Desert Rose (Sting song)
Encyclopedia
"Desert Rose" is a single by Sting from his album Brand New Day (1999). The song peaked at #3 in Switzerland, #4 Italy, #15 in the UK Singles Chart
and #17 in the US Billboard Hot 100
.
The song is noted for Sting's duet performance with Algeria
n raï
singer Cheb Mami
, creating a distinct world music
feel to the song. It also has a popular music video
featuring Sting taking a trip through the Mojave Desert
in a Jaguar S-Type
and then going to a nightclub in Las Vegas, Nevada
to perform the song with Cheb Mami. 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 advertisement
s during the year 2000.
Also included on the single releases were club remix
es 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 lyrics of the song are inspired by the Frank Herbert
novel, Dune
, of which Sting is a fan. Sting also played the villainous Feyd Rautha
in the 1984 film
adaptation. Both the book and the song feature the Arabic language
, as well as imagery involving moisture and desert plantlife.
UK CD2 (497 241-2)
UK 12" (497 241-1)
US CD (0694973212)
Europe CD (497 233-2)
released their version from the album "A Passionate Life."
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
and #17 in the US Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
The song is noted for Sting's duet performance with Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n raï
Raï
Raï is a form of folk music that originated in Oran, Algeria from Bedouin shepherds, mixed with Spanish, French, African and Arabic musical forms, which dates back to the 1930s....
singer Cheb Mami
Cheb Mami
Ahmed Khelifati Mohamed better known by his stage name Cheb Mami , is an Algerian-born raï singer...
, creating a distinct world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
feel to the song. It also has a popular music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
featuring Sting taking a trip through the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
in a Jaguar S-Type
Jaguar S-Type
The Jaguar S-Type was a mid-size luxury/executive car that debuted at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show and went on sale in spring 1999. The name is a revival of a previous Jaguar model, the S-Type introduced in 1963.-Overview:...
and then going to a nightclub in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
to perform the song with Cheb Mami. After shooting the video, Sting's manager Miles Copeland III
Miles Copeland III
Miles Axe Copeland III is an American entertainment executive, best known for founding I.R.S. Records. His brother, Stewart Copeland, was part of the pop-rock trio The Police, which Miles managed...
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 advertisement
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
s during the year 2000.
Also included on the single releases were club remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es by Victor Calderone
Victor Calderone
Victor Calderone is a house music producer, DJ and remixer.-History:Raised in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, Calderone was introduced into New York City's nightlife by his older brother, Cesar, who was very active in the club music business. Calderone began to dabble with turntables and...
. One remixed version of the song was used in an alternative edit of the video, which included more sexually explicit footage.
The lyrics of the song are inspired by the Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert
Franklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
novel, Dune
Dune (novel)
Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert, published in 1965. It won the Hugo Award in 1966, and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel...
, of which Sting is a fan. Sting also played the villainous Feyd Rautha
Feyd-Rautha
The na-Baron Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the science fiction novel Dune by Frank Herbert.The younger nephew of the cruel, powerful and cunning Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the dark-haired, 16-year old Feyd is as lean and muscular as the Baron is morbidly...
in the 1984 film
Dune (film)
Dune is a 1984 science fiction film written and directed by David Lynch, based on the 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name. The film stars Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides, and includes an ensemble of well-known American and European actors in supporting roles. It was filmed at the Churubusco...
adaptation. Both the book and the song feature the Arabic language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, as well as imagery involving moisture and desert plantlife.
Track listings
UK CD1 (497 240-2)- "Desert Rose (radio edit)" – 3:55
- "If You Love Somebody Set Them FreeIf You Love Somebody Set Them Free"If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" is the first single released from Sting's solo debut album The Dream of the Blue Turtles. It is also the opening track of the album, and is featured on Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994 as well as The Very Best of Sting & The Police...
" (live at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles) – 4:27 - "FragileFragile (song)"Fragile" is a song composed by English musician Sting from his 1987 album ...Nothing Like the Sun. Released as a single the following year, it placed to number 70 on the UK Singles Chart. Sung additionally in both Spanish and Portuguese under the title Fragilidad, it appeared twice more on his...
" (live at the Universal Amphitheatre, Los Angeles) – 4:10 - "Desert Rose" video (CD-ROM)
UK CD2 (497 241-2)
- "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix radio edit)" – 4:47
- "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix)" – 9:21
- "Desert Rose (Filter Dub Mix)" – 5:21
- "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix)" video (CD-ROM)
UK 12" (497 241-1)
- "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix)"
- "Desert Rose (Filter Dub Mix)"
- "Desert Rose" (original)
US CD (0694973212)
- "Desert Rose (radio edit)" – 3:54
- "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix radio edit)" – 4:44
- "Brand New Day (Murlyn Extended Mix)" – 5:01
- "Brand New Day (Murlyn Radio Mix)" – 3:54
Europe CD (497 233-2)
- "Desert Rose (radio edit)" – 3:54
- "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix)" – 9:20
- "Desert Rose (Melodic Club Mix radio edit)" – 4:44
- "Brand New Day (Murlyn Mix) – 5:01
- "Brand New Day" video (CD-ROM)
Charts
| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Singles Chart | 6 |
| Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia) Ultratop 40 Ultratop 40 singles, often just Ultratop 40, is the weekly chart of best-selling singles in Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region, the french-speaking parts of Belgium. Its equivalent covering the Flanders region is Ultratop 50. Both charts are produced and published by the Ultratop organization... |
7 |
| Dutch MegaCharts MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
29 |
| French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
6 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
27 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Swiss Singles Chart | 3 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
15 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
17 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
19 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 22 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks | 3 |
| End of year chart (2000) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 50 |
Other versions
In 2007, instrumental group John Tesh ProjectJohn Tesh
John Frank Tesh is an American pianist and composer of pop music, as well as a radio host and television presenter. His 10-year-old 'Intelligence for Your Life Radio Show' reaches 14.2 Million listeners/week, and is syndicated by Teshmedia on 400 stations in US, Canada, and the UK...
released their version from the album "A Passionate Life."
Appearances in popular culture
- The song is played on XM Satellite RadioXM Satellite RadioXM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
during technical difficulties. - The song is used in the BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian soap operaSoap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
O CloneO CloneO Clone is a Brazilian TV Series/Telenovela that ran on the Rede Globo Network from October 1, 2001 to June 14, 2002, airing 221 episodes.-Plot:...
. The song is available in the CD O Clone International. - The song was parodied on a 2001 episode of Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, with Jimmy FallonJimmy FallonJames Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...
as Sting, and Rachel DratchRachel DratchRachel Susan Dratch is an American comic actress best known for her roles as a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
as Cheb Mami. During the sketch, Sting (Fallon) is trying to introduce a new song, while Mami (Dratch) and the backing band keep interrupting with "Desert Rose". - In the 2001 Hindi movie Dil Chahta HaiDil Chahta HaiDil Chahta Hai is a 2001 Indian film starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia...
, the character Akash, played by Aamir KhanAamir KhanAamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....
can be seen listening to the song after falling out with his best friend. - In Family GuyFamily GuyFamily Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
, Peter buys a "Sounds of the Rainforest" CD that consists of sounds of trees being sawed down. A worker can be heard insulting Sting's environmental activism, saying "That song (Desert Rose) sucks!" - In 2000, the band Mo'Rockin produced a cover of the song on their album Sands of Time
- The 2000 Japanese television drama Yasha used Desert Rose as their opening theme song.
- The 2000 Iranian Film Party prominently features the song in an underground club scene.
- President Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
switched out "Hail to the ChiefHail to the Chief"Hail to the Chief" is a march primarily associated with the President of the United States. Its playing accompanies the appearance of the President at many public appearances. For major official occasions, the United States Marine Band and other military ensembles generally are the performers, so...
" for many other songs, one of which is a version of "Desert Rose" that is played by a pianist.