Sting “The Dream of the Blue Turtles” released 35 years ago today, June 1st, 1985. I have mixed feeling about Sting’s first solo album post-Police breakup: on the one hand I obviously liked it (I bought this copy back in ‘85) but on the other hand I find Sting to be rather pretentious, if earnestly and mostly harmlessly so: on “Russians” (#16 US, #12 UK) Sting gives us a historical and current events lesson during the height of the Cold War to the rhythm of a funeral dirge (actually the theme is from Sergei Prokofiev). “Children’s Crusade” is an unabashed heart-tugger, complete with mournful sax solos, as he sings of the destruction of the WWI generation by war and modern youth by heroin. Sting also explores the plight of mine workers and the perils of modernity on “We Work the Black Seam.” So much consciousness-raising! Pivoting a bit, Sting goes on a jazz bender with “Shadows in the Rain” and pulls inspiration on “Moon Over Bourbon Street” (#44 UK) from Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire (which my friends and I voraciously devoured around this time in the mid-80s). He nods back to The Police during the fadeout on the light and summery “Love is the Seventh Wave” (“Every breath you take, every move you make, every cake you bake…”); that song went to #19 in the US (I’m not sure it charted in the UK) . The best track on the album, “Fortress Around Your Heart” (#8 US, #49 UK) is most reminiscent of The Police. Sting also released “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” (#3 US, #26 UK) as a single.

The Dream of the Blue Turtles is, for good or bad, an accurate snapshot of mid-80′s pop music: the trend of blending world music flavors and musicians into Top 40 pop; So. Many. Saxophones; Cold War references, etc. But it resonated deeply with fans and the music industry: The Dream of the Blue Turtles went to #2 on the US Billboard charts, #3 in the UK and was nominated for four Grammy awards, including Album of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.