Wanna Know

From PoliceWiki
"Wanna Know"
Outlandos d'Amour 1/4" master tape (front)
Outlandos d'Amour 1/4" master tape (back)
Recorded by The Police
Released: unreleased
Recorded: January - March 1978
Length: 3:36
Writer(s): Sting
Producer(s): Nigel Gray / The Police
Studio(s): Surrey Sound Studios
Released as single: NO

"Wanna Know" is a song written by Sting and recorded by The Police in 1978.

About the song

Wanna Know is a professional multitrack recording from the Outlandos d'Amour sessions. It was the first song The Police recorded on the first day: 1978-01-15. Two days later they recorded a second and slower version and worked again on that song on 1978-01-20. It was mixed on 1978-01-29.

After Miles Copeland got excited about Roxanne and finalized the A&M deal the musical direction for The Police's debut album changed a bit. They were asked to record further songs (which is a good thing, as Can't Stand Losing You was one of them). But sadly Miles ordered Nigel Gray to delete the multi tracks of some of the punkier songs. Yet Nigel mixed some songs down onto a 1/4" Master Tape before the multi tracks were re-used. So some of their earlier recordings like Three O'Clock Shit and Rosy Lee didn't "survive". Luckily one version of Wanna Know was "saved" by Nigel. It's very probable that this is the slower version from 1978-01-17, but one can't be sure.

Stewart counts the song in, then a fast song with some chaos at the end follows. Style-wise it's something between Dead End Job / Landlord and It's Alright For You. After 1 1/2 minutes Andy Summers starts his first solo, the second one would go on much longer - with several guitars soloing at the same time...

During this extended solo Stewart Copeland stops drumming, but Andy plays on until Sting and Stewart politely intervene, reminding Andy that the song has by now ended. Andy only stops playing after Sting shouts "ANDY" with added echo at the 3:33 minute mark.

For the full text - check the lyrics section...

Personnel

Release History

The song has not been released.

Lyrics

Lyrics are property and copyright of their owners, and provided here for educational purposes only.

I wanna touch electricity
I wanna find a sweet mystery
I wanna live on a razors edge

I wanna know, I wanna know

Aint gonna burn in your clean machine
I'm gonna swim or you drunk the sea  (???)
Aint gonna trip on your guillotine

I wanna know, I wanna know

Yeah my mind's made up to make a break away
Yeah my mind's made up to make a brand new way
Yeah my minds made up to make a caberet  (???)
I want to get a ticket to a different seat
I want to get it fast 

I wanna touch electricity
I wanna find a sweet mystery
I wanna live on a razors edge

I wanna know, I wanna know

(Guitar Solo)

Aint gonna walk through surburban land
I'm gonna speak, so you understand
Aint gonna be your mystery man

I wanna know, I wanna know

[[Sting]]: "er. . . Andy?"
[[Sting]]: "Andy . . . we're finished."
Stewart: "Andy . . . look!"
[[Sting]]: "ANDY!"

Quotations and trivia

The song also appears on a setlist for the gig on 1978-02-23.

Alternative and cover versions

This section needs more information.

See also

This section needs more information.

External links

This section needs more information.

References

source: Craig Betts, photos