Sting – “They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)” (1988) Review | No Human Rights for Leftists
Kronomyth 3.7: Dancing with myself.
The most effective way to defy brutality is through beauty. In choosing beauty, we show brutality for what it really is, whereas meeting brutality with force only justifies its existence in the first place. The cueca solo is a perfect example of exposing brutality through beauty. In it, a woman dances alone to represent the loss of a partner or family member at the hands of the violent Pinochet regime in Chile. Sting took this expression of protest as the inspiration for the song, They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo). Although the song didn’t chart, it remains one of Sting’s most powerful statements. A lovely video was also created for it, featuring Sting with long hair and a pair of dancers. The US version has a small section recited in Spanish while, on Ellas Danzan Solas, Sting sings the entire song in Spanish. For the CD single, the nonalbum If You There was also included. It’s a quirky tune with a bubbly jazz arrangement behind it that reminds me of Weather Report’s later stuff.
The Product
A1. They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo) (Sting) (7:16)
B1. Ellas Danzan Solas (Cueca Solo) (Sting/Spanish lyrics by Roberto Livi) (7:17)
Original 12-inch single version
A1. They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo) (Sting)
B1. Ellas Danzan Solas (Cueca Solo) (Sting/Spanish lyrics by Roberto Livi)
B2. Si Estamos Juntos (Sting/Spanish lyrics by Roberto Livi)
Original CD single version
A1. They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)
A2. If You There
A3. Ellas Danzan Solas (Cueca Solo)
The Plastic
Released on 7-inch, 12-inch, cassette and CD single in September 1988 in the UK (A&M, AM/AMY 458) the US and Canada (A&M, AM/TS-1242) and Germany (A&M, 390 325-7/2) with regional picture sleeve. Also released as one-track promotional CD single in 1987 in the US (A&M, CD 17613).
