Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings is a four-CD boxed set by The Police, containing all of their studio albums in chronological order, as well as singles, B-sides, and tracks from various compilation albums and the Brimstone & Treacle soundtrack.
Disc 1 includes live renditions of "Landlord" and "Next to You" which were recorded at the Bottom Line, New York on 4 April 1979 and originally broadcast on WNEW-FM, New York).
Disc 3 has a live version of "Driven to Tears" which was recorded live at Les Arenes, Frejus, France, 28 August 1980 and featured in Urgh! A Music War.
Contrary to its title, these are not the complete recordings to 1986. "Truth Hits Everybody '83" appeared on a limited edition gatefold single of "Every Breath You Take". Two new versions of "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" were released in 1980 as a double A-side 7", one with Sting singing Japanese lyrics, the other with Spanish lyrics (AM-25000). Also released was a 12" single for "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" which featured both an additional remix and live version of the song. Live recordings of "Can't Stand Losing You" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" had also been released. None of these are included on the boxed set.
The b-side "Shambelle" written by Andy Summers was presented incorrectly missing the hi-hat introduction played by Stewart Copeland on the original 45. This error has never been corrected and the original 45 is the only place to get the full length version of "Shambelle".
The U.S. version also features a different and shorter version of "Don't Stand So Close To Me '86". The version included on the U.S. boxed set also features a different guitar solo from Andy Summers. There are no versions of the boxed set that include ALL the versions of "Don't Stand So Close To Me '86" currently available.
There was also speculation by a number of music fans that "Can't Stand Losing You" was remastered from a needle drop of the original vinyl. "Roxanne" also had pitch issues due to tape drag and possible damage to the master tape used.
Read more about Message In A Box: The Complete Recordings: Reception
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—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881)
“The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. The beauty of the morning and the radiance of noon are good, but it would be a very silly person who drew the curtains and turned on the light in order to shut out the tranquillity of the evening. Old age has its pleasures, which, though different, are not less than the pleasures of youth.”
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965)
“All radio is dead. Which means that these tape recordings I’m making are for the sake of future history. If any.”
—Barré Lyndon (1896–1972)