As a solo musician and a member of The Police, Sting has received 17 Grammy Awards: he won Song of the Year for "Every Breath You Take", three Brit Awards, including Best British Male Artist in 1994 and Outstanding Contribution in 2002, a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and four nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. In 2019, he received a BMI Award for "Every Breath You Take" becoming the most-played song in radio history. In 2002, Sting received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Police in 2003. In 2000, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for recording. In 2003, Sting received a CBE from Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace for services to music. He was made a Kennedy Center Honoree at the White House in 2014 and was awarded the Polar Music Prize in 2017.
With The Police, Sting became one of the world's best-selling music artists. Solo and with the Police combined, he has sold over 100 million records. In 2006, Paste ranked him 62nd of the 100 best living songwriters. He was 63rd of VH1's 100 greatest artists of rock, and 80th of Q magazine's 100 greatest musical stars of the 20th century. He has collaborated with other musicians on songs such as "Money for Nothing" with Dire Straits, "Rise & Fall" with Craig David, "All for Love" with Bryan Adams and Rod Stewart, "You Will Be My Ain True Love" with Alison Krauss, and introduced the North African music genre raï to Western audiences through the hit song "Desert Rose" with Cheb Mami. In 2018, he released the album 44/876, a collaboration with Jamaican musician Shaggy, which won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2019.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sting_(musician)
Studio albums
The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985)
...Nothing Like the Sun (1987)
The Soul Cages (1991)
Ten Summoner's Tales (1993)
Mercury Falling (1996)
Brand New Day (1999)
Sacred Love (2003)
Songs from the Labyrinth (2006)
If on a Winter's Night... (2009)
Symphonicities (2010)
The Last Ship (2013)
57th & 9th (2016)
44/876 (2018) (with Shaggy)
My Songs (2019)
The Bridge (2021)
Ghost Story
Sting Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sun is sinking
The geese are flying south
It sets me thinking
I did not miss you much
I did not suffer
What did not kill me
Just made me tougher
His icy sinews,
Now in the firelight
The case continues
Another night in court
The same old trial
The same old questions asked
The same denial
The shadows closing round
Like jury members
I look for answers in
The fire's embers
Why was I missing then
That whole December?
I give my usual line,
I don't remember
Another winter comes
His icy fingers creep
Into these bones of mine
These memories never sleep
And all these differences
A cloak I borrowed
We kept our distances
Why should it follow that
I must have loved you?
What is the force that binds the stars?
I wore this mask to hide my scars
What is the power that pulls the tide?
Never could find a place to hide
What moves the earth around the sun?
What could I do but run and run and run?
Afraid to love, afraid to fail
A mast without a sail
The moon's a fingernail
And slowly sinking
Another day begins
And now I'm thinking
That this is indifference
Was my invention
When everything I did
Sought your attention
You were my compass star
You were my measure
You were a pirate's map
Of buried treasure
If this was all correct
The last thing I'd expect
The prosecution rests
It's time that I confessed
I must have loved you
I must have loved you
The lyrics of "Ghost Story" by Sting reveal a complicated story of love and denial. Sting starts by describing his current state, watching the sun set in the western sky and thinking about the approaching winter. He then reflects on a past winter that still haunts him, wondering why he didn't remember missing someone during that time. As he continues to reflect, he admits to creating a barrier of indifference to avoid showing his true feelings to this person he must have loved. He compares this barrier to a mask, worn to hide his emotional scars.
Sting struggles with understanding his own actions and feelings, asking questions about the nature of the universe and love itself. He acknowledges his fear of love and failure and the loneliness that comes with it. In the end, he confesses that despite his attempts to deny his love, he must have loved this person all along. The song is a haunting testament to the pain of denial and the self-deception that can come with it, as well as an exploration of the universal human experience of struggling with love and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
I watch the western sky
I am looking towards the setting sun and taking a moment to contemplate my thoughts.
The sun is sinking
The sun is setting, implying the end of a day or a relationship.
The geese are flying south
The geese are migrating for the winter which may remind me of changes in life and the end of a season.
It sets me thinking
The sun setting and the geese flying south act as triggers, causing me to reflect and think about something.
I did not miss you much
I did not feel a great sense of loss when you left or I didn't care for you deeply.
I did not suffer
I did not undergo any significant pain or hurt as a result of your absence or our parting ways.
What did not kill me
The hardships I faced while being apart from you or our experiences did not defeat me.
Just made me tougher
Those hardships made me stronger and more resilient as a person.
I feel the winter come
I sense that a cold or difficult time is approaching, whether it be literal winter, a change in life, or personal hardship.
His icy sinews,
Referring to winter as 'he' with 'icy sinews' sets a cold and uncomfortable tone which may represent hard times.
Now in the firelight
The scene shifts to a comforting place like a cabin, where the firelight creates a warm and safe atmosphere.
The case continues
I am metaphorically on trial, seeking answers and closure on our relationship or situation.
Another night in court
There is still unresolved tension and troublesome feelings which won't go away, and it feels like it is constantly being brought to court.
The same old trial
The feelings or emotions being felt are never resolved, and it creates an ongoing cycle of the same old encounters.
The same old questions asked
Despite the same old cycle, the same old questions arise because they seem to never find a resolution.
The same denial
Despite wanting closure and answers, I am still in the stage of denial and cannot come to terms with the situation.
The shadows closing round
The darkness of the night and the doubts, fears and confusion looming in my mind overwhelm me and close around me like shadows.
Like jury members
The doubts, fears and confusion act as if they are coming together to decide the outcome of my current situation, like a group of jury members trying to bring justice.
I look for answers in
I am searching for and hoping to find answers in different ways or aspects of my life, represented as 'the fire's embers.'
The fire's embers
The fire's embers represent the memories, experiences, and situations in my life and I hope to find answers and further introspection through these things.
Why was I missing then
I am questioning why I was missing something significant during a particular event, likely referring to the time being December.
That whole December?
The ambiguity of the situation suggests that something significant happened either internally or with someone else, and it occurred in December.
I give my usual line,
I try to dismiss or deflect the question by using my typical response or excuse.
I don't remember
I am unable to recall or do not choose to remember what happened in December or am withholding the truth.
Another winter comes
Another winter, whether it be literal or metaphorical, is approaching indicating that another period of hardship, loss, and change may be near.
His icy fingers creep
Referring to winter as 'he' with 'icy fingers' again sets a cold and unwelcome tone where something unpleasant and unwanted is happening or is approaching.
Into these bones of mine
The cold and icy fingers of winter are pervading my existence and my entire body, and is affecting me deeply.
These memories never sleep
The memories of the past, and potentially a past relationship, are always present in my mind or my subconscious thought, and can act as triggers for my current feelings.
And all these differences
The things that separated us or our differences,
A cloak I borrowed
I used outward differences or disparity, like a cloak or mask that I borrowed or put on, to conceal what truly existed or felt.
We kept our distances
We intentionally kept our relationship or communication limited, implying some form of rejection or unwillingness to connect.
Why should it follow that
I am questioning why it must be, or why it follows, that our differences or separations lead to this current situation or feeling.
I must have loved you?
It dawns on me that, perhaps despite our differences and hesitation to connect, I did love you after all and it is a possibility that my current feelings stem from it.
What is the force that binds the stars?
Referencing the stars in this context refers to the powerful and unexplainable force or feeling that keeps two people together or connected despite all odds.
I wore this mask to hide my scars
I pretended to be someone or something I'm not, hiding my emotional pain in order to seem strong or unaffected by it.
What is the power that pulls the tide?
This line refers to the unseen force that affects changes in the world and our lives, much like the gravitational pull of the moon on the tides.
Never could find a place to hide
Despite these changes, I am unable to avoid or hide from my current feelings, as they pervade my entire being and are all I can think about.
What moves the earth around the sun?
Referencing the physical movement of the universe, this line is a metaphor asking what is the cause of significant changes or shifts in our lives.
What could I do but run and run and run?
I do not know what else to do, but to try and avoid my thoughts or my feelings, possibly even to the point of running away from them.
Afraid to love, afraid to fail
The fear of potential pain, rejection, or hurt prevents me from opening myself up to love or having meaningful relationships.
A mast without a sail
This line suggests a metaphor where I am directionless and unable to navigate through life without the guiding force of love or companionship.
The moon's a fingernail
Referencing the waxing and waning phases of the moon, this line suggests the constant change in my current situation and mood.
And slowly sinking
Just like the moon or the relationship, my current situation is slowly slipping away, causing me further anxiety and confusion.
Another day begins
A new day or a new experience is beginning, indicating that there is still hope for a future or something positive.
And now I'm thinking
I am lost in my own thoughts, contemplative and wondering about the future.
That this is indifference
I am beginning to realize that my perceived indifference or apathy towards you and our relationship was just a façade or an excuse for my own fears and insecurities.
Was my invention
I created or made up this perceived indifference or apathy to protect myself from the pain or rejection of loving you.
When everything I did
Despite trying to appear indifferent, everything I did or said was motivated by wanting your attention, affection or love.
Sought your attention
My actions were attempts at drawing your attention to myself, indicating that there were still feelings present despite my effort to mask them.
You were my compass star
The other person is my guide or my inspiration, providing direction and support through the ups and downs of my feelings and life.
You were my measure
The other person served as a standard by which I measured all other relationships or experiences that came after them.
You were a pirate's map
The other person acted as a map, providing clues or guidance towards buried treasures like love, affection, and companionship.
Of buried treasure
The buried treasure represents love, companionship and other positive feelings, which my relationship or my love for the other person provided.
If this was all correct
If my realization that I indeed had strong feelings for the other person was accurate.
The last thing I'd expect
If it is indeed true that I loved them, then it would be the very last thing I would have expected or believed about myself.
The prosecution rests
If it is true that I loved the other person, then the case is settled or resolved, as there is no more need for self-deception or excuses.
It's time that I confessed
Now is the time to admit or confess that I truly loved you.
I must have loved you
The final realization and confession that all of my doubts and struggles amounted to deep held love for the other person.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: GORDON SUMNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
A Basque folk carol, originally based on Angelus ad virginem, a 13th or 14th Century Latin carol,[2] it was collected by Charles Bordes and then paraphrased into English by Sabine Baring-Gould, who had spent a winter as a boy in the Basque country. The tu
on gabriels_message
Sting's song "Gabriel's Message" is a rendition of the biblical story of the Annunciation, where the angel Gabriel visits Mary to inform her that she is to be the mother of Jesus Christ. The lyrics describe Gabriel's appearance as he descends from heaven with his wings as white as snow and eyes as bright as flames. Upon seeing Mary, Gabriel greets her with the words "All hail, thou lowly maiden Mary, Most highly favored lady," referring to her as a blessed mother and foretelling that her son will be Emmanuel, as prophesized by seers.
Mary's response to Gabriel's message is one of humility and acceptance, as she meekly bows her head and says, "To me be as it pleaseth God," praising and magnifying His holy name. The lyrics are a beautiful interpretation of this pivotal moment in Christian history, showcasing the wonder and awe of Gabriel's visitation, and the steadfast faith and acceptance of Mary's response.
Tommy Wells
on Don't Walk Away - Sting & Youssou N'Dour
I liked the Wild Thornberry's TV series.
What's your favorite episode of the show?
Jesus Ledesma Rios
on Englishman in New York
Thats been good way to learn English, tahnk´s...
Kolektivo Azul
on Russians
Russians <3