In 1999, British singer Sting surprised fans with the song Desert Rose Gordon Sumner recorded a duet from the album Brand New Day with Algerian Cheb Mami, who performs music in the rai style, so exotic for the Western world.
Many have assumed that Sting composed the track under the influence of Franklin Herbert’s science fiction novel Dune. This version is supported by the fact that he played one of the characters in the 1984 film adaptation. But the author himself spoke of other sources of inspiration.
The story and meaning of the Desert Rose song
Sting often spoke about the history of the creation of the piece, the main idea behind “Desert Rose”, collaboration with Sheb Mami and work in the studio on the track.
What is Desert Rose about? How was it written? Where did the pronounced Arabic motifs come from? These questions will be answered by excerpts from an interview with Sting.
It all started like this:
I was in the studio with my musicians. We jammed and had fun. I came up with an arabesque tune and it turned into a song called Desert Rose. This is a song about longing, akin to the idea of Sufism: romantic love as an analogue of even greater love for God. In any case, I tried to squeeze the English text into this Arabic feeling, and it seemed that there was no authenticity in it. It just seemed fake.
Rhythms, 2000
Next, Sting talks about meeting Mami:
All last summer I lived with Sheba Mami’s album. While eating, walking – all the time. His voice is an incredible instrument. He does whatever he wants with it. I was really impressed, as was his talent as a musician. I had no idea that he could sing, because I was not familiar with rai music. Then I saw him in Bercy… […]
Being very impressed, I started to write a song and we met. I asked him if he would like to sing for me in order to “authenticate” my experience. He is a wonderful person. He sang without knowing what I was singing. Strictly speaking, it is about desire, passion.
I asked him: just improvise in Arabic, following my melody. Later I asked him what it was about. He replied that he sang about desire, passion for a loved one. I told him that the song is about that! So the music prompted the words. It was a partly unconscious and automatic process. I have always believed that it is the music that writes the lyrics.
Music Up!, 1999
Another excerpt from an interview with Sting, in which he talks about working with Sheb:
For most of the past year, I have listened to Sheba Mami, a great Arabic singer with an incredible, captivating voice that is simply mesmerizing. We were introduced by a friend. It was love at first sight, and quite impulsively, as lovesick musicians often do, we rushed into the studio together.
I had a melody for a song called Desert Rose and I asked him to improvise a bit. He created a lovely counterpoint, and that’s where it all started.
Surprisingly, he did not understand a word of my singing. But the words he came up with during the improvisation were almost the same as mine. They talked about lost love and passion. This demonstrates how music evoked the same emotions in us individually. It crosses all cultures – whether you are Arab, European, Japanese or African. Music is a universal language.
Sky, 1999
Here’s another way Sting explained the meaning of Desert Rose:
I’m talking about earthly love, if you will, or romantic love, but also at some point, the Garden of Eden appears. There is a sense of philosophical longing in the story.
World Cafe, 1999
Release and achievements
The song became the second track on Brand New Day. On January 17, 2000, Desert Rose was released as a single. It topped the Spanish charts and reached the top ten of the charts in several countries. But success did not come immediately.
Sting recalled:
The record company representative advised that the Arabic intro should be removed. He said: “She will never be a hit in America if you leave this strange beginning. People don’t like that.” So it was a deliberate risk and I was happy to prove him wrong. Looking back, it was this unusual intro that sparked people’s interest in the song because it has a very intriguing rhythm and sound.
Saga, 2002
Let’s listen online to the song Desert Rose – Sting and Cheb Mami.
Video of Desert Rose by Sting
The composition was difficult to promote on the radio, as it is too complex for a wide audience to perceive. Producer Miles Copeland decided to bet on a music video. He decided to shoot Sting in the Desert Rose video in a very stylish car. The choice fell on the Jaguar S-Type.
In the video, a mysterious driver takes the musician through the desert to a nightclub where Sting performs a song with Sheb Mami. However, there is no point in retelling the story. It is better to watch the video clip Desert Rose – Sting again.
Jaguar advertising campaign
When the video for “Desert Rose” was ready, it became clear that it looked very much like an advertisement for a car. The manager suggested that Jaguar make a commercial in the same style in exchange for the right to use Sting’s track for free. They happily jumped at the idea and created an ad that looked a lot like a music video.
This move proved incredibly successful. The song became a hit, and sales of the Jaguars skyrocketed.
Desert Rose Lyrics
I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand
I dream of fire
Those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire
And in the flames
Her shadows play in the shape of a man’s desire
This desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this
And as she turns
This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams
This fire burns
I realize that nothing’s as it seems
I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand
I dream of rain
I lift my gaze to empty skies above
I close my eyes, this rare perfume
Is the sweet intoxication of her love
I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand
sweet desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this
sweet desert rose
This memory of Eden haunts us all
This desert flower, this rare perfume
Is the sweet intoxication of the fall
GORDON SUMNER, MOHAMMED KHELIFATI
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics of Desert Rose by Sting Alternate
I dream of rain
I dream of gardens on the desert sands.
I wake up in pain
I dream of love and time slips out of my hands.
I dream of fire
These dreams are associated with a horse that does not know fatigue,
And in the flames
Her shadow takes on the outlines of male desire.
This desert rose
Each of her veils is a secret promise.
It’s a desert flower
No sweet scent had ever tormented me more than before.
And when she turns around
The way she moves through my sleep
The way the fire burns
Makes me realize that nothing is what it seems.
I dream of rain
I dream of gardens on the desert sands.
I wake up in pain
I dream of love and time slips out of my hands.
I dream of rain
I look up to empty skies.
I close my eyes, this rare fragrance
The sweet poisoning of her love.
I dream of rain
I dream of gardens on the desert sands.
I wake up in pain
I dream of love and time slips out of my hands.
This desert rose
Each of her veils is a secret promise.
It’s a desert flower
No sweet scent had ever tormented me more than before.
Sweet desert rose
This memory of Eden haunts us all
This desert flower, this rare fragrance
Sweet poison of the fall.
Desert Rose – Sting Chords
cm
I dream of rain
Cm/Bb
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
Ab
I wake in pain
Fm G7 Cm
I dream of love as time runs through my hand
cm
I dream of fire
Cm/Bb
Those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire
Ab
And in the flames
Fm G7 Cm
Her shadows play in the shape of a man’s desire
Eb
This desert rose
Gm7
Each of her veils, a secret promise
bb
This desert flower
Fm G7 Cm
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this
Can you play Desert Rose on the guitar and sing Sting’s song beautifully? Let’s listen to your version together. Share the video in the comments.
Song quote
I don’t compose world music or reggae – I do what I do. Desert Rose does have a distinct Arabic, North African flavor, but it’s one song out of ten.
Sting, Bassist, 1999
I think “craving” is a very good word. In fact, one of those songs, “Desert Rose” is about longing.
Sting, Billboard, 1999
Download Desert Rose Sting
Blimey does not allow readers to download the Desert Rose song in mp3 for free. You can listen to the song “Desert Rose” by Sting online and watch the clip in good quality. Look for sheet music, karaoke version, backing track and tabs on thematic portals.
