"Moon over Bourbon Street" | ||||
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Single by Sting | ||||
from the album The Dream of the Blue Turtles | ||||
B-side | "The Ballad of Mack the Knife" | |||
Released | 7 February 1986 [1] | |||
Genre | Pop rock, jazz | |||
Length | 3:39 [2] | |||
Label | A&M | |||
Songwriter(s) | Sting | |||
Producer(s) | Sting and Peter Smith | |||
Sting singles chronology | ||||
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"Moon over Bourbon Street" is the fifth single from Sting's solo debut album The Dream of the Blue Turtles . It reached No. 44 on the UK singles chart.
Sting has said that he composed the song in New Orleans and that it was inspired by Anne Rice's gothic noir novel Interview with the Vampire which is partially set in the French Quarter of the city. The song reached No. 44 on the British singles chart.
Sting himself has said of the composition..."That was inspired by a book by Anne Rice, called Interview with the Vampire, a beautiful book about this vampire which is a vampire by accident. He's immortal and he has to kill people to live, but he's been left with his conscience intact. He's this wonderful, poignant soul who has to do evil, yet wants to stop. Once again, it's the duality which interested me." [3] He also said that although it was inspired by the Rice novel that "there was one moonlit night in the French Quarter of New Orleans where I had the distinct impression that I was being followed ..." (an occurrence which also contributed to the tune's genesis).
Sting plays double bass on this track.[ citation needed ].
In 2003, Sting re-recorded the song as a B-side on the single 'Send Your Love', which peaked at No. 30 on the UK music charts.[ citation needed ]
The title of the song references the historic French Quarter of New Orleans route of Bourbon Street.
Interview with the Vampire is a gothic horror and vampire novel by American author Anne Rice, published in 1976. It was her debut novel. Based on a short story Rice wrote around 1968, the novel centers on vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac, who tells the story of his life to a reporter. Rice composed the novel shortly after the death of her young daughter Michelle, who served as an inspiration for the child-vampire character Claudia. Though initially the subject of mixed critical reception, the book was followed by many widely popular sequels, collectively known as The Vampire Chronicles. A film adaptation was released in 1994, starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, and a television series premiered in 2022. The novel has also been adapted as a comic three times.
Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, also known by the stage name Sting, is an English musician and actor. He was the frontman, songwriter and bassist for new wave band the Police from 1977 until their breakup in 1986. He launched a solo career in 1985 and has included elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, new-age, and worldbeat in his music.
The French Quarter, also known as the Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. After New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city developed around the Vieux Carré, a central square. The district is more commonly called the French Quarter today, or simply "The Quarter", related to changes in the city with American immigration after the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. Most of the extant historic buildings were constructed either in the late 18th century, during the city's period of Spanish rule, or were built during the first half of the 19th century, after U.S. purchase and statehood.
The Tale of the Body Thief is a vampire novel novel by American writer Anne Rice, the fourth in her The Vampire Chronicles series, following The Queen of the Damned (1988). Published in 1992, it continues the adventures of Lestat, specifically his efforts to regain his lost humanity during the late 20th century. Chapters from the book appeared in the October 1992 issue of Playboy.
Christopher Travis Rice is an American author. Rice made his fiction debut in 2000 with the bestselling A Density of Souls, going on to write many more novels, including The Snow Garden, The Heavens Rise, The Vines, as well as the Burning Girl series. His work spans multiple genres, including suspense, crime, supernatural thriller, and erotic romance. With his mother Anne Rice, he is the co-author of the historical-horror novels Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra and its sequel, Ramses the Damned: The Reign of Osiris.
Bourbon Street is a historic street in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans. Extending thirteen blocks from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue, Bourbon Street is famous for its many bars and strip clubs.
Damien George Rice is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter. He began his career as a member of the 1990s rock group Juniper, who were signed to Polygram Records in 1997. The band enjoyed moderate success in Ireland with two released singles, "The World is Dead" and "Weatherman". After leaving the band in 1998, Rice worked as a farmer in Tuscany and busked throughout Europe before returning to Ireland in 2001 and beginning a solo career. The rest of Juniper went on to perform under the name Bell X1.
Lestat de Lioncourt is a fictional character from Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles novel series. Born in the late 1700s, Lestat is an immortal vampire and the antihero of the franchise.
Lives of the Mayfair Witches is a trilogy of supernatural horror/fantasy novels by American novelist Anne Rice. It centers on a family of witches whose fortunes have been guided for generations by a spirit named Lasher. The series began in 1990 with The Witching Hour, which was followed by the sequels Lasher (1993) and Taltos (1994). All three novels debuted at No. 2 on The New York Times Best Seller list.
"Don't Stand So Close to Me" is a hit song by the British rock band the Police, released in September 1980 as the lead single from their third studio album Zenyatta Mondatta. It concerns a teacher who has a sexual relationship with a student, which in turn is discovered.
"Walking on the Moon" is a reggae song by British rock band the Police, released as the second single from their second studio album, Reggatta de Blanc (1979). The song was written by the band's lead vocalist and bassist Sting. It went on to become the band's second No. 1 hit in the UK.
New Orleans is featured in a number of works of fiction. This article in an ongoing effort to list the books, movies, television shows, and comics that are set or filmed, in whole or part, in New Orleans.
Interview with the Vampire is a 1994 American gothic horror film directed by Neil Jordan, based on Anne Rice's 1976 novel of the same name, and starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. It focuses on Lestat (Cruise) and Louis (Pitt), beginning with Louis' transformation into a vampire by Lestat in 1791. The film chronicles their time together, and their turning of ten-year-old Claudia into a vampire. The narrative is framed by a present-day interview, in which Louis tells his story to a San Francisco reporter. The supporting cast features Antonio Banderas and Stephen Rea.
The Dream of the Blue Turtles is the debut solo album by English musician Sting, released in June 1985. The album reached number three on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the US Billboard 200.
"Working in the Coal Mine" is a song with music and lyrics by the American musician and record producer Allen Toussaint. It was an international hit for Lee Dorsey in 1966, and has been recorded by other musicians including Devo in 1981.
"Love Song for a Vampire" is a song composed and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Annie Lennox. It was recorded for Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 film, Bram Stoker's Dracula based on the 1897 gothic horror novel, where it plays during the end credits. Released in February 1993 as a double A-side with "Little Bird" in Ireland, the United Kingdom and several other countries in Europe, the single was a hit, peaking at number three on the UK and Irish Singles Charts. "Love Song for a Vampire" by itself reached number four in Spain and number 10 in France.
"The Whole of the Moon" is a song by Scottish band the Waterboys, released as a single from their album This Is the Sea in October 1985. It is a classic of the band's repertoire and has been consistently played at live shows ever since its release. Written and produced by Mike Scott, the subject of the song has inspired some speculation.
Anne Rice was an American author of gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Christian literature. She was best known for her series of novels The Vampire Chronicles. The first book became the subject of a film adaptation—Interview with the Vampire (1994).
Savage Garden were an Australian pop duo consisting of Darren Hayes on vocals and Daniel Jones on guitar, keyboards, and vocals; they formed in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1993. They were signed to John Woodruff's talent agency and achieved international success with their No. 1 hit singles "I Want You", "To the Moon and Back", "Truly Madly Deeply" (1997), and "I Knew I Loved You" (1999).
"New Orleans" is a song written by Frank Guida and Joseph Royster and performed by Gary U.S. Bonds. It was featured on his 1961 album Dance 'Til Quarter to Three with U.S. Bonds. Frank Guida also produced the track. Backing was provided by Gene Barge's group The Church Street Five.