The Police - a 1978 setlist riddle

[Dietmar]

I might have mentioned this once before to some people, but here it is again:

http://www.policefans.org/Police_wiki/i ... 1978-02-23

shows the setlist of a very early Police gig in 1978
The setlist was taken from photographs as mentioned on that wiki page in the trivia section (copyright reasons forbid showing those pictures on the wiki).
the photographer confirmed that the two "new" songs are called:

WANNA KNOW and ROSY LEE

The first one might be Peanuts. But the second one is just one big question mark to me.

I've googled it and found that it is a cockney slang description for "tea". But it's certainly no early version of Tea In The Sahara.

There's also some gospel song with almost the same name.

Any ideas ?

Dietmar

[Dietmar]

what I think is extraordinary is that Sting wrote so many Outlandos songs in such a short time (since the end of October 1977)

only Can't Stand Losing You, Hole In My Life, Masoko Tanga and Peanuts are missing (maybe Peanuts isn't, but has another name)

Dietmar

[DirtyMartini]

[quote="Dietmar"]
the photographer confirmed that the two "new" songs are called:

WANNA KNOW and ROSY LEE
[/quote]

Excellent. I'm glad to hear those names were confirmed. Those photos were painful.


[quote="Dietmar"]what I think is extraordinary is that Sting wrote so many Outlandos songs in such a short time (since the end of October 1977)[/quote]

The man was certainly prolific.

I'm curious: do we have any idea how many of the early tunes were reworked versions of Sting's older material? I know he mined some of his own work (Last Exit, notebooks) for ideas, but I don't know how many of those became Police songs, especially early Police songs.

[TheEqualizer]

[quote="Dietmar"]

I've googled it and found that it is a cockney slang description for "tea". But it's certainly no early version of Tea In The Sahara.

There's also some gospel song with almost the same name.

Any ideas ?

Dietmar[/quote]

Maybe its not a song at all. Maybe its when the boys took a break for tea, like in the Easter Egg for the Synch concert video.

[Dietmar]

I had thought about that, too, but I don't think that taking a tea break in such a short set was the habit...

Dietmar

[TOWOS]

Well, they could not name a song "Snorting a line" then!

[GinaSuperCat]

I can't seem to pull up the picture of the setlist but, just as an off the too of the head lark, could Melody Lee perhaps fit? I know they hung with them but I don't know if they ever did (or would) do any of the Damned's songs or if it would even plausibly fit the set list photo...

You might have to consult the Big Guy to crack this one <grin>

[TOWOS]

BTW if it's the cockney expression for tea, it should be spelled Rosie Lea. (Could the Brit contingent confirm, plz?)

[animal]

[quote="TOWOS"]BTW if it's the cockney expression for tea, it should be spelled Rosie Lea. (Could the Brit contingent confirm, plz?)[/quote]

http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/slang/rosy_lee

[TOWOS]

http://www.comp.dit.ie/dgordon/Albion/A ... n5002.html

Sure my memory is still good.

[smax]

gordo's fond of breaking into some old trad tune every now and then (reminded of odd recording of 'blood red roses' and bits when he breaks into 'davy crocketts hat')....

so how's this for a long shot?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z8hB-I2278

triple the speed and play it with bar chords?

yeah, yeah, waaaaay long shot. does sound a bit like 'next to you' tho, with that stop.....

[DirtyMartini]

Another in the way long shot department, how's about a NZ whaling song called "Soon May the Wellerman Come" with alternative lyrics calling the ship the Rosy Lee?
http://folksong.org.nz/soon_may_the_wel ... index.html

DeCeltify and punk it up?
http://www.myspace.com/wholepeeled


ETA -- Additional long shot: Or a slightly off "Yellow Rose of Texas"? We've heard Sting sing it, and the lyrics are pretty variable:

You may talk about your dearest May
And sing of Rosa Lee
But the Yellow Rose of Texas
Beats the belles of Tennessee.

[TOWOS]

Actually I know that Roger Daltrey has a daughter called Rosie Lea because he's a huge tea drinker...hence the name sank in.

[Divemistress of the Dark]

Hmmm. Was 'tea' slang for 'reefer' back then? Just a shot in the dark...

[quote]You may talk about your dearest May
And sing of Rosa Lee
But the Yellow Rose of Texas
Beats the belles of Tennessee.[/quote]

They're just jealous.

[Bernward]

means tea-time between two sets.

Bernward