Walking on the Moon
Encyclopedia
"Walking on the Moon" is a 1979 song by The Police
, from their second album, Reggatta de Blanc
. The song was The Police's second number-one hit single in the United Kingdom. It reached number nine in Australia but did not chart in the United States. It is one of The Police's more reggae
-influenced songs.
In his autobiography, Sting alludes that the song was partially inspired by an early girlfriend:
on October 23, 1979. It features the band members pantomiming to the song amidst spacecraft displays, interspersed with NASA
footage. Both Sting and Andy Summers strum guitars (not bass) in the video, and Stewart Copeland strikes his drumsticks on a Saturn V
moon rocket.
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
, from their second album, Reggatta de Blanc
Reggatta de Blanc
Reggatta de Blanc is the second album by The Police, released in 1979. It features the band's first two number 1 hits, "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon".-Background:...
. The song was The Police's second number-one hit single in the United Kingdom. It reached number nine in Australia but did not chart in the United States. It is one of The Police's more reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
-influenced songs.
Origin
Sting said that he wrote the song when he was drunk:I was drunk in a hotel room in MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, slumped on the bed with the whirling pit when this riff came into my head. I got up and starting walking round the room singing : 'Walking round the room, walking round the room'. That was all. In the cool light of morning I remembered what had happened and I wrote the riff down. But 'Walking round the room' was a stupid title so I thought of something even more stupid which was 'Walking on the moon.'
In his autobiography, Sting alludes that the song was partially inspired by an early girlfriend:
Deborah Anderson was my first real girlfriend...walking back from Deborah's house in those early days would eventually become a song, for being in love is to be relieved of gravity.
Music video
The video for the song was filmed at Kennedy Space CenterKennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...
on October 23, 1979. It features the band members pantomiming to the song amidst spacecraft displays, interspersed with NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
footage. Both Sting and Andy Summers strum guitars (not bass) in the video, and Stewart Copeland strikes his drumsticks on a Saturn V
Saturn V
The Saturn V was an American human-rated expendable rocket used by NASA's Apollo and Skylab programs from 1967 until 1973. A multistage liquid-fueled launch vehicle, NASA launched 13 Saturn Vs from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida with no loss of crew or payload...
moon rocket.
Cover versions
- The British soul/funk band Hot Chocolate recorded a version for their album Everyone's a Winner.
- Musician Jimmy NailJimmy NailJames Bradford "Jimmy" Nail is an English singer-songwriter, actor, musician, film producer, film score composer and television writer....
(also from Sting's hometown of Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
) released a cover in 20012001 in musicSee also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
. - American alt-rock band IncubusIncubus (band)Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppell;...
occasionally covered a small part during the bridge of their song Calgone in live performances from 1998-2000. - Seattle-based digital hardcore band Rabbit JunkRabbit JunkRabbit Junk is a Seattle based digital hardcore band, that formed in 2004 by former Shizit frontman JP Anderson. Taking influences from such diverse music genres such as hip hop, black metal and new wave, JP has called this sound "Hardclash" -History:...
included a cover of the song on their 2004 self-titled debut. - German technoTechnoTechno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
group ScooterScooter (band)Scooter are a German hard dance band founded in Hamburg, who have sold over 25 million records and earned over 80 gold and platinum awards. Scooter are considered the most successful single-record German act with 23 top ten hits. The band is currently composed of members H.P. Baxxter, Rick J....
sampled The Police original in the song, "Privileged to Witness", from the 20052005 in music-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
album Who's Got the Last Laugh Now?Who's Got the Last Laugh Now?Who's Got the Last Laugh Now? is the eleventh studio album by Scooter. It was released on CD on 4th of November 2005 through Sheffield Tunes. It was also released on 7" white vinyl with the snippets of 1:30 length of each track. This 7" vinyl was a ticket to the record release party of album and... - Cas HaleyCas HaleyCas Haley is an American singer/guitarist who was the runner-up on Season 2 of America's Got Talent.-Career:His self-titled album charted as the #8 Best selling reggae album of 2008 on the Billboard Charts....
, runner up for America's Got TalentAmerica's Got TalentAmerica's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
, does a reggae cover of the song on his self-titled debut album, released February 14, 2008. - ¡Policia! - A Tribute to the Police (2005) contains a cover by The PaleThe Pale (band)The Pale are an Irish band of varying genres including: eastern European, reggae, ska, bluegrass, world music, and pop.They were formed in Dublin in 1990 with Matthew Devereux on vocals, Shane Wearen on mandolin, Sean Molloy on Bass, and a drum machine. They released an award-winning debut album on...
. - Dutch rock band IntwineIntwineIntwine was a Dutch rock band formed by five students of the Tilburg Rockacademie in 2001.The band received nationwide notoriety in the Netherlands after lead singer Roger Peterson's participation in the Idols talent show in 2002. Subsequently, Intwine charted the Dutch Top 40 five times, with...
recorded two cover versions. The first one was released in 2009 on their studio album Kingdom of ContradictionKingdom of ContradictionKingdom of Contradiction is the fourth studio album by Dutch band Intwine. It was released on August 14, 2009 by German record label Tiefdruck-Musik/Universal.-Track listing:All songs written by Intwine, except where noted.#"Cookie Jar" – 5:02...
, and also featured guest vocals by Sarah BettensSarah BettensSarah Bettens is the lead singer of the Belgian band K's Choice. Sarah and her brother Gert Bettens are the two popular faces of the band. She is known for her enigmatic, smoky voice. The band is popular in Belgium, the Netherlands and France, and had toured in the U.S...
. The second version was captured on their 2010 EP The Original Acoustic Rumshop Sessions Vol I. - American progressive rock/jam band Umphrey's McGeeUmphrey's McGeeUmphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....
occasionally performs strongly reggae-influenced covers of this song during live sets. - Canadian rock band Darkest of the Hillside Thickets recorded a cover version on Great Old Ones.
- Jam Band The String Cheese Incident recorded a live cover version for their album Trick or Treat
- Merrie AmsterburgMerrie AmsterburgMerrie Amsterburg is a singer-songwriter born in Ludington, Michigan. Her music has folk, rock, and pop influences. She has been compared to Beth Orton, Tori Amos, Aimee Mann, and others...
recorded a cover version on her album Season of Rain - William ShatnerWilliam ShatnerWilliam Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
recorded a cover version with Toots HibbertToots HibbertFrederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert is a ska and roots reggae singer and leader of the reggae band Toots & the Maytals.-Biography:...
on Shatner's 2011 album Seeking Major Tom.
Personnel
- Sting - Lead vocals, backing vocals, bass guitar
- Andy SummersAndy SummersAndy Summers is an English guitarist born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, England. Best known as the guitarist for rock band The Police, he has also recorded twelve solo albums, collaborated with many other artists, toured extensively under his own name, published several books, and composed...
- Guitar - Stewart CopelandStewart CopelandStewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
- Drums
7": A&M / AMS 7494 (UK)
- "Walking on the Moon" (Edit) - 3:59
- "Visions of the Night" - 3:05