How Sting & Shaggy came up with the idea of Sinatra Reggae Cover Version (under carpet story: Beer was Involved)

American singer and actor Frank Sinatra is still the subject of a debate between some of the biggest musicians, two of whom happen to be Shaggy, and the former leader of The Police, Sting. Another coined the idea of covering Sinatra's Songbook 'in Reggae style' for a new album called Com Fly Wid Mi — after a more random release in Norway with Shaggy.

“About three years ago, Shaggy and myself, Sting, were on tour in Europe and we were in Oslo and it was a nice day off so we rented a boat and we went into the fjord,” the British singer began, with legs crossed—completely juxtaposing Shaggy’s comfortable manspreading—on an outdoor swing.

“We had a few beers, yeah, and there was a record player, you know, like a CD player. It was playing Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits. So, I come out of the water and I’m heading back into the boat and I hear somebody joining in with Frank Sinatra, and it was this man (points to Shaggy),” he said, adding that the song being rendered was Come Fly With Me.

“It sounded pretty good because you have the same kind of voice as Frank…he’s a baritone tenor; not a tenor, but a baritone so Frank had that fantastic tone, but in a high range. I think, ‘Shaggy, you like his music?’ And he was like, ‘yeah.’ And this little light went off in my head and I had this idea in my head. It may be the craziest idea I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a few. But I thought, what about Frank Sinatra Songbook, sung by Shaggy, in a Reggae style. Who’s ever done that before?,” Sting recalled.

The 17-track project will debut on May 25 on all digital platforms. The new album boasts reggae interpretations of some of ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ most beloved songs, kicking off with the uplifting ode to resilience That’s Life, followed by Come Fly with Me. The album also includes the sultry, That Old Black Magic, the metaphoric euphoria of being in love embodied on Fly Me to the Moon, and the misery of lost love on Angel Eyes, Luck Be a Lady, Witchcraft, and Under My Skin.

Sting noted that a Reggae collection of Sinatra’s hits was fitting because of the mood the genre evokes on listeners.

“There’s a joy about reggae. There’s an energy about it which is similar to the energy that Frank’s music had in the late 50s and early 60s. So, I said let’s try it. We got some really good Reggae musicians; I’ll bring some guys from the jazz world and combine it…we’ll thread this needle,” Sting said.

When asked why they decided to follow through with the idea of compiling a Sinatra-inspired album, Shaggy did not hesitate to say it was a “why not?” situation.

“It’s us getting together and doing some crazy s–t, because we enjoy that and we like to shock people,” he said as he burst out laughing. “And literally, we’re both allergic to boredom and we’d do anything to make us not be bored.”