Desert Rose

Cheb Mami, Sting

About Desert Rose

"Desert Rose" is a song by British musician Sting from his album Brand New Day (1999). According to Sting, the lyrics have to do with "lost love and longing". the song peaked at No. 2 in Canada, No. 3 in Switzerland, No. 4 in Italy, No. 15 in the UK, and No. 17 in the US. The song is noted for Sting's duet performance with Algerian raï singer Cheb Mami, creating a distinct world music feel to the song.


Year:
2011
4:50
149 
#1

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I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand
I dream of fire
These dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire
And in the flames
Her shadows play in the shape of a man's desire
This desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this
And as she turns
This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams
This fire burns
I realise that nothing's as it seems
I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand
I dream of rain
I lift my gaze to empty skies above
I close my eyes, this rare perfume
Is the sweet intoxication of her love
I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in pain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand
Sweet desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this
Sweet desert rose
This memory of Eden haunts us all
This desert flower, this rare perfume
Is the sweet intoxication of the fall

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Sting

Gordon Matthew Thomas SumnerCBE (born 2 October 1951), known by his stage name Sting, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, activist, actor and philanthropist. Prior to starting his solo career, he was the principal songwriter, lead singer and bassist for the rock band The Police. more »

20 fans

Written by: Gordon Sumner, Mohammed Khelifati

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Collaboration Fact
"Desert Rose" is a song by British musician Sting from his album "Brand New Day" (1999). The song prominently features Algerian Raï singer Cheb Mami, creating a unique blend of Western and Arabic sounds.
Musicianship Fact
Cheb Mami got prominence in the West through "Desert Rose." His haunting voice adds an ethnic touch to the song that Sting claims helped enhance it.
Chart Performance Fact
"Desert Rose" peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US in 2000. It also reached #15 on the UK Singles Chart, and achieved chart success in multiple other countries.
Music Video Fact
The video of "Desert Rose" features Sting driving a Jaguar S-Type and then being chauffeured by the car's virtual reality navigation system. The brand used the song and video in their advertising campaigns which contributed to the song's popularity.
Commercial Success Fact
In spite of not reaching the top 10 in the US, "Desert Rose" was very successful on the adult contemporary and dance charts, respectively reaching numbers #1 and #16.
Billboard Milestone Fact
As of 2011, "Desert Rose" was one of Sting's most successful songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Inspiration Fact
Sting was inspired by raï music and particularly by Cheb Mami's music, which led to their collaboration for "Desert Rose."
Live Performance Fact
Sting and Cheb Mami also performed "Desert Rose" live at the Grammy Awards of 2000.
Lingual Fact
Although sung primarily in English by Sting, "Desert Rose" also has portions sung in Arabic by Cheb Mami, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Legal Controversy Fact
In 2019, Algerian musician Cheb Mami declared that he had never received any royalties for this song, an accusation that Sting denied.

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    Desert Rose

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    Top Hot 100 Songs 2000

    Billboard #17


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