EDIT: Our response after reading many comments. We understand the girl was painted as the ‘aggressor’ in the narrative and that the teacher wasn’t actively pursuing anything, his role was doing his very best to resist temptation, our main issue/quarrel with its depiction was idea that his ability to effectively set the boundary as an adult is somehow dependent on the girl acting appropriately. The issue with this perception is that it inadvertently suggests the power/control is actually in the hands of the girl, and that even if he does succumb to temptation or is flirting with the idea of it then the student is equally to blame if not more so, and that was our main deal with it. After reading many of your comments yesterday we understand it wasn’t them romanticizing as much as it was painting a picture of the concept and bringing it to light where it can spark dialogue and is overall an art form, witty, and very catchy. I’ll be listening to this song with a clear head as I enjoy it greatly though I wanted to clear up our perspective so everybody and their mother can stop saying ‘The girl was coming on to him...!’
I've always been partial to 'Wrapped around your Finger'. The first time I heard it I was in the middle of reading 'The Dragonlance Chronicles'. That song seems to fit the character of Raistlin in those books. I know, it's a strange reason, but I always get the feels when I hear it. *edit* I also wanted to mention that for your next song, I'd suggest the 5th album instead of the 4th. You really can't go wrong with any song off of Synchronicity.
I've always read the song as she's definitely into him and he's not blind to her charms, but is like "No, back off, this ain't happening." He's tempted, but hasn't acted, yet everyone assumes he has. You HAVE to do "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic."
That would be a great choice. Ghost in the Machine is probably my favorite album of theirs. I do like the bass and the drumming a bit better in Spirits in the Material World, personally.
The song isn't about the TEACHER pursuing the student - but, the other way around. The teacher gets nervous around her - even to the point of shaking and coughing. She was aggressively pursuing him. It's really interesting how many people, probably due to the political social climate over the past decade or two, don't think that women can be the aggressive ones. Back when I was a performer, I got into a short relationship with a woman and broke it off when she was too obsessive. She stalked me from 1990 until 2013. NO JOKE! She found out where I lived, phone #, who I was with - EVERYTHING!
I had a stalker woman from college find my phone and address. I never told her where I lived. Another woman found me after i moved, giving no forwarding address. My fiance answered the door one day, and there the girl was. 😁🤣😂Women can be aggressive, for sure
The song isn't trying to romanticize an inappropriate teacher/student relationship, it's about a teacher AVOIDING the temptation. The temptation is there, but he's not taking a bite of the apple, hence "don't stand so close to me".
@@cirenosnor5768 yep, it definitely is the right thing to do. Being cold and wet is not likely to cause her any real harm. These days, any teacher who lets any student of any age or sex into their car is all kinds of a fool. Not to mention, breaking specific rules of their employment in most cases. "Don't stand so close to me" but join me here in the intimacy of my warm, cozy car.
Sting was a high school literature teacher before the police. This song could be also taken as the student is pursuing him and he is desperately trying to resist that temptation.
YES! I agree. "Driven To Tears" transitions into "When the World...". The whole album is good. You gotta' play these 2 songs! Together!! You gotta' !!!
Back when this song came out, there was no "me too" movement, and it was kind of cool to fantasize and romanticize that a young teacher would be interested in a you as a student. It was different times for sure.
@@longhaullulu4814 It was a very different climate back then. Songs like this were just kind of accepted without much question. It does seem a little shocking now.
I don't think it is a song that shows his "preferences" for young women. With Sting once being a teacher, he said that it was not unusual for a female student to have crushes on instructors. Sting said he was happy to leave teaching.
@@michaelconnors8525 There is such a chasm between a girl having a crush and an adult male raping such a student -- and it was the latter which Sting said in 1993 was what he was writing about - see my comments elsewhere on the thread.
Oh, hell yes. That is an amazing song. Saw them live at Shea Stadium for that tour. Joan Jett opened for them, but the first band on the bill, opening for Joan Jett, was an obscure, newly signed band from Georgia called REM! It poured down with rain for the entire show and no-one cared. The Police were amazing, and Synchronicity II was a highlight. You guys should definitely do that, but honestly, there are a ton of great compositions and performances to choose from that you could probably just randomly pick any song.
Ok, you guys were just off on this one. As a teen I had several "crushes" on pretty female teachers. Those teachers would've never followed through with that sort of thing. That's what this song is about - a female student having a crush on her male teacher, and that teacher making sure he isn't tempted by her.
"Just like the old man in that book by Nabokov". Great line he's referring to the book Lolita. Reportedly Nabokov was Becker/Fagen's favorite author. Guitar tone was mutt Telecaster into clean Marshall with heavy echoplex. Set the way for U2's Edge.
Pretty sure you mean Electric Mistress, a key flanger to Andy Summers' tone. I have a Longamp Roxanne meant to be a convincing knockoff. It's a really distinctive flanging tone, very different from say the VH 'Atomic Punk' or the Pretenders flanger tones.
Fun fact: The chorus for Don't Stand So Close to Me was lifted to do I Want my MTV on Dire Straits Money for Nothing. And they even had Sting sing that line in the song.
@Bella Bella it happened a lot back in the day. I know of several teachers who were rumored to be engaging in inappropriate relationships with students. That doesn't mean that it happened but like the song says the accusations fly.
When he says 'Don't stand so close to me'.. its not because he doesn't want them to get caught.. it's because he doesn't want her near him, he doesn't want to deal with her advances nor the temptation that comes with it.
Always thought the song was about the teacher resisting, not romanticizing an actual dalliance. I think Sting was probably writing about schools girls be flirty with him when he was a teacher and pointing out having to ask them to back off because teachers have to resist that kind of temptation.
Agreed! Synchronicity II also has a great lyric by Sting. The tune has a drive but is also moody. The Police were deceptively simple! And live, they would often improvise and extend these tunes. One of the greats. Thanks guys for giving them a listen.
This song came out when I was in junior high school. The way I interpreted it was that the girl was attracted to the teacher, but the teacher was not interested in her, and that's why he was saying, "Don't stand so close to me." It was a way of pushing her away. Maybe he is tempted, but nothing about the song says he actually succumbed.
Me as well. I was almost 14 when this was released. But I never saw any of my male school teachers in that way, so I couldn't relate to the lyrics at all...
She's driving him nuts. Guy's yes it's touchy but it happens all the time in high school. Many male teachers have to deal with girls who want to be the teachers pet. I will also say if an artist is afraid to push the boundaries a bit then they probably are not artists. The Police had no fear in doing so. They enjoyed discussing controversy in their music.
If you want to know how insanely hip The Police were: they were hitting the top 40 with reggae beats supporting literary references, in the middle of one of the most musically vapid decades in rock history.
It's a true story: Sting was an English teacher & there were 15 year old girls that were into him. The song was about him resisting temptation. You'll like "Synchronicity II" I like "The Police" but I really have countless "Sting" solo work I love.
Nope. Sting was interviewed in 1993 by The Independent and he said that the song was about a teacher (not him) who rapes a student in the back of his car but blames his conduct on her "seduction." Rather than be graphic in the lyrics, Sting instead referred to the "book by Nabakov" -- Lolita -- in which a young man marries a divorced women to gain acccess to her 12-year-old daughter, whom he repeatedly rapes, all while justifying in his own mind his conduct by asserting that this young girl seduced him (the facts of the story show precisely the opposite).
@@jonsher7682 "I wanted to write a song about sexuality in the classroom,” the rocker explained in the 1981 book L'Historia Bandido. Sting then admitted his previous profession influenced the song. “I'd done teaching practice at secondary schools and been through the business of having 15-year-old girls fancying me - and me really fancying them! How I kept my hands off them I don't know.” Still, the singer has made it clear on multiple occasions that he remained completely professional while teaching. "I never had a relationship with any of my pupils - I wouldn't want to,” he declared to Q in 1993
A literary reference would provide further inspiration for “Don’t Stand So Close to Me.” “Then there was my love for Lolita, which I think is a brilliant novel,” the singer noted. “That opened the gates, and out it came: the teacher, the open page, the virgin, the rape in the car, getting the sack, Nabakov, all that." Sting further explained in a 1993 interview with The Independent that "this idea of a teacher, a Humbert Humbert character, appealed to me because I'd been a teacher before the Police. Read More: Is the Police’s ‘Don’t Stand So Close to Me’ Autobiographical? | ultimateclassicrock.com/police-dont-stand-so-close-to-me/?
What part of: “DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME” don’t you understand as being negative? She’s apparently very cute and coming on to him-and he’s saying “STOP IT!”
You’ve got it backwards. The teacher wasn’t pursuing the student, it was the young Lolita student pursuing him. Lolita is the book by Nabokov he references.
It's wrong to label the victim in the novel as the pursuer. Lolita was a precocious 12 year old, but Humbert was the instigator/pursuer. He even called himself an animal with ape hands.
The song is definitely about a teacher who is really trying to resist the flirting approaches of a young student, but he's afraid he may not be able to hold out.
Both Syncronicities in fact: Synchronicity I and Synchronicity II. Because II is a bigger, moodier story, but I is SO INTENSE and they like bangers: on every level SyncI is a brutal relentless banger. The tempo is insane, the playing is fierce, the lyrics are seriously highbrow and food for much thought. And then SII is just as intense, but in a storytelling, moodsetting way. I remember seeing Rick Beato analyse the chords of SII and the Police were up to some BONKERS stuff there, so advanced the guys might not entirely register it.
@@loosilunot in a creepy way, but more like teen girls crushing on young Mr. Sumner (now known as Sting). Notice the song references YOUNG TEACHER, which he was. Also, in the book Lolita (referenced in the lyrics) it's the girl who seduces the old dude.
I don't know but back in the day when I was in high school I was "aware" of one of my teachers but never went further than a little flirting. However, if Sting had been my English teacher?? 🙄🤔😏🤗
I can’t stand loosing you ,spirits in the material world ,wrapped around your finger and every breath you take are awesome police songs Please continue down this rabbit hole
Your guys’s reaction is cracking me up. I love it! It’s so real and kind of sweet. We didn’t even bat an eye when it came out. We raised our eyebrows and giggled. We talked about that one kind-of-hot teacher on campus, shook our heads, and started laughing. Then we went to first period.
The first time I went to see this group with four of my friends at stage one in Buffalo NY. A radio station was promoting this concert. We we’re the only people there besides the workers. We sat down with the group after their first set and had some drinks. It was the best concert ever. They were so cool. It was amazing how full they sounded with three members!
I never felt like this song "romanticized" an inappropriate teacher/student relationship. More, spotlighted the awkwardness and level of inappropriateness. It's uncomfortable because it's supposed to be uncomfortable. Anyway, that's what I always got out of it.
The book by Nabokov is called "Lolita". Sting's job before becoming vocalist and bassist in The Police, was being an English Teacher. The song is about a teacher trying to rebuff the advances of a teenage girl though, rather than him coming on to her, or them being in a relationship. Even though he does not want her, due to her advances there is still gossip in the classroom, and accusations in the staff room. If you are going to do their 4th album next...the obvious choice is "Every little thing she does is magic"
Ya, it’s interesting how many reactions I see on UA-cam these days, mostly by individuals around your age, and a bit younger/older, mistake this song about the teacher pursuing a student when it is obviously the other way around. Those of us who heard the song when it was released decades ago, understood it. I was an adolescent girl at that time as well, and absolutely knew how bad girls could get. 😎
Sting, their uber-famous bassist/lead singer, was formerly a high school teacher. That's what informed this song. It was about him being uncomfortable with.....yet strongly drawn.....to a female student. He was young as a teacher; the years difference would have been small, but he's clearly aware of his responsibilities as a teacher in this student-teacher relationship. He was telling her "don't stand so close" to push her away...........even if he really didn't want to.
Unfortunately this is the world we live in now. Everybody getting hung up and misinterpreting the meaning of subject matter that at the time was not exactly foreseen 20 to 50 years later.
Funny how times change. I was in highschool in the mid 80s not long after this song came out. It was on the radio a lot. No one that I know of freaked out about it. I remember a student wrote the first line of the song on a chalk board in a class for some reason. No one cared. It's just a song. It didn't cause teachers and students to hook up in broom closets. People are so sensitive these days.
Great song and reaction...try "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" and "Walking on the Moon" and "When the World is Running Down You Make the Best of What's Still Around"...all awesome!
The Police were a great three man band. As Rush was with classic/progressive rock, The Police were to new wave/reggae rock. Stewart, Andy and Sting were so good together. ✌Peace ☮ ✌
I worked backstage security (a chick with a walkie-talkie, in my case.), for the Synchronicity Tour in LA @ Hollywood Park. I got to see the show side stage!! I was off when the Police hit the stage!! 🤘❤🎸🎶
@@MrSinnerBOFH There was a pretty obvious Police influence on the Signals album, especially "Digital Man", and the reggae version of "Working Man" they did on and off starting in the 80s was Police-influenced too.
Your interpretation is interesting. I've always interpreted the lyrics to say that the girl was interested, and the teacher was telling her no, even tho he was tempted. Sting was a schoolteacher before he was a rock star, so I'm sure he had some knowledge & experience on the subject. As a grown ass woman, I can say that had my teacher been Sting, I would have definitely stood too close to him 😍 However, I greatly respect your interpretation of the song & your acknowledgement of the innapropriate power dynamic. Peace!✌
The official video for this one is excellent! Also, Sting obviously used the phrasing from this for his repeated vocal on Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing"...."I want my MTV!"
So glad you are doing the Police Sting ( Gordon Sumner) was an English teacher. I think the song is about a girl who is into the teacher and she's being ridiculously obvious and gossip starts even in the staff room. I don't think he's encouraging it. He's telling her to not stand so close to him she's causing problems, for him especially. I don't remember anyone caring about the 'innuendos' of the song. My friends and I thought Sting was pretty hot back then and we'd have a crush on him too! Also we knew Sting had been a school teacher before his music career. We figured "Don't Stand So Close To Me " was autobiographical! Lol My favorite songs are "King of Pain" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" Their most famous, I think, is "Every Breath You Take"
When I was a teenager and this came out I knew the subject matter,knew this kinda stuff happen and feel the same way now at 50. It's a great song. Doesn't effect my feelings. I'll listen to it anytime.
The song is about the temptation, not the actual act. He’s saying “don’t stand so close to me” because it makes me weak in the knees. He’s flirting with the idea of something forbidden. But I don’t believe the song implies that he’s acted upon it. There was little to no outrage when this song came out in 1980. Definitely a different generation.
I do believe there is some inference in the fact there are accusations. He gave her a ride, something may have happened or it was all rumors. I guess that is the point. She wanted to, he is tempted, he held off. The question is did it happen or not.
My high school girlfriend used to think "Canary in a Coalmine" was "Canary in a Coma". Worse than that, I used to think the song "Panama" by Van Halen was "Cannonball".
Yeah... didn't that one girl's parents just kind of go, "how many rich rock stars are likely to want to sleep with our nubile teen daughter in this life?"
Or many other Police songs for that matter. Stalking, realizing the reason you can't get any help is everyone else being ins just as bad a situation as you, severe depression, committing suicide to guilt trip an ex through your suicide note, etc etc. They have a LOT of disconcerting / dark but very clever and well written subject matter.
Hey guys, love your channel. I would suggest “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” for your next Police track. It is pure joy. Stewart Copeland’s drumming is great as always, and has the greatest fill right near the end of the song. Cheers!!
Don't know why you guys are tripping on the subject matter. The protagonist is resisting temptation and telling the girl to back off. How is that a bad thing?
Some people see it the other way. That it is about the teacher trying to hide it. I can see how it can be interpreted either way. I see it as him not giving in to the temptation.
@@susanfinn3699 People can interpret it in any way that suits their fancy, but the fact is, there is no evidence in the lyrics that the teacher did anything wrong.
@@clintonsmith5163 sorry, it just sounded like you were discounting my comment. That's the problem with online comments vs speaking in person. Tone helps us understand what is said and its hard to convey tone online sometimes. Sorry for misinterpreting.
The chorus "Don't stand... don't stand so... don't stand so close to me" is the inspiration for Sting's lyrics in Money for Nothing: "I want... I want my... I want my MTV"
She's a kid though. She's playing, she doesn't really know what she's doing. In these kinds of dynamics (older authority figure and kid), it's always the adult's responsibility to set the boundary.
@@LeeBee-hs6mj She knows exactly what she's doing. All because people are considered kids nowadays until they're 26 doesn't make it so. A few generations ago people were getting married at 15.
@@leestewart72 actually most people don't stop growing and aren't fully mature until their 20s. Also the power dynamic is all out of whack. Like a boss having an affair with a subordinate, it causes no end of trouble. Imagine a teacher banging a student then marking their exam. Or being accused of giving them preferential treatment, or the opposite. There are good reasons why it's not allowed.
This is WHAT Sting's true singing voice sounds like. "Roxanne" was him using a (Reggae) inflection in his tone. Yes, there are SO MANY Police hits to listen to. I still seriously recommend, "Synchronicity II" next (the video is great, too). Now, if you guys want to hear an insanely darker version of the song you just listened to, PLEASE listen to/watch the video for The Police's "Don't Stand So Close To Me ('86)", a re-recording/reinterpretation of their 1980 classic, in 1986, that's, in some ways, even more powerful than this great, original version. And, again, please also listen to "King Of Pain", one of The Police's best songs and singles ever. Sting's lyrical poetry in that piece is sublimely Gothic.
Old fart here. There was a time when we actually had to read "Lolita" in English class in High School, and then have to write a paper analyzing it. Now you get through college without that? As Biden would say, "Cm'on man!"
I'm curious to know what kind of classics are considered standard in high school English these days. One of the books we read 30+ years ago was The Stranger by Camus. I wonder if that would be considered acceptable on a reading list today. Limiting books that students can read is very dangerous. People should be able to read things, learn how to think and learn how to discuss with others and that it's OK to agree or disagree.
@@BeautyIsMyLife We got, just top of mind, "War and Peace", "Huckleberry Finn", "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", "Treasure Island", "The Scarlet Pimpernel", "The Man in the Iron Mask", pretty much the entire Poe repertoire, "Moby Dick", "The Scarlett Letter", "A Connecticut Yankee in King Author's Court", "The Gulag Archipeligo", "Farenheight 451", "1984", "The Old Man and the Sea", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", "The Collector", and numerous others, all of which left me with a passion for reading. Both this small list (I left out "The Divine Comedy", not on the list, but I made it through the Cary translation before beginning college.) I also consumed a LOT of sci-fi and fantasy back in the day. I know I am omitting many great works that made me want to read, but in "K-courses" (meaning advanced at our school), this is a sample of what we read. EDIT: I suspect I graduated about a decade before you, my high school matriculation was 1978.
@@BeautyIsMyLife We had the opposite at my school; we had the boring books by famous authors. My first Ray Bradbury book was "Dandelion Wine", and I found it so dull and insufferably twee I didn't re-visit Bradbury for years. Then I read "Fahrenheit 451" and was furious my teachers didn't open with that one instead.
You guys had it a little wrong - the teacher was trying to withstand the pursuit of a student. He kept telling her not to stand so close to him. Plenty of hints in the song - you guys heard what you wanted to hear I guess.
I saw the Police in 1983 for the Synchronicity tour at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Stevie Ray Vaughan opened followed by Peter Tosh and then the Talking Heads. They played MTV in between sets with Martha Quinn hosting live. Peter Tosh drove in from center field to the stage standing through the sun roof of a stretch limo while smoking a spliff the size of a pepperoni. Epic
Like the others have said, the girl was pursuing the teacher, not the other way about. Good-looking, young male teachers got that a lot from their pupils. And that's what this song is about. A teacher pursued by his pupils. He is the one saying "Don't stand so close," or "Leave me alone." He's not in a relationship with her, and he doesn't want to be. Next? Synchronicity 2 - they actually understand what synchronicity is, and it's a great song. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, The Bed's Too Big Without You. And then there's Sting on his own. What a vibe!
The Police are definitely one of my all time favorite bands! Stewart Copeland is so great on drums 🥁 Sting writes such killer songs and his vocals are unique. + Andy plays amazing guitar 🎸. Great reaction guys! Please do more Police reactions! So many great albums and songs!
Sting taught English and music at St. Catherine's Convent School. Sting later said of working at the convent school, "I was the only man on the faculty". I would imagine a few of the girls had crushes and that his time there inspired the song.
You got it. That was the ART. You responded and talked the whole thing through PUBLICLY! Yes, Nabokov is the key to the theme. They named the syndrome itself after his character, Lolita. Your entire video is performance art, executed PERFECTLY! Coming to the end of your REACTION was a transcendental moment for You & Us across the generations. Across TIME. No other art form does this. WOW
@John of Drones it is an interesting take on how times have changed. Lola, by the Kinks, was probably more scandalous when it was released, but now this song seems to be the one that is out of step.
This is about a teacher trying to gently brush off the advances of a pupil. He is telling her to not stand so close to him... i.e. go away, I'm not interested. I get the impression that although he is flattered, he doesn't appreciate the awkwardness he is being made to feel.
I was in grade 11 when this song came out. I think a lot of our male teachers at our high school and the senior girls were very confused and us guys were watching for any interplays that were occurring in class. Putting all on high alert for any song parallels. Thanks Police for making everyone pull at the collar a little. I had the tape in my car and it always turned the heat up a notch.
Sting WAS an English teacher in Britain before he became famous. That’s why he referenced Navakov, and is pretty much written from his own experience/imagination.
EDIT: Our response after reading many comments.
We understand the girl was painted as the ‘aggressor’ in the narrative and that the teacher wasn’t actively pursuing anything, his role was doing his very best to resist temptation, our main issue/quarrel with its depiction was idea that his ability to effectively set the boundary as an adult is somehow dependent on the girl acting appropriately. The issue with this perception is that it inadvertently suggests the power/control is actually in the hands of the girl, and that even if he does succumb to temptation or is flirting with the idea of it then the student is equally to blame if not more so, and that was our main deal with it.
After reading many of your comments yesterday we understand it wasn’t them romanticizing as much as it was painting a picture of the concept and bringing it to light where it can spark dialogue and is overall an art form, witty, and very catchy. I’ll be listening to this song with a clear head as I enjoy it greatly though I wanted to clear up our perspective so everybody and their mother can stop saying ‘The girl was coming on to him...!’
Synchronicity 2 is the obvious choise if you wanna hear what they are capable of.
De do do do, De da da da is fantastic!!
I've always been partial to 'Wrapped around your Finger'. The first time I heard it I was in the middle of reading 'The Dragonlance Chronicles'. That song seems to fit the character of Raistlin in those books. I know, it's a strange reason, but I always get the feels when I hear it. *edit* I also wanted to mention that for your next song, I'd suggest the 5th album instead of the 4th. You really can't go wrong with any song off of Synchronicity.
Wrapped Around Your Finger should be next!
Driven to tears...
I've always read the song as she's definitely into him and he's not blind to her charms, but is like "No, back off, this ain't happening." He's tempted, but hasn't acted, yet everyone assumes he has.
You HAVE to do "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic."
Totally agree
That would be a great choice. Ghost in the Machine is probably my favorite album of theirs. I do like the bass and the drumming a bit better in Spirits in the Material World, personally.
I agree with your interpretation
That's how the video went too. Teacher was very uncomfortable.
He was a teacher, so....
The book reference is "Lolita"
Also: Sting was a teacher before this.
Correct!
Came to say same. Nabakov wrote "Lolita." I suspect they need to look up the book reference, too, and they should as it adds layers to the song.
I was going to mention it, but you already did.
And I can imagine that half of girls fall in love with him. (look at any photo of young Sting, or Feyd-Rautha from David Lynch Dune)
Sting also wrote "I've been watching you."
The song isn't about the TEACHER pursuing the student - but, the other way around. The teacher gets nervous around her - even to the point of shaking and coughing. She was aggressively pursuing him. It's really interesting how many people, probably due to the political social climate over the past decade or two, don't think that women can be the aggressive ones. Back when I was a performer, I got into a short relationship with a woman and broke it off when she was too obsessive. She stalked me from 1990 until 2013. NO JOKE! She found out where I lived, phone #, who I was with - EVERYTHING!
And this isn’t their only song about obsession. “Every Breath You Take” was written about a stalker.
I had a stalker woman from college find my phone and address. I never told her where I lived. Another woman found me after i moved, giving no forwarding address. My fiance answered the door one day, and there the girl was. 😁🤣😂Women can be aggressive, for sure
@@allisonreed7682 Yes! And Sting was talking about how it was completely misinterpreted - people making it their Prom Theme, Wedding Song, etc! LOL!
@@Frankincensedjb123 Exactly!!
@@Axess-sv8nq yeah, it’s definitely not a love song 😆
Can we just take one second to appreciate the sheer genius of being able to rhyme Nabokov?
Guys you do realize Gordon Sumner AKA Sting was a young schoolteacher . It is dark for that reason.
yes !!!
The song isn't trying to romanticize an inappropriate teacher/student relationship, it's about a teacher AVOIDING the temptation. The temptation is there, but he's not taking a bite of the apple, hence "don't stand so close to me".
If he was really resisting, he wouldn't have picked her up at the bus stop. I don't care if it was raining.
Karen S - So is leaving her standing in the cold while it’s raining the right thing to do? Especially if she saw him in his warm & dry car? 🤷🏽♂️
@@cirenosnor5768 yep, it definitely is the right thing to do. Being cold and wet is not likely to cause her any real harm. These days, any teacher who lets any student of any age or sex into their car is all kinds of a fool. Not to mention, breaking specific rules of their employment in most cases. "Don't stand so close to me" but join me here in the intimacy of my warm, cozy car.
Did you hear their initial take on it? That it's "don't stand close to me, or people will figure it out."
Sting was a teacher before The Police blew up...
Sting was a high school literature teacher before the police. This song could be also taken as the student is pursuing him and he is desperately trying to resist that temptation.
A&A definitely got it backwards.
Good to know!!
Uhhhhh, I’m guessing it’s based on a true story... it’s Sting... young.... as a teacher. Duhhhhh......
That's how I always interpreted it.
The video makes it clearer
“Driven To Tears”
“When The World Is Running Down”
Back to back songs off Zenyatta Mondatta and two straight bangers.
Yes, those songs must go together.
+1,000 thumbs up
Yes! Those 2 songs back to back!
YES! I agree. "Driven To Tears" transitions into "When the World...". The whole album is good. You gotta' play these 2 songs! Together!! You gotta' !!!
Don't forget DRIVEN TO TEARS! Stewart Copeland just kills on the drums!
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic is my second favorite Police tune.
Mine too.
It's an S-tier song
Back when this song came out, there was no "me too" movement, and it was kind of cool to fantasize and romanticize that a young teacher would be interested in a you as a student. It was different times for sure.
@@longhaullulu4814 Oh, it definitely happened. I knew a girl in high school in the 80s who got knocked up by the band director.
@@longhaullulu4814 It was a very different climate back then. Songs like this were just kind of accepted without much question. It does seem a little shocking now.
“Walking on the Moon”
Best base line EVER!
Just for laughs, a good follow-up song to this one would be "Tempted" by Squeeze (and a good intro to Squeeze, a wonderful band)
I thought the exact same thing.
Great song!
Truth!
Huge fan of Squeeze! I’d love to see their take on them!
One of my favorite bands ever! I could list a dozen Squeeze songs I would love A&A to do, but I'm realistic.
I don't think it is a song that shows his "preferences" for young women. With Sting once being a teacher, he said that it was not unusual for a female student to have crushes on instructors. Sting said he was happy to leave teaching.
When my cousin taught 8th grade girls often had crushes on him. It's a thing.
Especially for a teacher who looks like Sting
@@michaelconnors8525 There is such a chasm between a girl having a crush and an adult male raping such a student -- and it was the latter which Sting said in 1993 was what he was writing about - see my comments elsewhere on the thread.
They should of really reviewed this a bit.
@@jonsher7682 Sting often went for the dark side, even if it didn't reflect his real experiences.
If you're doing The Police, you have to hit "synchronicity ii" at some point.
GREAT song.
A must, I think
Without a doubt. When they get to album 5, that is the song to do - good choice.
Oh, hell yes. That is an amazing song. Saw them live at Shea Stadium for that tour. Joan Jett opened for them, but the first band on the bill, opening for Joan Jett, was an obscure, newly signed band from Georgia called REM! It poured down with rain for the entire show and no-one cared. The Police were amazing, and Synchronicity II was a highlight.
You guys should definitely do that, but honestly, there are a ton of great compositions and performances to choose from that you could probably just randomly pick any song.
Stewart Copeland beats the drums like they owe him Money
Check out "Spirits in the Material World" from Ghost in the Machine album. (actually every song on that album)
Great tune. Bass drum playing on 2 & 4 during the verses makes it very unique
One of my favorite Police songs!
Great choice
True. Deserves a full album reaction.
My second 45 single I ever owned was "Spirits in the Material World". Almost wore it out listening to it. : )
"Every Little Thing She Does" would be great. Also love "King of Pain."
Ok, you guys were just off on this one. As a teen I had several "crushes" on pretty female teachers. Those teachers would've never followed through with that sort of thing. That's what this song is about - a female student having a crush on her male teacher, and that teacher making sure he isn't tempted by her.
"Just like the old man in that book by Nabokov". Great line he's referring to the book Lolita. Reportedly Nabokov was Becker/Fagen's favorite author. Guitar tone was mutt Telecaster into clean Marshall with heavy echoplex. Set the way for U2's Edge.
Pretty sure you mean Electric Mistress, a key flanger to Andy Summers' tone. I have a Longamp Roxanne meant to be a convincing knockoff. It's a really distinctive flanging tone, very different from say the VH 'Atomic Punk' or the Pretenders flanger tones.
@@airwindows No I meant echoplex. From an old GP magazine interview with Summers. I don't really hear flange but not denying it.
One of the great lines for sure.
Nabokov was Russian, but wrote in English. His books were not translations.
There's not a chorus effect on the guitar?
Fun fact: The chorus for Don't Stand So Close to Me was lifted to do I Want my MTV on Dire Straits Money for Nothing. And they even had Sting sing that line in the song.
I want my
I want my
I want my MTV.
@@lisakaz35 lol
Sting eventually received co-writing credit for the song
Didn’t know that. That’s kinda cool....
I still remember the Police doing those Mtv ads back in the day...
I feel like it's more that the teacher is trying to avoid the relationship.
That was always my impression, too.
Yes that is what I thought.
Always my interpretation as well..
@Bella Bella it happened a lot back in the day. I know of several teachers who were rumored to be engaging in inappropriate relationships with students. That doesn't mean that it happened but like the song says the accusations fly.
That's exactly what the song meant.
"King of Pain" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" are the ultimate Police songs. They both are perfect for setting an environment with sound.
When he says 'Don't stand so close to me'.. its not because he doesn't want them to get caught.. it's because he doesn't want her near him, he doesn't want to deal with her advances nor the temptation that comes with it.
Always thought the song was about the teacher resisting, not romanticizing an actual dalliance. I think Sting was probably writing about schools girls be flirty with him when he was a teacher and pointing out having to ask them to back off because teachers have to resist that kind of temptation.
Synchronicity II needs to be next, but don't miss Every Breath You Take, which is another super-catchy tune with really dark lyrics.
Agreed! Synchronicity II also has a great lyric by Sting. The tune has a drive but is also moody. The Police were deceptively simple! And live, they would often improvise and extend these tunes. One of the greats. Thanks guys for giving them a listen.
This song came out when I was in junior high school. The way I interpreted it was that the girl was attracted to the teacher, but the teacher was not interested in her, and that's why he was saying, "Don't stand so close to me." It was a way of pushing her away. Maybe he is tempted, but nothing about the song says he actually succumbed.
Me as well. I was almost 14 when this was released. But I never saw any of my male school teachers in that way, so I couldn't relate to the lyrics at all...
She's driving him nuts.
Guy's yes it's touchy but it happens all the time in high school. Many male teachers have to deal with girls who want to be the teachers pet. I will also say if an artist is afraid to push the boundaries a bit then they probably are not artists. The Police had no fear in doing so. They enjoyed discussing controversy in their music.
Vladimur Nabokov wrote LOLITA. That is the novel Sting is referencing.
Lolita is great lit. The writing is sublime.
If you want to know how insanely hip The Police were: they were hitting the top 40 with reggae beats supporting literary references, in the middle of one of the most musically vapid decades in rock history.
It's a true story:
Sting was an English teacher & there were 15 year old girls that were into him. The song was about him resisting temptation.
You'll like "Synchronicity II"
I like "The Police" but I really have countless "Sting" solo work I love.
Nope. Sting was interviewed in 1993 by The Independent and he said that the song was about a teacher (not him) who rapes a student in the back of his car but blames his conduct on her "seduction." Rather than be graphic in the lyrics, Sting instead referred to the "book by Nabakov" -- Lolita -- in which a young man marries a divorced women to gain acccess to her 12-year-old daughter, whom he repeatedly rapes, all while justifying in his own mind his conduct by asserting that this young girl seduced him (the facts of the story show precisely the opposite).
@@jonsher7682 "I wanted to write a song about sexuality in the classroom,” the rocker explained in the 1981 book L'Historia Bandido. Sting then admitted his previous profession influenced the song. “I'd done teaching practice at secondary schools and been through the business of having 15-year-old girls fancying me - and me really fancying them! How I kept my hands off them I don't know.” Still, the singer has made it clear on multiple occasions that he remained completely professional while teaching. "I never had a relationship with any of my pupils - I wouldn't want to,” he declared to Q in 1993
A literary reference would provide further inspiration for “Don’t Stand So Close to Me.” “Then there was my love for Lolita, which I think is a brilliant novel,” the singer noted. “That opened the gates, and out it came: the teacher, the open page, the virgin, the rape in the car, getting the sack, Nabakov, all that."
Sting further explained in a 1993 interview with The Independent that "this idea of a teacher, a Humbert Humbert character, appealed to me because I'd been a teacher before the Police.
Read More: Is the Police’s ‘Don’t Stand So Close to Me’ Autobiographical? | ultimateclassicrock.com/police-dont-stand-so-close-to-me/?
@@jonsher7682 wrong
What part of: “DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME” don’t you understand as being negative? She’s apparently very cute and coming on to him-and he’s saying “STOP IT!”
You’ve got it backwards. The teacher wasn’t pursuing the student, it was the young Lolita student pursuing him. Lolita is the book by Nabokov he references.
It's wrong to label the victim in the novel as the pursuer. Lolita was a precocious 12 year old, but Humbert was the instigator/pursuer. He even called himself an animal with ape hands.
The Police - Invisible Sun still relevant almost 35 years later
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.....will blow your minds.
The song is definitely about a teacher who is really trying to resist the flirting approaches of a young student, but he's afraid he may not be able to hold out.
Of course it is. There's never been any question about it...until now that is. Why do people insist on making easy things complex.
Go Pack!!!!! Off topic but had to!
Walking on the Moon
From what I've watched of you guys - you would like Stewart Copeland playing killer drums & Stings range in: "Synchronicity II"!
Totally agree. Start them on the more mainstream stuff.
Both Syncronicities in fact: Synchronicity I and Synchronicity II. Because II is a bigger, moodier story, but I is SO INTENSE and they like bangers: on every level SyncI is a brutal relentless banger. The tempo is insane, the playing is fierce, the lyrics are seriously highbrow and food for much thought. And then SII is just as intense, but in a storytelling, moodsetting way. I remember seeing Rick Beato analyse the chords of SII and the Police were up to some BONKERS stuff there, so advanced the guys might not entirely register it.
THIS!
Yes, love that song!! My favorite by Police.
Completely agree! Killer song!
Stewart Copeland...one of the most Underrated drummers of all time. Technically superb!!
Andy Summers had such a distinct sound as a guitarist. So underrated!
Sting used to be an English Teacher. This might have been based on that experience.
I'd hope not.
@@loosilunot in a creepy way, but more like teen girls crushing on young Mr. Sumner (now known as Sting). Notice the song references YOUNG TEACHER, which he was.
Also, in the book Lolita (referenced in the lyrics) it's the girl who seduces the old dude.
I don't know but back in the day when I was in high school I was "aware" of one of my teachers but never went further than a little flirting. However, if Sting had been my English teacher?? 🙄🤔😏🤗
Who could blame a HS girl for being hot for Sting?
Sting was HOT! 😍
Walking On The Moon or King of Pain. You’ll love the high hat work on WOTM, so good!
I can’t stand loosing you ,spirits in the material world ,wrapped around your finger and every breath you take are awesome police songs
Please continue down this rabbit hole
Stuart Copeland is vastly underrated as a drummer. One of the all time greats.
Your guys’s reaction is cracking me up. I love it! It’s so real and kind of sweet. We didn’t even bat an eye when it came out. We raised our eyebrows and giggled. We talked about that one kind-of-hot teacher on campus, shook our heads, and started laughing. Then we went to first period.
"That book by Nabokuv" is the infamous Lolita. And Sting used to be a teacher of course...
One of the most incredible works of fiction in the 20th century.
Sting was a high school English teacher. I think he observed stuff....
Everything She Does Is Magic by the Police is a MUST!
The POLICE- "Spirits in the Material World" From their 4th album," Ghost in the Machine"
Yes!
"I can't stand losing you" is the Obvious song to react to. It has their early days Punk influence, and it Rocks. Cheers from the Past!
Great song!
This is high on my list of favorite songs. The later albums refined. But this song really has its punky roots in order
The first time I went to see this group with four of my friends at stage one in Buffalo NY. A radio station was promoting this concert. We we’re the only people there besides the workers. We sat down with the group after their first set and had some drinks. It was the best concert ever. They were so cool. It was amazing how full they sounded with three members!
I remember when this song came out one of the NYC DJ's called it the BAD BREATH song. LOL
Walking on the moon should definitely be next. Also a new suggestion, Down Under by Men At Work, great song.
“Spirits In The Material World”
I never felt like this song "romanticized" an inappropriate teacher/student relationship.
More, spotlighted the awkwardness and level of inappropriateness. It's uncomfortable because it's supposed to be uncomfortable.
Anyway, that's what I always got out of it.
Of course, Van Halen addressed the same subject in "Hot for Teacher."
Interesting how when it's boys Hot For Teacher, it applauded. But when the girl is... Both songs are still really good.
Sting taught for two years,English, music, and soccer at St. Catherine's Convent School.
The book by Nabokov is called "Lolita". Sting's job before becoming vocalist and bassist in The Police, was being an English Teacher. The song is about a teacher trying to rebuff the advances of a teenage girl though, rather than him coming on to her, or them being in a relationship. Even though he does not want her, due to her advances there is still gossip in the classroom, and accusations in the staff room. If you are going to do their 4th album next...the obvious choice is "Every little thing she does is magic"
No. "Spirits in the Material World"
Off that album I would have to say Omegaman or Demolition Man.
Quite.
Murder by Numbers
Ya, it’s interesting how many reactions I see on UA-cam these days, mostly by individuals around your age, and a bit younger/older, mistake this song about the teacher pursuing a student when it is obviously the other way around.
Those of us who heard the song when it was released decades ago, understood it. I was an adolescent girl at that time as well, and absolutely knew how bad girls could get. 😎
And uh, the teacher tried hard to avoid the girl. If you know that Sting was a teacher, it gives the song a lot more context.
"Canary in a Coal Mine" and "Man in a Suitcase"
Sting, their uber-famous bassist/lead singer, was formerly a high school teacher. That's what informed this song. It was about him being uncomfortable with.....yet strongly drawn.....to a female student. He was young as a teacher; the years difference would have been small, but he's clearly aware of his responsibilities as a teacher in this student-teacher relationship. He was telling her "don't stand so close" to push her away...........even if he really didn't want to.
When the world is running down you make the best of what's still around, great Police track
So Lonely is a must do. Great song!
Great, great tune! 💜
4 chords! Brilliant!
Don’t get why you’re so freaked by the song matter. He’s acknowledging, but resisting temptation. That’s what you should do.
people are hyper sensitive and jump to conclusions based on what they can be outraged by next. They look for it now.
Teacher student relationships are as old as Mankind. Nothing to be freaked out over.
Unfortunately this is the world we live in now. Everybody getting hung up and misinterpreting the meaning of subject matter that at the time was not exactly foreseen 20 to 50 years later.
Funny how times change. I was in highschool in the mid 80s not long after this song came out. It was on the radio a lot. No one that I know of freaked out about it. I remember a student wrote the first line of the song on a chalk board in a class for some reason. No one cared. It's just a song. It didn't cause teachers and students to hook up in broom closets. People are so sensitive these days.
@@bbb462cid Yet "Lola" didn't upset them.
Great song and reaction...try "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" and "Walking on the Moon" and "When the World is Running Down You Make the Best of What's Still Around"...all awesome!
The lyrics of this song remind me of their other hit "wrapped around my finger", which could easily be the next phase of this.... situation
My favorite Police song is Invisible Sun. It was well known but not one of their major hits.
The Police were a great three man band. As Rush was with classic/progressive rock, The Police were to new wave/reggae rock. Stewart, Andy and Sting were so good together. ✌Peace ☮ ✌
And, fun fact, Alex Lifeson from Rush was a big fan of The Police
Not so much new. Punk bands of the period played reggae as their relaxing/downtime music, so Police were fairly familiar with it.
I worked backstage security (a chick with a walkie-talkie, in my case.), for the Synchronicity Tour in LA @ Hollywood Park. I got to see the show side stage!! I was off when the Police hit the stage!!
🤘❤🎸🎶
Andy doesn't get enough credit. All three of them are amazing together,
@@MrSinnerBOFH There was a pretty obvious Police influence on the Signals album, especially "Digital Man", and the reggae version of "Working Man" they did on and off starting in the 80s was Police-influenced too.
Next: Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic. Great catchy tune & much brighter subject matter.
"Message In A Bottle" next if you want more Police.
Your interpretation is interesting. I've always interpreted the lyrics to say that the girl was interested, and the teacher was telling her no, even tho he was tempted. Sting was a schoolteacher before he was a rock star, so I'm sure he had some knowledge & experience on the subject.
As a grown ass woman, I can say that had my teacher been Sting, I would have definitely stood too close to him 😍 However, I greatly respect your interpretation of the song & your acknowledgement of the innapropriate power dynamic. Peace!✌
That's a valuable perspective!
BTW, what's an "ass woman"?
He was a teacher. Good looking. Girls flirted. He’s singing about his being in that position and resisting.
There was quite a bit of dank, dark songs from 60s-Now. The is to happen on it or looking it up. Have a great day Gentlmen! Andy & Alex
The official video for this one is excellent! Also, Sting obviously used the phrasing from this for his repeated vocal on Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing"...."I want my MTV!"
Great song in car stereo. In fact most of The Police songs lend themselves to good car driving experience. My fav:
'Walking On the Moon' .
So glad you are doing the Police
Sting ( Gordon Sumner) was an English teacher.
I think the song is about a girl who is into the teacher and she's being ridiculously obvious and gossip starts even in the staff room.
I don't think he's encouraging it. He's telling her to not stand so close to him she's causing problems, for him especially.
I don't remember anyone caring about the 'innuendos' of the song. My friends and I thought Sting was pretty hot back then and we'd have a crush on him too! Also we knew Sting had been a school teacher before his music career. We figured "Don't Stand So Close To Me " was autobiographical! Lol
My favorite songs are "King of Pain" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger"
Their most famous, I think, is "Every Breath You Take"
When I was a teenager and this came out I knew the subject matter,knew this kinda stuff happen and feel the same way now at 50. It's a great song. Doesn't effect my feelings. I'll listen to it anytime.
The song is about the temptation, not the actual act. He’s saying “don’t stand so close to me” because it makes me weak in the knees. He’s flirting with the idea of something forbidden. But I don’t believe the song implies that he’s acted upon it. There was little to no outrage when this song came out in 1980. Definitely a different generation.
Shifting cultural mores. A fascinating thing.
I do believe there is some inference in the fact there are accusations. He gave her a ride, something may have happened or it was all rumors.
I guess that is the point. She wanted to, he is tempted, he held off. The question is did it happen or not.
Great album. when you are doing a deep cuts stream, check out "Canary in a Coalmine" from this album.
My high school girlfriend used to think "Canary in a Coalmine" was "Canary in a Coma". Worse than that, I used to think the song "Panama" by Van Halen was "Cannonball".
If you're not comfortable with this, don't look up anything about Jimmy Page's relationships.
Yeah... didn't that one girl's parents just kind of go, "how many rich rock stars are likely to want to sleep with our nubile teen daughter in this life?"
No shit, or for that matter, just about every rock star from the 60s, 70s and 80s.
@@ChrisOliver4307 I think your take is probably a more accurate analysis!
Same goes for Bill Wyman.
Or many other Police songs for that matter. Stalking, realizing the reason you can't get any help is everyone else being ins just as bad a situation as you, severe depression, committing suicide to guilt trip an ex through your suicide note, etc etc. They have a LOT of disconcerting / dark but very clever and well written subject matter.
Hey guys, love your channel. I would suggest “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” for your next Police track. It is pure joy. Stewart Copeland’s drumming is great as always, and has the greatest fill right near the end of the song. Cheers!!
Listen to Synchronicity II. And King of Pain.
Don't know why you guys are tripping on the subject matter. The protagonist is resisting temptation and telling the girl to back off. How is that a bad thing?
Some people see it the other way. That it is about the teacher trying to hide it.
I can see how it can be interpreted either way.
I see it as him not giving in to the temptation.
@@susanfinn3699 People can interpret it in any way that suits their fancy, but the fact is, there is no evidence in the lyrics that the teacher did anything wrong.
Clinton Smith, wow, chill it's just a song. I was merely stating there are multiple ways to interpret the song.
@@susanfinn3699 I didn't realize that I needed to chill. I simply expressed my opinion, just as you did.
@@clintonsmith5163 sorry, it just sounded like you were discounting my comment. That's the problem with online comments vs speaking in person. Tone helps us understand what is said and its hard to convey tone online sometimes.
Sorry for misinterpreting.
Spirits in the Material World and/or Invisible Sun are amazing from their next album
The mantra for 2020. Fitting.
The chorus "Don't stand... don't stand so... don't stand so close to me" is the inspiration for Sting's lyrics in Money for Nothing: "I want... I want my... I want my MTV"
Walking on the moon. Its my fave!
I love this song. It's about a girl who stalks her teacher... She knows what she's doing. Anyway...great song great reaction!
She's a kid though. She's playing, she doesn't really know what she's doing. In these kinds of dynamics (older authority figure and kid), it's always the adult's responsibility to set the boundary.
@@LeeBee-hs6mj
She knows exactly what she's doing. All because people are considered kids nowadays until they're 26 doesn't make it so. A few generations ago people were getting married at 15.
@@leestewart72 actually most people don't stop growing and aren't fully mature until their 20s. Also the power dynamic is all out of whack. Like a boss having an affair with a subordinate, it causes no end of trouble. Imagine a teacher banging a student then marking their exam. Or being accused of giving them preferential treatment, or the opposite. There are good reasons why it's not allowed.
@@leestewart72 The prefrontal cortex isn’t fully developed at that age
"she knows what she's doing" 🙄
Check out "Invisible Sun" from Ghost In The Machine.
Good tune
Great song
This is WHAT Sting's true singing voice sounds like. "Roxanne" was him using a (Reggae) inflection in his tone. Yes, there are SO MANY Police hits to listen to. I still seriously recommend, "Synchronicity II" next (the video is great, too). Now, if you guys want to hear an insanely darker version of the song you just listened to, PLEASE listen to/watch the video for The Police's "Don't Stand So Close To Me ('86)", a re-recording/reinterpretation of their 1980 classic, in 1986, that's, in some ways, even more powerful than this great, original version. And, again, please also listen to "King Of Pain", one of The Police's best songs and singles ever. Sting's lyrical poetry in that piece is sublimely Gothic.
BRING ON THE NIGHT!! A great Police song.. it'll blow you away!!
The song is about a teacher who doesn’t want this girl to get too close to him because he wants her but doesn’t want to succumb to his desire for her.
Old fart here. There was a time when we actually had to read "Lolita" in English class in High School, and then have to write a paper analyzing it. Now you get through college without that? As Biden would say, "Cm'on man!"
I'm curious to know what kind of classics are considered standard in high school English these days. One of the books we read 30+ years ago was The Stranger by Camus. I wonder if that would be considered acceptable on a reading list today. Limiting books that students can read is very dangerous. People should be able to read things, learn how to think and learn how to discuss with others and that it's OK to agree or disagree.
@@BeautyIsMyLife We got, just top of mind, "War and Peace", "Huckleberry Finn", "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", "Treasure Island", "The Scarlet Pimpernel", "The Man in the Iron Mask", pretty much the entire Poe repertoire, "Moby Dick", "The Scarlett Letter", "A Connecticut Yankee in King Author's Court", "The Gulag Archipeligo", "Farenheight 451", "1984", "The Old Man and the Sea", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", "The Collector", and numerous others, all of which left me with a passion for reading. Both this small list (I left out "The Divine Comedy", not on the list, but I made it through the Cary translation before beginning college.) I also consumed a LOT of sci-fi and fantasy back in the day. I know I am omitting many great works that made me want to read, but in "K-courses" (meaning advanced at our school), this is a sample of what we read. EDIT: I suspect I graduated about a decade before you, my high school matriculation was 1978.
@@kendavis8046 "Brave New World"
@@BeautyIsMyLife We had the opposite at my school; we had the boring books by famous authors. My first Ray Bradbury book was "Dandelion Wine", and I found it so dull and insufferably twee I didn't re-visit Bradbury for years. Then I read "Fahrenheit 451" and was furious my teachers didn't open with that one instead.
Summers got a kind of timbre on his guitar you never hear anywhere else, totally killer player, his solo albums are great.
You guys had it a little wrong - the teacher was trying to withstand the pursuit of a student. He kept telling her not to stand so close to him. Plenty of hints in the song - you guys heard what you wanted to hear I guess.
I saw the Police in 1983 for the Synchronicity tour at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Stevie Ray Vaughan opened followed by Peter Tosh and then the Talking Heads. They played MTV in between sets with Martha Quinn hosting live. Peter Tosh drove in from center field to the stage standing through the sun roof of a stretch limo while smoking a spliff the size of a pepperoni. Epic
Like the others have said, the girl was pursuing the teacher, not the other way about. Good-looking, young male teachers got that a lot from their pupils. And that's what this song is about. A teacher pursued by his pupils. He is the one saying "Don't stand so close," or "Leave me alone." He's not in a relationship with her, and he doesn't want to be.
Next? Synchronicity 2 - they actually understand what synchronicity is, and it's a great song. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, The Bed's Too Big Without You. And then there's Sting on his own. What a vibe!
Best Police/Sting song: Every little thing she does is magic
Spirits in the Material World from Ghosts in the Machine (4th album), the apex of the Police.
You have got to check out Low Rider by War. Double dog dare ya to sit still when you listen to it. One of my all time favs.
Also Spill the Wine...dying for yins to react!!!
The Police are definitely one of my all time favorite bands! Stewart Copeland is so great on drums 🥁 Sting writes such killer songs and his vocals are unique. + Andy plays amazing guitar 🎸. Great reaction guys! Please do more Police reactions! So many great albums and songs!
Sting taught English and music at St. Catherine's Convent School. Sting later said of working at the convent school, "I was the only man on the faculty". I would imagine a few of the girls had crushes and that his time there inspired the song.
When you doin some Elvis Costello?
So agree!
You got it. That was the ART. You responded and talked the whole thing through PUBLICLY! Yes, Nabokov is the key to the theme. They named the syndrome itself after his character, Lolita. Your entire video is performance art, executed PERFECTLY! Coming to the end of your REACTION was a transcendental moment for You & Us across the generations. Across TIME. No other art form does this. WOW
@John of Drones it is an interesting take on how times have changed. Lola, by the Kinks, was probably more scandalous when it was released, but now this song seems to be the one that is out of step.
This is about a teacher trying to gently brush off the advances of a pupil. He is telling her to not stand so close to him... i.e. go away, I'm not interested. I get the impression that although he is flattered, he doesn't appreciate the awkwardness he is being made to feel.
I was in grade 11 when this song came out. I think a lot of our male teachers at our high school and the senior girls were very confused and us guys were watching for any interplays that were occurring in class. Putting all on high alert for any song parallels. Thanks Police for making everyone pull at the collar a little. I had the tape in my car and it always turned the heat up a notch.
Sting WAS an English teacher in Britain before he became famous. That’s why he referenced Navakov, and is pretty much written from his own experience/imagination.