom 17 January 2000
  • CD
  • cassette
 A&M [1][49]
Japan 9 February 2000 CD [50]
United States 6 March 2000 Hot adult contemporary radio [51][52]
Japan 1 May 2000 CD [53]
United States 2 May 2000 Contemporary hit radio [54]

References
  1. "Sting Discography: Desert Rose, CD". sting.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  2. Irwin, Dan (31 August 2008). "SULTAN RULES: Internationally known artist entertains crowd at Syrian picnic". New Castle News. Retrieved 27 November 2014. Sultan cited the success of Sting's "Desert Rose," a 1999 song that climbed to No. 17 on the U.S. charts, as evidence that Western music was ready not only for a Latin influence, but also an Arabic one.
  3. Benshoff, Harry (26 August 2011). America on Film: Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. John Wiley & Sons. p. 159. ISBN 9781444357592.
  4. Karam, Nicoletta (2012). The 9/11 Backlash: A Decade of U.S. Hate Crimes Targeting the Innocent. Beatitude Press. p. 166. ISBN 9781478230953. Prior to 9/11, Egyptian pop star Hakim and rai singer Khaled had been contracted to perform in the Desert Roses and Aravian Rhythms Festival [...] In the weeks before the terrorist strikes, the tour had been enjoying good ticket sales as a result of Sting's and Cheb Mami's 1999 hit song, 'Desert Rose,' which brought rai music to American audiences. After 9/11, the musicians decided to discontinue the tour.
  5. Kot, Greg (10 October 1999). "Recordings: Sting Brand New Day (A&M)". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  6. Willman, Chris (1 October 1999). "Brand New Day Review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 5 December 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  7. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Brand New Day". Allmusic. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  8. Peacock, Tim (17 January 2021). "'Desert Rose': The Story Behind Sting's Genre-Defying Hit". udiscovermusic.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  9. Hilburn, Robert (26 September 1999). "Record Rack: Sting Keeps His Faith in Style". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 9 March 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  10. "Music Director Paul Boyd Gives Us a Few Pointers to Shoot With". talenthouse.com. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  11. Kot, Greg (3 October 2003). "Sting rides again". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  12. Brodsky, Rachel (18 March 2021). "Sting review, Duets: Compilation album is a generous reminder of The Police star's incalculable range". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 March 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  13. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 268.
  14. "Sting feat. Cheb Mami – Desert Rose" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  15. "Sting feat. Cheb Mami – Desert Rose" (in Dutch). Ultratip.
  16. "Sting feat. Cheb Mami – Desert Rose" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  17. "Sting Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  18. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 7193." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  19. "Oficiální Česká Hitparáda – Pro týden" (in Czech). IFPI ČR. Archived from the original on 3 March 2000. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  20. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 18. 29 April 2000. p. 7. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  21. "Sting feat. Cheb Mami – Desert Rose" (in French). Les classement single.
  22. "Sting feat. Cheb Mami – Desert Rose" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  23. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 13. 25 March 2000. p. 13. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  24. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 20. 13 May 2000. p. 13. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  25. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Desert Rose". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  26. "Sting feat. Cheb Mami – Desert Rose". Top Digital Download.
  27. "Sting feat. Cheb Mami – Desert Rose" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  28. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 29. 15 July 2000. p. 9. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  29. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  30. "Sting feat. Cheb Mami – Desert Rose". Swiss Singles Chart.
  31. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  32. "Sting Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  33. "Sting Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  34. "Sting Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  35. "Sting Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  36. "Sting Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  37. "Sting Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  38. "Sting Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  39. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2000". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  40. "Rapports annuels 2000" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  41. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 52. 23 December 2000. p. 9. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  42. "Tops de L'année | Top Singles 2000" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  43. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 2000" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  44. "Swiss Year-End Charts 2000" (in German). Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  45. "Billboard Top 100 – 2000". Archived from the original on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  46. "Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2001". Jam!. Archived from the original on 26 January 2003. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  47. "Canada's Top 200 Singles of 2002". Jam!. 14 January 2003. Archived from the original on 6 September 2004. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  48. "Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  49. "New Releases – For Week Starting 17 January, 2000: Singles". Music Week. 15 January 2000. p. 19.
  50. "デザート・ローズ | スティング" [Desert Rose | Sting] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  51. "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1340. 3 March 2000. p. 115.
  52. "Gavin AC/Hot AC: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2293. 25 February 2000. p. 21.
  53. "新譜情報" [New Information] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 16 April 2000. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  54. "Gavin Top 40/Rhythm Crossover: Impact Dates". Gavin Report. No. 2302. 28 April 2000. p. 15.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.