Mercury Falling is the fifth studio album released by Sting. The album was marked by its tight studio production and use of brass reminiscent of recordings made at FAME Studios

FAME Studios

FAME Studios are located at 603 East Avalon in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. They have been an integral part of American popular music from the late 1950s to the present...

 in the 1960s. This release was considered by many fans to signal the beginning of Sting's transition from heavier jazz-inspired rock to the adult contemporary

Adult contemporary music

Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....

 genre. There was one uplifting ballad, the second single, "You Still Touch Me."

The track "Twenty Five to Midnight" is not available on every release of the album. It is listed in the official Sting.com discography tracklist, but was excluded from the American and Canadian releases. It however was included in the CD-Maxi Single of "You Still Touch Me", as the 4th track.

The album begins and ends with the words "mercury falling".

"Valparaiso" was used during the closing credits of the 1996 film White Squall

White Squall (film)

White Squall is a 1996 American drama feature film, directed by Ridley Scott.-Plot:The film is based on the fate of the brigantine Albatross, which sank on 2 May 1961, allegedly because of a white squall. The film relates the ill-fated school sailing trip led by Dr. Christopher B. Sheldon , whom...

.

Track listing

All songs written, arranged and composed by Sting
except "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets" written, arranged and composed by Sting and Dominic Miller.

1. "The Hounds of Winter" – 5:27
2. "I Hung My Head
   I Hung My Head
   "I Hung My Head" is a murder ballad written by the singer-songwriter Sting and released on the 1996 album Mercury Falling. In 2002, Johnny Cash covered the song in the album American IV: The Man Comes Around....
   
   " – 4:40
3. "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot" – 6:41
4. "I Was Brought to My Senses" – 5:48
5. "You Still Touch Me" – 3:46
6. "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying
   I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying
   "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying" is a song written and recorded by English rock singer Sting. It was released from his 1996 album Mercury Falling. The song was also released as a single, and reached #94 and #54 on the U.S. and UK singles charts, respectively. Sting also recorded the song as a...
   
   " – 3:56
7. "All Four Seasons" – 4:28
8. "Twenty Five to Midnight" – 4:09 (excluded from original Canada/US releases)http://www.stingoop.com/disco/07mercury/mercury.htm
9. "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets" – 5:17
10. "Valparaiso" – 5:27
11. "Lithium Sunset" – 2:38

Personnel

• Sting – vocals, bass
• Dominic Miller
  Dominic Miller
  Dominic Miller is an Argentine-English guitarist who toured and recorded with World Party and King Swamp, worked on Phil Collins' solo album ...But Seriously and played guitar on every Sting album and tour since 1990...
  
   – guitars
• Vinnie Colaiuta
  Vinnie Colaiuta
  Vincent Colaiuta is an American drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Republic, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14...
  
   – drums
• Kenny Kirkland
  Kenny Kirkland
  Kenneth David “Kenny” Kirkland was an American pianist/keyboardist. He is most often associated with Sting, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Kenny Garrett....
  
   – keyboards
• Branford Marsalis
  Branford Marsalis
  Branford Marsalis is an American saxophonist, composer and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ensembles and has led the group Buckshot LeFonque.-Biography:Marsalis was born...
  
   – saxophone
• Andrew Love – saxophone
• Gerry Richardson – Hammond organ on "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot"
• Tony Walters – vocals
• Lance Ellington – vocals
• Shirley Lewis – vocals
• East London Gospel Choir – vocals
• Kathryn Tickell
  Kathryn Tickell
  Kathryn Tickell is an English player of the Northumbrian smallpipes and fiddle. She has recorded over a dozen albums, and toured widely.-Life and career:...
  
   – Northumbrian pipes, fiddle
• B.J. Cole – pedal steel
• Wayne Jackson – trumpet

Singles

• Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot (1996) #15 UK, #86 U.S.
• You Still Touch Me (1996) #27 UK, #60 U.S.
• I Was Brought to My Senses (1996) #31 UK
• I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying (1996) #94 U.S.