Police : "Tea in the sahara" Guitar chords
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Send "Tea in the sahara" Ringtone to your Cell 
Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 13:12:07 -0400 From: Bruce.Packett@equiscorp.com Subject: p/police/tea_in_the_sahara.crd "Tea in the Sahara" - by The Police from Synchronicity words & music by Sting That being said, it hardly needs to be pointed out that only ambient guitar exists in this song and that it only implies a certain chord structure. The bass guitar and the vocal melody can gives us clues, however, as to what should or could be "strummed" or implied by your own unique parts. The song begins with a partly syncopated bass riff that goes ... (C# C# B C#) with variations. The ambience (and the bass) strictly implies an unchanging C#m chord throughout the opening measures. The verses kick in with a change of key from C#m to F#m and basically rotate only 2 chords. The melody almost makes you think F#m to Bmajor, but the second bass root is an A. That being said, you want to play an A tonic, but also sneak in the 9th (B) on the change (keeping in line with Summers' repeated use of the 9th on a slew of Police hits - c.f. Message in a Bottle, Every Breath You Take, et al.). So the verses go: F#m My ... Amaj9 Have ... F#m And it ... Amaj9 As if ... ... etc., etc., for each verse. The verse chords can be voiced as: -2- -0- -2- -5- -2- -6- -4- -9- -4- -0- -2- --- The voices are changeable, obviously, esp. the Amaj9, which you can strum or voice or imply a number of ways. The chorus chords are mostly implied (as the rest) by the bass root. It is an extremely basic progression. E major for 2 bars, A major for 1 and B major for 1. So it goes: E A B Tea in the Sahara, with you ... and as such for each line of the chorus. A neat way to voice the chorus chords if you are strumming along is: -0- -0- -0- -0- -0- -0- -9- -6- -8- -9- -7- -9- -7- -7- -9- -0- -5- -7- This way you can follow the bass progression and melody while harmonically insisting on the tonic (E) with the open E and B strings. As with many Police tunes, the rhythm is halting and slightly irregular. And in this case the harmonic ambience is acting as an interesting fluid backdrop; therefore, the rhythmic aspects of any implied or expressed guitar parts are dependent on your function. Keep in mind that after one of the latter choruses the C# intro is reinstated and the bass sits on the B for a half-measure before going back to the F#m verse. Very nice, spacey tune - have fun with it. The preceding transcription comes from no known publication and is strictly the interpretation of its author. Submitted by B.J. Packett II brjulian@aol.com
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