The twenty-fifth Skipped on Shuffle episode will be focused on the song “Omegaman” by The Police off their 1981 album Ghost in the Machine.

Although The Police had a string of over a dozen huge hits over their very short career, those hits don’t tell the whole story. Every major single from the band was written by lead vocalist/bassist Sting, while the songs penned by the other two members — guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland — languished as album tracks.

One of those songs is “Omegaman,” written by Summers. The Police’s record label wanted to release the track as the lead single from Ghost in the Machine — but Sting forbid it. The Sting-penned track “Invisible Sun” led the album off instead.

Listening to “Omegaman” now, it’s easy to see why the label wanted it to be a lead single. It has all the elements of a classic Police track: amazing musicianship, Sting’s passionate vocal delivery, Summers’ incredibly intricate guitar work, and Copeland’s subdued drumming. The only thing missing is a Sting writing credit.

In this Skipped on Shuffle episode, Scott and Jason discuss the inter-band drama with The Police, as well as its reputation more as a hit factory rather than an album-oriented rock band.