The Police / Reggatta De Blanc (UK, A&M Records, AMLH 64792) <October 2, 1979>

The Police / Reggatta De Blanc (UK, A&M Records, AMLH 64792) <October 2, 1979>
(SIDE ONE) AMLH-64792-A2 STRAWBERRY
(SIDE TWO) AMLH-64792-B5

【wiki】

"Reggatta de Blanc" took four weeks to record, spaced over several months. Unlike its successor, Zenyatta Mondatta, there was no pressure on the band. Of the sessions, Stewart Copeland said, "We just went into the studio and said, 'Right, who's got the first song?' We hadn't even rehearsed them before we went in." In a piece for Modern Drummer magazine, Copeland chose "Reggatta de Blanc" as the best Police album.

Against the wishes of A&M, who had wanted to equip the promising band with a bigger studio and more famous producer, the Police opted to again record at Surrey Sound with Nigel Gray. The small budget (between £6,000 and £9,000) was easily covered by the profits of their previous album, "Outlandos d'Amour", further ensuring that the record label would have no control over the actual creation of the band's music.

Whereas "Outlandos d'Amour" had benefited from one of the most prolific songwriting periods of Sting's life, the recording sessions for "Reggatta de Blanc" were so short on new material that the band even considered re-recording "Fall Out" at one point. To fill in the gaps, Sting and Copeland dug up old songs they'd written and used elements of them to create new songs. Much of the lyrics to "Bring On the Night" were recycled from Sting's Last Exit song "Carrion Prince (O Ye of Little Hope)" and "The Bed's Too Big Without You" similarly started as a Last Exit tune, while "Does Everyone Stare" originates from a piano piece Copeland wrote in college. The closing track "No Time This Time" was previously the B-Side to "So Lonely" in November 1978, and was added to pad out the album's running time.

Message In A Bottle · The Police

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMl1xKJeuuQ

[Verse 1]
Just a castaway, an island lost at sea, oh
Another lonely day with no one here but me, oh
More loneliness than any man could bear
Rescue me before I fall into despair, oh

[Chorus]
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah

[Verse 2]
A year has passed since I wrote my note
I should have known this right from the start
Only hope can keep me together
Love can mend your life but love can break your heart

[Chorus]
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Oh, message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle

[Verse 3]
Walked out this morning, don't believe what I saw
A hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone at being alone
A hundred billion castaways looking for a home

[Chorus]
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, oh
Message in a bottle, yeah

[Outro]
Sending out an SOS...