10 Songs That Are Huge Outliers On Rock Albums
2. Mother - Synchronicity (The Police)
It's almost impossible to describe what's going on here, but we'll do our best.
Synchronicity by The Police is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums ever made. As Sting and the gang's final studio release, this record summed up everything that was great about the band and gave the world the unstoppable megahit Every Breath You Take.
And then there's Mother.
Much like the Darren Aronofsky film of the same name, Mother is a confusing, frightening experience that leaves you wondering if the person who made it needs a hug.
Written and sung by guitar Andy Summers, the song is a bizarre experience with several different distinctive instruments layered over one another. Then, on top of that, Summer delivers a completely unhinged performance as a man who is stalked by his obsessive parent at every turn.
It's like the opening number to Psycho: The Musical.
The song is incredibly divisive, with some calling it the worst on the entire album. Summers himself has admitted that he didn't write it to be taken seriously, which is good, because nobody did.
You can't deny that it stands out, though.