Murder By Numbers - The Police

Oh I agree that Sting did drive them to their success. But it would have been nice that he would of been more open sometimes to better material that it seemed like Andy and Stewart were trying to provide. I mean I'd take a song like "Someone To Talk To" over "Mother" any day of the week.

 

I know "Mother" gets a lot of criticism, but I really like it. Both songs are great.

 

The original CD released in Japan under catalog number 38XB-2 also lacks "Murder by Numbers". It looks like this:



A second Japanese issue under the same catalog number has "Murder By Numbers". It looks like this:

 

Love both Mother and Murder by Numbers... I'd rather take off Walking in your footsteps if I had to take something off..

 

Hell, I'd be perfectly happy with three minutes of dead air in place of Mother.

 

I've always been a fan of "Mother", partly because it relieves the pop gloss that much of the album has.

 

I never knew there was any CD pressings without "Murder By Numbers" until now. Thanks for the info KeithH.

 

Which 12'' single?
The only one i know of that includes Murder By Numbers is the USA 12'' promo of Wrapped Around Your Finger, but it runs at 33.1/3

 

Yes, that's the one I have. And running at 33rpm delivers superb sound on a 12" single.

 

Owned vinyl first and "Tea In The Sahara" is an amazing song and set closer, so the b-side always seemed out of place and jarring to me on cd.

 

That was written on his drum heads from 1980-1982.

 

Prior to the release of Synchronicity, there were two songs in heavy rotation where I lived: Every Breath You Take and Murder By Numbers. I was quick to snap up a copy of the album on vinyl when it arrived. Much to my disappointment, Murder By Numbers was nowhere to be heard. When I found out that it was on the cassette, I took the record back, and they allowed me to make the exchange. I still like Murder By Numbers better than almost anything on the album itself.

At first I gritted my teeth during Mother in order to get to the remaining songs on that side. I listened to that album so many times that I eventually came to accept Mother as a perverse joke. Now, it doesn't even seem that outrageous.

It's an example (perhaps an extreme one) of how pre-digital media made it more likely that I'd give certain tracks several chances. Sure, I could have fast-forwarded through songs or lifted the tonearm, but I almost never did. I'm not saying I don't relish the ability to skip songs or delete them entirely. I just can't help thinking that there were a lot of songs that I grew to appreciate through "forced" repetition.

 

I like the song, but it sounds rather thin, at least on the original A&M cd. A perfect example of crappy early digital. The bit of bass guitar at the very end sounds like a kid playing a $50 bass through a $50 amp. But I like the jazzy guitar chords and Stewart Copeland's contribution.

 

Agreed about mother

 

Excellent point! As for Murder by Numbers, I was somewhat surprised as well it didn't make the cut.

 

Ah, the days when records were concise. 45 minutes and out.