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The Police - Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings (1986)

Track listing:
CD1
  1. Fallout 2:02
  2. Nothing Achieving 1:55
  3. Dead End Job 3:34
  4. Next to You 2:50
  5. So Lonely 4:48
  6. Roxanne 3:09
  7. Hole in My Life 4:52
  8. Peanuts 3:59
  9. Can't Stand Losing You 2:59
  10. Truth Hits Everybody 2:53
  11. Be My Girl - Sally 3:19
  12. Masoko Tanga 5:38
  13. Landlord (live) 2:35
  14. Next to You (live) 3:09
  15. Landlord 3:07
  16. Message in a Bottle 4:49
  17. Reggatta De Blanc 3:03
  18. It's Alright For You 3:12
  19. Bring on the Night 4:12
  20. Deathwish 4:09
CD2
  1. Walking On The Moon 5:02
  2. On Any Other Day 2:57
  3. The Bed's Too Big Without 4:25
  4. Contact 2:38
  5. Does Everybody Stare 3:46
  6. No Time This Time 3:19
  7. Visions Of The Night 3:05
  8. The Bed's Too Bigh Withou 3:29
  9. Truth Hits Everybody(Live) 2:26
  10. Friends 3:36
  11. Don't Stand So Close To Me 4:03
  12. Driven To Tears 3:20
  13. When The World Is Running 3:36
  14. Canary In A Coalmine 2:26
  15. Voices Inside My Head 3:52
  16. Bombs Away
  17. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
  18. Behind My Camel 2:54
  19. Man In A Suitcase 2:19
  20. Shadows In The Rain 5:02
  21. The Other Way Of Stopping 1:25
CD3
  1. A Sermon 2:32
  2. Driven To Tears (Live) 3:29
  3. Shambelle 5:00
  4. Spirits In The Material World 2:59
  5. Every Little Thing She Does Is 4:20
  6. Invisible Sun 3:43
  7. Hungry For You (J'aurais Toujo 2:53
  8. Demolition Man 5:58
  9. Too Much Information 3:43
  10. Rehumanize Yourself 3:10
  11. One World (Not Three) 4:47
  12. Omegaman 2:48
  13. Secret Journey 3:34
  14. Darkness 3:14
  15. Flexible Strategies 3:44
  16. Low Life 3:45
  17. How Stupid Mr Bates 2:42
  18. A Kind Of Loving 2:03
CD4
  1. Synchronicity I 3:23
  2. Walking In Your Footsteps 3:37
  3. O My God 4:02
  4. Mother 3:06
  5. Miss Gradenko 2:00
  6. Synchronicity II 5:03
  7. Every Breath You Take 4:14
  8. King Of Pain 4:59
  9. Wrapped Around Your Finger 5:01
  10. Tea In The Sahara 4:14
  11. Murder By Numbers 4:37
  12. Man In A Suitcase (Live) 2:17
  13. Someone To Talk To 3:08
  14. Message In A Bottle (Live) 4:52
  15. I Burn For You 4:50
  16. Once Upon A Daydream 3:31
  17. Tea In The Sahara (Live) 5:06
  18. Don't Stand So Close To Me '86 4:51

Notes

Despite their legendary status, the Police only released five albums during their brief reign from 1978-1983. In addition, the trio had amassed a healthy amount of both studio and live B-sides, plus songs that only appeared on soundtracks. For the 1993 four-CD box set Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings, every single song the Police ever recorded is included. All the tracks were digitally remastered for the project, sounding superior to the original CD versions of the single albums. Also included is a 68-page booklet that includes an interesting (and often humorous) biography, a timeline and notes from all three band members regarding the rarities that appear for the first time on compact disc here. But of course, the real charm of the box set is the music — album tracks ("Hole in My Life," "It's Alright for You," "Driven to Tears"), hits ("Message in a Bottle," "Can't Stand Losing You," "Spirits in the Material World"), and rarities ("Fallout," a live version of "Next to You") are all timeless classics. While the set is highly recommended to newcomers just discovering the wonders of the Police, long-time fans should consider replacing their tinny-sounding single CDs with the definitive Message in a Box. After all, it contains a total of 24 tracks unavailable (for the most part) anywhere else.