All This Time

Sting

About All This Time

"All This Time" is a 1990 single by Sting. It was released as the first single from his 1991 album, The Soul Cages. The song was a chart success, especially on the North American charts, reaching No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart.


Year:
1994
186 
#2

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I looked out across
The river today
I saw a city in the fog
And an old church tower
Where the seagulls play
Saw the sad shire horses 
Walking home in the sodium light
Saw two priests on the ferry
October geese on a cold winter's night
And all this time
The river flowed
Endlessly
To the sea

Two priests came round 
Our house tonight
One young, one old
To offer prayers for the dying
To serve the final rite
One to learn, one to teach 
Which way the cold wind blows
Fussing and flapping in priestly black 
Like a murder of crows

And all this time
The river flowed
Endlessly
To the sea

If I had my way
I'd take a boat from the river
And I'd bury the old man
I'd bury him at sea

Blessed are the poor 
For they shall inherit the earth
One is better to be poor 
Than a fat man in the eye of a needle
As these words were spoken 
I swear I hear the old man laughing
What good is a used up world,
And how could it be worth having?

And all this time
The river flowed
Endlessly,
To the sea.

All this time 
The river flowed
Father, if Jesus exists,
Then how come he never lived here?
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah

Teachers told us
The Romans built this place
They built a wall and a temple on the edge of the
Empire garrison town
They lived and they died
They prayed to their gods
But the stone gods did not make a sound
And their empire crumbled
Till all that was left
Were the stones the workmen found

And all this time the river flowed
In the falling light of a northern sun
If I had my way
I'd take a boat from the river
Men go crazy in congregations
They only get better one by one
One by one
One by one, by one
One by one

I looked out across
The river today
I saw a city in the fog
And an old church tower
Where the seagulls play
Saw the sad shire horses 
Walking home in the sodium light
Two priests on the ferry
October geese on a cold winter's night

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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

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Song Composition
"All This Time" by Sting is a peppy song that was recorded in 1990 and released in January 1991. It features an upbeat tempo despite its serious lyrical content.
Album Appearance
This song is from Sting's second solo studio album, "The Soul Cages."
Chart Rankings
The single reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and topped the Billboard Album Rock Tracks for nine weeks, making it the most successful track from the album.
Song Inspiration
"All This Time" was written after the death of Sting's father. The track explores Sting's reminiscence and grief over this event in his life.
Unique Recording Method
Sting recorded the song and the rest of "The Soul Cages" album in a reclusive, solo manner, unlike his previous cooperative ventures with other musicians.
Recognition
"All This Time" won the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
Music Video
The music video of the song was directed by famous director Alex Proyas. The plot of the music video can be interpreted as a symbolic attempt to reconcile Sting's reality with his desired reality, reflecting the song’s lyrics and theme.
Live Performance
It has been a staple in Sting's live performances ever since its release.
Cover Versions
Many artists, including Brian McKnight, have performed cover versions of "All This Time."
Musical Style
The song signifies a shift from the jazz-influenced style of Sting's previous album towards a more straightforward pop rock sound, while maintaining a strong sense of melody and complex song structure.

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    All This Time

    5.1M
    14,005     525

    Top Hot 100 Songs 1991

    Billboard #5


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