Wiki
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Release Date
1 January 1993
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Length
78 tracks
"Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings" is a four-CD box set by the Police, containing all five of their studio albums in chronological order, as well as non-album singles, non-album B-sides, and tracks from various compilation albums and the "Brimstone & Treacle" soundtrack. The box set also comes with a 68-page booklet.
The box set states that it 'contains every single song the Police ever released' but it excludes ten officially released tracks from before its release in 1993:
"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (Spanish Version) (4:00) and "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (Japanese Version) (4:00) were released in the US in 1981 as a double A-side 7", with Sting singing the song in both Spanish and Japanese (AM-25000).
"Truth Hits Everybody" (Remix) (3:30) appeared as the A-side of the bonus single, which was included in the UK 7" limited edition double pack of "Every Breath You Take" (AM 117/AM*01).
"Every Breath You Take" (Backing Track) (4:05) and "Roxanne" (Backing Track) (3:11) were released in Japan in 1983 as a double A-side 7" (AMP-782).
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" (Live Version) (5:22) from Atlanta in 1983 was included on the US 12" Promo of "Wrapped Around Your Finger" (SP-17264).
"Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" (4:47) appeared as the A-side of the UK 7" of "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" (AMY 354) and then released on the album Every Breath You Take: The Singles was not included on the UK version of the box set.
"Don't Stand So Close To Me" (Live) (3:40) from Atlanta in 1983, appeared as the B-side of the UK 7" of "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" (AMY 354).
"Don't Stand So Close To Me '86" (Dance Mix) (6:32) appeared on the A-side of the UK 12" of "Don't Stand So Close To Me '86" (AMY 354) was not included on the US version of the box set. There is no edition of the box set that includes both the standard version and the Dance Mix of "Don't Stand So Close To Me '86".
"Can't Stand Losing You" (Live) (5:30) from the Paris Theatre, London in 1979, appeared on the 1988 Strange Fruit Compilation UK CD 21 Years of Alternative Radio 1 (SFRCD 200).
"Shambelle" misses the beginning high hat introduction played by Stewart Copeland making the song incomplete. (2371-S). The full version (5:10) was later released on the "Every Move You Make" 6-CD Box Set in Nov. 2018. There also was a version on the B-Side (5:42) of "Invisible Sun" (AMS 8164).
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