Album · Sting
The Dream of the Blue Turtles by Sting
The Dream of the Blue Turtles is an album by Sting, released in 1985. 5 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 26 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free”, on 9 lists with a best position of #20.
The Dream of the Blue Turtles, Sting's first solo album, arrived on A&M in June 1985, and it's the sound of the Police's singer, bassist and chief songwriter striking out alone and chasing jazz. He produced it himself, and the jazzy grooves run all through it, right down to the instrumental title track, which drew a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance.
The songs reach wide: "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" bounces with a sly swing, "Russians" broods, "Fortress Around Your Heart" aches, and "Moon Over Bourbon Street" goes full after-hours noir. Five singles came off it, it climbed to number two in America and number three at home, and the Grammys nominated it for Album of the Year. A digital expanded edition with B-sides and remixes followed in 2025.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from The Dream of the Blue Turtles on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free | 9 | #20 | – | 1985–2026 | |
| 2 | Fortress Around Your Heart | 11 | #25 | – | 1985–2023 | |
| 3 | Love is the Seventh Wave | 2 | #179 | – | 1989–2024 | |
| 4 | Russians | 2 | #10 | – | 1985 | |
| 5 | Shadows in the Rain | 2 | #262 | – | 1989–1991 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.