1979 The Police: Walking On The Moon

If 'Message In A Bottle' was a clattering approximation of roots reggae, 'Walking On The Moon' was an excursion into dub. Of sorts. The Clash had already dabbled but The Police were the first (I think) of the new wavers to construct a wholly original song that's part homage to the genre and part collaboration with the world of pop.

A metaphor for falling in love (according to Sting "being in love is to be relieved of gravity"), the density of the former song is blown apart into wide open spaces with each of the band almost broadcasting from the safety of their own separate planet. And yet with rather less going on, 'Walking On The Moon' holds it together far more concisely than 'Message'; Summer's standard reggae skank is punctuated by Copeland's drum rim cracks and Sting's three note bass figure that all skitter shambolically close to the cliff edge of disaster but never fall off. Oh, and lets not forget that glorious sunburst of a guitar chord that shimmers throughout like sunlight on water and gives aural effect to the butterflies in the stomach feeling of falling in love.

'Walking On The Moon' can sound throwaway and almost childish on surface listen if you take it literally. Which is what I did in 1979 (the space rocket themed video didn't help). But I was listening to it with my head back then; I've since learned to listen with my heart and on that front the song's delights are endless. Not for nothing is it my favourite Police number one.