This song was huge when it came out and everyone was playing it at weddings. Sting found that disturbing because it isn't a love song, it's a song about obsession and stalking someone
He may have been focusing on writing a song about a stalker but he failed to realize the song COULD be about something else to. I'll never think of this song in THAT negative way.
@@angb6561 well, it's clear that they are no longer together and he's still watching her and says she belongs to him. It's hard to see how that's not creepy obsession. Plus there's the bit about the vows she breaks and the smiles she fakes. On one hand he's obsessed with her, and on the other hand he's saying she's a terrible person. That's right out of the stalker handbook: that he's obsessed with her, and yet he also blames her for what he sees as her wrongdoing. That's when women end up dead and it's her fault. If only she weren't that way. Etc.
Ultimate stalker song. Everyone thought it was a love song, even having it played as their wedding song. Finally Sting had to come out with… what song is written about. That is actually called “the bass”. It is larger than a cello. The cello also has a different range.
U2 formed in 1976 (First Album: Boy recorded 1980, First Single: 11 O'Clock Tick-Tock 1980). The police formed in 1977 (First Album: Reggatt de Blanc 1979, First Single: Outlandos d'Amour 1978)
@@Jus7aguy You are wrong. That "your" U2's single was even the third in a row. "Out of control"-1979, "Another day"-26 February 1980, "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" - 16 May 1980 The Police There is no such single as "Outlandos d'Amour" at all, it is only the title of their first album(1978). Their first single is "Fall out"-1977 Regatta de Blanc is their second album (1979).
@VictorPM1550 I was going to say the same thing. It's a shame some of those in the younger generation don't know how to identify some simple musical instruments. If it isn't on a computer game or their cell phones, they are lost for general everyday knowledge. No wonder today's music sucks.
@@williamhannam3870 No, the strings are different. Cellos are tuned in fifths, a double bass is tuned in fourths. Viola and cello use the same strings (cellos strings are an octave lower.)
Which probably looked good in the video but is not what is actaly played , on the recording Sting used a Fender and en electric double bass to double up those notes
In a 1983 interview with the New Musical Express, Sting explained: "I think it's a nasty little song, really rather evil. It's about jealousy and surveillance and ownership." Regarding the common misinterpretation of the song, he added: "I think the ambiguity is intrinsic in the song however you treat it because the words are so sadistic. On one level, it's a nice long song with the classic relative minor chords, and underneath there's this distasteful character talking about watching every move. I enjoy that ambiguity. I watched Andy Gibb singing it with some girl on TV a couple of weeks ago, very loving, and totally misinterpreting it. (Laughter) I could still hear the words, which aren't about love at all. I pissed myself laughing."
I never really liked this song, I always thought it was weird. But since I have learned to play the piano and my 2nd husband passed away it now has a whole new meaning to me and is actually a very beautiful song.
Sting wrote "Every Breath You Take" in 1982, and it was later included on the band's fifth and final album Synchronicity, released a year later. The song is considered to be both The Police's and Sting's signature song, and in 2010 was estimated to bring in between a quarter and a third of Sting's music publishing income. The song's demo was recorded in an eight-track suite in London's Utopia studios and featured Sting singing over a Hammond organ. Andy Summers, who played guitar for the band, was asked to put guitar onto a simple backing track, with Sting offering no directive beyond "make it your own." According to Summers: "I'd been making an album with Robert Fripp, and I was kind of experimenting with playing Bartok violin duets and had worked up a new riff. When Sting said 'go and make it your own', I went and stuck that lick on it, and immediately we knew we had something special." Unfortunately, the recording of the album Synchronicity was dogged with inflated egos and in-fighting, leading to each member laying down their parts in different rooms and overdubbing in the studio separately. Producer Hugh Padgham also claimed that Sting and Stuart Copeland, the amazing drummer/percussionist for the band, "hated each other", with verbal and physical fights occuring in the studio. According to Copeland: "In my humble opinion, (Every Breath You Take) is Sting's best song with the worst arrangement. I think Sting could have had any other group do this song and it would have been better than our version - except for Andy's brilliant guitar part. Basically, there's an utter lack of groove. It's a totally wasted opportunity for our band. Even though we made gazillions off of it, and it's the biggest hit we ever had." The Police were never going to exist once they’d reached a certain point. And that point was playing at Shea Stadium in 1983, where Sting felt it was the band’s “Everest”, deciding then to pursue a solo career. On stage, The Police kept it together, performing to thousands of adoring fans each night, right up until the Synchronicity tour was completed in Melbourne on 4th March 1984.
It’s an upright bass, you see it a lot in jazz type clubs. Though it looks almost identical to a cello they are two different instruments. It’s also used a lot in rockabilly, bluegrass, and folk along with some others. It’s sone of my favorite instruments to hear, along with the sax and a slow harmonica song.
The stalker song! 😂 Sting wrote this about his divorce from his first wife. Used to be a wedding song but even Sting said it’s about an unhealthy obsession. Try Don’t Stand So Close to Me ❤
At the time, I remember reading everywhere that it was about his ex girlfriend Francesca Annis. A very beautiful actress who is still performing today. My babysitter back in the day got her first Nanny job in London at the time: for Sting. It was the talk of the village.
Your journey through all this music is so awesome to watch. Seeing you fall in love with 'the good stuff' reafirms our love of it all! Love your channel...
Gawd, when I hear this song the strong pangs of nostalgia kick in, making me yearn for the neighhood, friends and family I grew up with during my jr and high school years. Such a classic!
The Police formed in 1977 and U2 formed in 1976. It took a while for both of them to become big names. Their history is close enough to each other that it is unlikely that one or the other directly influenced each other. They were both two of the biggest groups of their era. Sting stated that much of his inspiration came from Calypso and Reggae with Bob Marley being a key artist. Bono listed The Associates, The Clash and The Who as influences.
he's playing a contrabass or double bass, basically an acoustic bass. this an an electric basss are just like the difference between an acoustic or electric guitar. most of us bass players learned on something like this in school as this is the type of bass used in orchestral performances. these can be plucked, as Sting is doing here, or used with a bow... like a cello or violin. sometimes, if you want to get fancy, you can get a fretless electic bass, then use it with an ebow to get an electric bass to sound more like a contrabass. there are acoustic basses that look more like accoustic guitars, but they just don't have the deep resonance of one of these huge contrabasses.
This is such a great beat,and the voice of Sting is pure gold in this song. I don't care if it is about stalking,I love this song. Sting is playing the Standing Bass/double bass/or Bass Fiddle
I was a student intern when they performed at my school (Michigan) and it was an interesting experience; I also got to work concerts by Miles Davis, Al Jarreau, Michael Jackson, Rita Marley and Prince.
This was their biggest song they had. On September 27 The Police are releasing as 6 disc 50 song set. The set includes unreleased songs and alternate versions of songs
Watching the Police live on their Synchronicity tour was awesome. My 10 th grade English teacher used almost the entire album to teach us about poetry and symbolism in 1983. Mr Appleton rocked!!
The Police were an interesting bunch, they have said that they often clashed/fought during their time together. But their musical chemistry was phenomenal, with Sting writing most of their songs. When Sting left and went out on his own he began to explore so many of the influences that he was influenced by. Fields of Gold, Desert Rose, Englishman in New York and Roxanne are some of my favorites. Definitely check out more of the Police and Sting as it's truly a treasure trove for the ears.
The upright bass was the standard instrument for setting the beat in country music until it finally became acceptable to use drums. Drums were forbidden in the Grand Ol' Opry for a very long time.
I had this song on repeat and use to listen to it daily when I was young. Used to be played all the time here in Ireland on radio and tv. Grew up listening to the police and this has always been my fav. Still get goosebumps after all these years. Sting in my opinion was one of the very best vocalists of the 80s.
Basic meaning: I loved you , im watching what you do with others, watching what you say and how you screw others over so i can see what you really are. Its not stalking, its watching you do the crap you do and realizing . Awesome hit back in the day, still great music.
Ditto. I remember seeing them in Foxboro, MA on the same bill as A Flock of Seagulls and The Fixx in 1983. There are rumors Stewart Copeland (drummer) will be getting together with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson from Rush in the near future. Stewart had a ton of respect for Neil Peart and I think it would be great to see/hear him performing with Alex and Geddy.
I saw The Police live at Festival Hall in Melbourne it was electric live, so much energy the old wooden floor moved. 😂 Had 2 of their albums and also Andy Summers did an album with King Crimson. Early 80s. Sting brought out his first solo album around 1985 'Dream of the Blue Turtle' I bought that tape in London.😊. Loved all their music.
Sting is playing the standup bass, which can be plucked and functions (sounds) like and electric bass. You see it played like this in Jazz/Blues, or played with a bow (and some plucking) in an orchestra.
I've said this many times all music is interpreted based upon a persons life experiences. For this song which came out shortly after the birth of my 2nd child it hit home. Always checking and watching, even as they grow until they blossom into their own person. It's a heart breaking experience, but as a parent I'll always be there! Is it about love, divorce, or stalking sure, it just depends on whether your looking for positive or negative vibes. This is true of all music even classical.
Before the electric bass there was the upright bass. They are still mainstays in jazz and bluegrass. Check out some Stray Cats who were doing rockabilly in the 80s. They have made fretless electric basses that sound similar but there's nothing quite like the sound of an upright and many rockers have chosen to play them on certain songs to get that sound. Paul McCartney, one of the greatest bassists of all time, now owns the upright bass played on many Elvis Presley recordings.
My friend, love your reactions, and just to help you out, and pass on my knowledge to you. Sting is playing a traditional standing bass used in classic jazz, and symphonic pieces. Acello is played using a bow on the strings, and the musician iseated in a chair with the cello nestled between their legs. Also, a cello is much smaller than a standing bass. I just realized that I sound like a smart-assed nerd, but, really I'm only trying to increase your musical knowledge, and prevent you from making rookie mistakes. Thanks for the reaction.
Sting was playing an upright Bass. You should listen to a song from the same era from another three man band where are the lead singer played the bass. Rush was very influenced by the police, in particular Neil Peart was influenced by Stuart Copeland the drummer. The song The enemy from within has a very similar drumming style.
This was the first concert that I attended as a freshman in college, where we had to stand in line for tickets for over eight hours; even then our seats were behind the band with limited vision in the nosebleed section.
Now that you mention it I would say that the similarity I see with U2 is in the guitar sound. They are both three piece bands (Bono sings mainly and will sometimes play rhythm guitar) so it is basically drums, bass and one guitar when they played live. The guitar sound for both bands has an open airy quality to it with delay. With this song (Every Breath) the guitar sound is different than in their other songs - more prominent/heavy in my opinion and also uses a palm muting effect that was widely imitated/copied thereafter in the 80’s. Palm muting was used before this of course but in this song it is such big part of the sound of the song.
Fun fact: Sting has explained many times that this is not a love song. It was written in the context of stalking. "Is he playing the cello?" Sting is playing the upright bass in this song. I think the bass line in this song is what gives "U2 vibes." The U2 song With or Without you has a similar sounding baseline.
This song is the counterpoint to "Don't stand so close to me" [also a fantastic song by the Police] . If you follow Stings finger movements you can see where the baseline is coming from..
As you noted, the song's famous riff was sampled in Puff Daddy's 1997 number one tribute to The Notorious BIG, 'I'll Be Missing You', which was a massive international hit. However, despite only using Andy Summers' guitar riff rather than Sting's contribution, only Sting ever receives royalties. Andy Summers remarked: "And I mean, it’s very flattering. I guess everybody likes it. You can work yourself up into a fury about 'Why am I not getting paid for it?'." He added: "The Puff Daddy one was weird for me, because, I mean, what do you use with the guitar riff? He actually sampled my guitar, and that’s what he based his whole track on. Stewart’s not on it. Sting’s not on it. I’d be walking round Tower Records, and the f**king thing would be playing over and over. It was very bizarre while it lasted."
Sting himself has said, that this song was about the time when his first marriage ended, & he was in that dark place, we all have been when a relationship was over.......he later said, that when he looks back on it, it's very sinister, which was not his intention, but just how he was feeling in that moment.........
Hi Black Pegasus! It's Andrew Erroch fae Paisley in Scotland here. You should dive into more from The Police and I'm sure you won't be disappointed. There are so many brilliant songs from them for you to discover. Æ 🙏
I suggest you check out The Very Best of Sting & The Police. Many good songs on there!! One of my favorites is De Do Do Do De Da Da Da. Very fun song. 😊
I love Sting - with The Police or solo. This song sounds like a love song, but it's about an unhealthy obsession and stalking. Other songs by The Police are Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, Message in a Bottle, Roxanne, Spirits in the Material World, and Wrapped Around Your Finger. Some solo songs by Sting are Fortress Around Your Heart, Fragile, It's Probably Me (with Eric Clapton), Fields of Gold, Shape of My Heart, and my absolute favorite Desert Rose. There is also a great collaboration between Sting, Rod Stewart, and Bryan Adams on the song All for Love.
It’s probably because the song was written from the perspective of a stalker. Sting actually looks creepy to me in this video. So I totally understand why you feel that way about the song. I heard an interview with Sting where he said people come up to him and say that they played this song at their wedding and he’s puzzled by that. Me too…🤔
as of a couple years ago, this song was named by BMI as the most played song on radio. Not sure if it still holds the title, but it is certainly one of the biggest songs of all time.
This song was huge when it came out and everyone was playing it at weddings. Sting found that disturbing because it isn't a love song, it's a song about obsession and stalking someone
It's about a stalker!
He has gone back on it and said he doesn't want to Yuck anyone's Yum... people can enjoy it the way they want.
He may have been focusing on writing a song about a stalker but he failed to realize the song COULD be about something else to. I'll never think of this song in THAT negative way.
@@angb6561 well, it's clear that they are no longer together and he's still watching her and says she belongs to him. It's hard to see how that's not creepy obsession. Plus there's the bit about the vows she breaks and the smiles she fakes. On one hand he's obsessed with her, and on the other hand he's saying she's a terrible person. That's right out of the stalker handbook: that he's obsessed with her, and yet he also blames her for what he sees as her wrongdoing. That's when women end up dead and it's her fault. If only she weren't that way. Etc.
@@angb6561 I don't know how the lyrics could be interpreted any other way.
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, Message in a Bottle, Roxanne, Synchronicity 1 & 2
Fields of Gold
YEP ALL OF THESE!
Don't Stand So Close To Me
Yes!! All of these! You'll love Roxanne, lol.
@@kelleewolfe2834
"Rock Sand...
You don't have to put on the red light!"
Ultimate stalker song. Everyone thought it was a love song, even having it played as their wedding song. Finally Sting had to come out with… what song is written about. That is actually called “the bass”. It is larger than a cello. The cello also has a different range.
Sometimes even called a Double Bass
I've always heard itv as a stalker song
If everybody thought it was a love song then it's obviously not the "ultimate" stalker song. LOL.
Listen to the words... it's obviously a stalker
Yep that's a stand up bass.
Fields of Gold by Sting, one of the greatest records ever released.
Such a beautiful song.
I agree 👍👍 it's a very underrated song.
U2 was formed in Ireland in 1976 and The Police in England 1977,so they were contemporaries.
U2 was a kids band
Police was in their prime
U2 formed in 1976 (First Album: Boy recorded 1980, First Single: 11 O'Clock Tick-Tock 1980). The police formed in 1977 (First Album: Reggatt de Blanc 1979, First Single: Outlandos d'Amour 1978)
@@Jus7aguy You are wrong. That "your" U2's single was even the third in a row.
"Out of control"-1979,
"Another day"-26 February 1980,
"11 O'Clock Tick Tock" - 16 May 1980
The Police
There is no such single as "Outlandos d'Amour" at all, it is only the title of their first album(1978).
Their first single is "Fall out"-1977
Regatta de Blanc
is their second album (1979).
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, Message in a Bottle, Roxanne, Spirits in the Material World, and Wrapped Around Your Finger!!!!!!
"Is that a cello?" - no, that's a classic double bass! 🙂
@VictorPM1550 I was going to say the same thing. It's a shame some of those in the younger generation don't know how to identify some simple musical instruments. If it isn't on a computer game or their cell phones, they are lost for general everyday knowledge. No wonder today's music sucks.
A Double Bass is essentially a double-sized cello with a deeper sound.
@@williamhannam3870 No, the strings are different. Cellos are tuned in fifths, a double bass is tuned in fourths.
Viola and cello use the same strings (cellos strings are an octave lower.)
Which probably looked good in the video but is not what is actaly played , on the recording Sting used a Fender and en electric double bass to double up those notes
That got some smile to my face too as I do love classical music too...
At a recent concert he chuckled as he announced this as "the stalker's anthem."
It is chilling if you listen to every word. Stalker.
❤This was the biggest song of 1983 both here in the US and the UK. The Police are amazing musicians and Sting is a legend.
This song was popular with teenagers in the USSR in those years
In a 1983 interview with the New Musical Express, Sting explained: "I think it's a nasty little song, really rather evil. It's about jealousy and surveillance and ownership." Regarding the common misinterpretation of the song, he added: "I think the ambiguity is intrinsic in the song however you treat it because the words are so sadistic. On one level, it's a nice long song with the classic relative minor chords, and underneath there's this distasteful character talking about watching every move. I enjoy that ambiguity. I watched Andy Gibb singing it with some girl on TV a couple of weeks ago, very loving, and totally misinterpreting it. (Laughter) I could still hear the words, which aren't about love at all. I pissed myself laughing."
I never really liked this song, I always thought it was weird. But since I have learned to play the piano and my 2nd husband passed away it now has a whole new meaning to me and is actually a very beautiful song.
THE STALKER ANTHEM!!! Yes!
Every little thing she does is magic, Murder By Numbers, Message in a Bottle are all great tracks! Love your content friend ❤
Sting wrote "Every Breath You Take" in 1982, and it was later included on the band's fifth and final album Synchronicity, released a year later. The song is considered to be both The Police's and Sting's signature song, and in 2010 was estimated to bring in between a quarter and a third of Sting's music publishing income.
The song's demo was recorded in an eight-track suite in London's Utopia studios and featured Sting singing over a Hammond organ. Andy Summers, who played guitar for the band, was asked to put guitar onto a simple backing track, with Sting offering no directive beyond "make it your own." According to Summers: "I'd been making an album with Robert Fripp, and I was kind of experimenting with playing Bartok violin duets and had worked up a new riff. When Sting said 'go and make it your own', I went and stuck that lick on it, and immediately we knew we had something special."
Unfortunately, the recording of the album Synchronicity was dogged with inflated egos and in-fighting, leading to each member laying down their parts in different rooms and overdubbing in the studio separately. Producer Hugh Padgham also claimed that Sting and Stuart Copeland, the amazing drummer/percussionist for the band, "hated each other", with verbal and physical fights occuring in the studio.
According to Copeland: "In my humble opinion, (Every Breath You Take) is Sting's best song with the worst arrangement. I think Sting could have had any other group do this song and it would have been better than our version - except for Andy's brilliant guitar part. Basically, there's an utter lack of groove. It's a totally wasted opportunity for our band. Even though we made gazillions off of it, and it's the biggest hit we ever had."
The Police were never going to exist once they’d reached a certain point. And that point was playing at Shea Stadium in 1983, where Sting felt it was the band’s “Everest”, deciding then to pursue a solo career. On stage, The Police kept it together, performing to thousands of adoring fans each night, right up until the Synchronicity tour was completed in Melbourne on 4th March 1984.
I was at that Melb Concert it was electric! They all put their hearts and souls into that performance!
I just can't agree with your review.
Sting plays guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, piano, harmonica, saxophone and pan-flute. The instrument Sting is playing in this video is a upright bass.
Also plays the lute.
🌸 good for Sting for standing his ground!
Sting's first solo single, "Fortress Around Your Heart," is one of my all-time favorite love songs. What a songwriter!
Yes. That song is a personal favorite to me -- a banger.
Mine too! LOVE IT!
Fields of gold is my favorite
It’s an upright bass, you see it a lot in jazz type clubs. Though it looks almost identical to a cello they are two different instruments. It’s also used a lot in rockabilly, bluegrass, and folk along with some others. It’s sone of my favorite instruments to hear, along with the sax and a slow harmonica song.
The stalker song! 😂 Sting wrote this about his divorce from his first wife. Used to be a wedding song but even Sting said it’s about an unhealthy obsession.
Try Don’t Stand So Close to Me ❤
"Don't Stand So Close To Me" was the Covid-19 anthem!
@tomroome4118 And also a underage girl /teacher relationship
@@tomroome4118more like a pedo anthem lol
@@tomroome4118 Oh fckin STOP!
At the time, I remember reading everywhere that it was about his ex girlfriend Francesca Annis. A very beautiful actress who is still performing today. My babysitter back in the day got her first Nanny job in London at the time: for Sting. It was the talk of the village.
I absolutely love this song.
Loved it then and still love it!
Your journey through all this music is so awesome to watch. Seeing you fall in love with 'the good stuff' reafirms our love of it all!
Love your channel...
Police GREAT band song AMAZING Sting the best vocalist......
Everything on this album is a classic.
Gawd, when I hear this song the strong pangs of nostalgia kick in, making me yearn for the neighhood, friends and family I grew up with during my jr and high school years. Such a classic!
The STALKER song!❤
The Police formed in 1977 and U2 formed in 1976. It took a while for both of them to become big names. Their history is close enough to each other that it is unlikely that one or the other directly influenced each other. They were both two of the biggest groups of their era. Sting stated that much of his inspiration came from Calypso and Reggae with Bob Marley being a key artist. Bono listed The Associates, The Clash and The Who as influences.
And two of the best albums of the 80s in Synchronicity and Joshua Tree. The difference is that the Police broke up when their frontman went bonkers.
@@HeavyTopspin "Joshua Tree" is great but I preferred U2's "War" album.
I didn't realize it when I grew up in the 70's, 80's and 90's but my god were we spoiled!
My favorite band of all time. The amount of good songs and great songs from The Police and Sting is amazing
The sound an energy is part of the zeitgeist of the time
Roxanne is the break out song for the police great song
he's playing a contrabass or double bass, basically an acoustic bass. this an an electric basss are just like the difference between an acoustic or electric guitar. most of us bass players learned on something like this in school as this is the type of bass used in orchestral performances. these can be plucked, as Sting is doing here, or used with a bow... like a cello or violin. sometimes, if you want to get fancy, you can get a fretless electic bass, then use it with an ebow to get an electric bass to sound more like a contrabass. there are acoustic basses that look more like accoustic guitars, but they just don't have the deep resonance of one of these huge contrabasses.
1 of the best song's ever written
This is my favorite band. Dig deep.
This is such a great beat,and the voice of Sting is pure gold in this song. I don't care if it is about stalking,I love this song.
Sting is playing the Standing Bass/double bass/or Bass Fiddle
So many fun high school memories with this one. My first band(1984ish) we covered a few POLICE songs.❤
I was a student intern when they performed at my school (Michigan) and it was an interesting experience; I also got to work concerts by Miles Davis, Al Jarreau, Michael Jackson, Rita Marley and Prince.
Awesome song. Love your reaction!
This was their biggest song they had. On September 27 The Police are releasing as 6 disc 50 song set. The set includes unreleased songs and alternate versions of songs
In an interview Sting said it's clear in the lyrics it's about a stalker and is horrified when couples tell him this was their wedding song.
Watching the Police live on their Synchronicity tour was awesome. My 10 th grade English teacher used almost the entire album to teach us about poetry and symbolism in 1983. Mr Appleton rocked!!
Murder by Numbers is an amazing song. Message in a Bottle is a treat. I saw him on his first solo tour and he ended with it. It was magical.
saw them live 5 times. the song is about stalking. I had such a huge crush on Sting!!
The Police were an interesting bunch, they have said that they often clashed/fought during their time together. But their musical chemistry was phenomenal, with Sting writing most of their songs. When Sting left and went out on his own he began to explore so many of the influences that he was influenced by. Fields of Gold, Desert Rose, Englishman in New York and Roxanne are some of my favorites. Definitely check out more of the Police and Sting as it's truly a treasure trove for the ears.
Wrapped around my finger ❤ another good one and a video
Love this freaking song!
Both were awesome
Love everything about this song. He is playing the bass. Don't see it anymore but it used to be in many country bands eons ago.
The upright bass was the standard instrument for setting the beat in country music until it finally became acceptable to use drums. Drums were forbidden in the Grand Ol' Opry for a very long time.
I had this song on repeat and use to listen to it daily when I was young. Used to be played all the time here in Ireland on radio and tv. Grew up listening to the police and this has always been my fav. Still get goosebumps after all these years. Sting in my opinion was one of the very best vocalists of the 80s.
Basic meaning: I loved you , im watching what you do with others, watching what you say and how you screw others over so i can see what you really are. Its not stalking, its watching you do the crap you do and realizing . Awesome hit back in the day, still great music.
I was obsessed with the Police back in the late 70’s and 80’s. My room was a shrine! Saw them a bunch in concert. Yeah they inspired me !
Ditto. I remember seeing them in Foxboro, MA on the same bill as A Flock of Seagulls and The Fixx in 1983. There are rumors Stewart Copeland (drummer) will be getting together with Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson from Rush in the near future. Stewart had a ton of respect for Neil Peart and I think it would be great to see/hear him performing with Alex and Geddy.
I saw The Police live at Festival Hall in Melbourne it was electric live, so much energy the old wooden floor moved. 😂 Had 2 of their albums and also Andy Summers did an album with King Crimson. Early 80s. Sting brought out his first solo album around 1985 'Dream of the Blue Turtle' I bought that tape in London.😊. Loved all their music.
Sting is playing the standup bass, which can be plucked and functions (sounds) like and electric bass. You see it played like this in Jazz/Blues, or played with a bow (and some plucking) in an orchestra.
this song was the bomb. OG
Sting is playing a bass - it’s considerably large than a cello with a deeper range
I've said this many times all music is interpreted based upon a persons life experiences. For this song which came out shortly after the birth of my 2nd child it hit home. Always checking and watching, even as they grow until they blossom into their own person. It's a heart breaking experience, but as a parent I'll always be there!
Is it about love, divorce, or stalking sure, it just depends on whether your looking for positive or negative vibes. This is true of all music even classical.
Good point!!!
I saw The Police in concert in Austin Texas way back in 1982. It was such a great concert!!!
In 1979 they played Austin on Halloween. I still have that promo poster they stapled to telephone poles all over town.
one of the greatest bridge/middle 8s in music..."since you've gone, I've been lost without a trace..."
Before the electric bass there was the upright bass. They are still mainstays in jazz and bluegrass. Check out some Stray Cats who were doing rockabilly in the 80s. They have made fretless electric basses that sound similar but there's nothing quite like the sound of an upright and many rockers have chosen to play them on certain songs to get that sound. Paul McCartney, one of the greatest bassists of all time, now owns the upright bass played on many Elvis Presley recordings.
I saw an interview with Sting and he said the song was "poison". He said it was a song about the government surveilling everyone and everything...
So happy for you BP, that you get to hear the original 👍 😊 I always enjoy your reactions. Viewer here from Trinidad
Someone has probably said this, but it’s a double bass - the predecessor of the bass guitar. Exactly the same tuning
I would highly recommend listening to Don’t Stand So Close to Me and Message in the Bottle. Great songs
My band since 1977 ❤🎶
Good on you for catching the sharp undertone on this one, it's pretty easy to miss if you aren't paying attention.
My friend, love your reactions, and just to help you out, and pass on my knowledge to you. Sting is playing a traditional standing bass used in classic jazz, and symphonic pieces. Acello is played using a bow on the strings, and the musician iseated in a chair with the cello nestled between their legs. Also, a cello is much smaller than a standing bass. I just realized that I sound like a smart-assed nerd, but, really I'm only trying to increase your musical knowledge, and prevent you from making rookie mistakes. Thanks for the reaction.
You hit the nail on the head Sting said it is about Divorce, exactly that so yeah very perceptive of you❤
I liked this from when I heard it years ago 👍
i always imagined this song played at the beginning of law and order s.v.u. leading into the show. and the song by bruce springsteen i'm on fire.
Stalker song. Great music worrying
words !
Sting was playing an upright Bass. You should listen to a song from the same era from another three man band where are the lead singer played the bass. Rush was very influenced by the police, in particular Neil Peart was influenced by Stuart Copeland the drummer. The song The enemy from within has a very similar drumming style.
This was the first concert that I attended as a freshman in college, where we had to stand in line for tickets for over eight hours; even then our seats were behind the band with limited vision in the nosebleed section.
"Is he playing the cello?" HA GA HA HA! (I REALLY laughed at that one!!!! GEEZ!
Two words - Timeless classic
One of the 2-3 biggest songs of the 80’s
Sting is playing an upright acoustic bass which can also be played with a bow. Nice reaction as always.
Classic Stalker song!!! Even Sting said its about obsession!!🎶🎼🎵🎸🎤🎹🎧🎙🥁🔥🔥🔥
Now that you mention it I would say that the similarity I see with U2 is in the guitar sound. They are both three piece bands (Bono sings mainly and will sometimes play rhythm guitar) so it is basically drums, bass and one guitar when they played live. The guitar sound for both bands has an open airy quality to it with delay. With this song (Every Breath) the guitar sound is different than in their other songs - more prominent/heavy in my opinion and also uses a palm muting effect that was widely imitated/copied thereafter in the 80’s. Palm muting was used before this of course but in this song it is such big part of the sound of the song.
Fun fact: Sting has explained many times that this is not a love song. It was written in the context of stalking.
"Is he playing the cello?" Sting is playing the upright bass in this song. I think the bass line in this song is what gives "U2 vibes." The U2 song With or Without you has a similar sounding baseline.
This song is the counterpoint to "Don't stand so close to me" [also a fantastic song by the Police] . If you follow Stings finger movements you can see where the baseline is coming from..
I love this
As you noted, the song's famous riff was sampled in Puff Daddy's 1997 number one tribute to The Notorious BIG, 'I'll Be Missing You', which was a massive international hit. However, despite only using Andy Summers' guitar riff rather than Sting's contribution, only Sting ever receives royalties.
Andy Summers remarked: "And I mean, it’s very flattering. I guess everybody likes it. You can work yourself up into a fury about 'Why am I not getting paid for it?'." He added: "The Puff Daddy one was weird for me, because, I mean, what do you use with the guitar riff? He actually sampled my guitar, and that’s what he based his whole track on. Stewart’s not on it. Sting’s not on it. I’d be walking round Tower Records, and the f**king thing would be playing over and over. It was very bizarre while it lasted."
Andy Summers had a great documentary Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police - worth a watch
BANGER 🔥🔥🔥❤️
masterpiece
Dang, we had the best music. 50s,60s,60s,80s.90s. Yep I'm freaking old
Sting himself has said, that this song was about the time when his first marriage ended, & he was in that dark place, we all have been when a relationship was over.......he later said, that when he looks back on it, it's very sinister, which was not his intention, but just how he was feeling in that moment.........
Hi Black Pegasus! It's Andrew Erroch fae Paisley in Scotland here. You should dive into more from The Police and I'm sure you won't be disappointed. There are so many brilliant songs from them for you to discover. Æ 🙏
Thought I could listen to this song but nope bad memories anyways I gave you a like cuz I love your reactions❤
One of THE songs of the 80's
I suggest you check out The Very Best of Sting & The Police. Many good songs on there!! One of my favorites is De Do Do Do De Da Da Da. Very fun song. 😊
❤police❤ police sting❤❤ de valor👑🤴👑🥺🥺🥺🥺 grupo 💯🙏 lenda viva lenda sem palavras 🤩.
I’ll be watching you … says it all
Yes, Sting and U2 have similar sound, I used to get them mixed up all the Time!
Double base … great sound
Don’t Stand So Close to Me,Roxanne,King of Pain. For Sting solo,Desert Rose,Fields of Gold.
@@elizabethfranco1284 I love King of Pain
Don't know why but Don't Stand might be my favorite Police song.
King of pain for me has lyrics you have to listen to……Dont stand…..story tellin done very well
Fields of Gold for me!
@@cw6587 Yes for solo Sting
This song was #1 for 12 weeks in a row back in the day!!! I believe it was back in 1984 if I am correct. I was in high school at the time.
I love Sting - with The Police or solo. This song sounds like a love song, but it's about an unhealthy obsession and stalking. Other songs by The Police are Every Little Thing She Does is Magic, Message in a Bottle, Roxanne, Spirits in the Material World, and Wrapped Around Your Finger. Some solo songs by Sting are Fortress Around Your Heart, Fragile, It's Probably Me (with Eric Clapton), Fields of Gold, Shape of My Heart, and my absolute favorite Desert Rose. There is also a great collaboration between Sting, Rod Stewart, and Bryan Adams on the song All for Love.
Yay! Another one I can cross off my list! 😁 This song always gave me major stalker vibes for some reason! 😆🤷♀️👀
Amen!
P
It’s probably because the song was written from the perspective of a stalker. Sting actually looks creepy to me in this video. So I totally understand why you feel that way about the song. I heard an interview with Sting where he said people come up to him and say that they played this song at their wedding and he’s puzzled by that. Me too…🤔
@@zoelo8149 Very interesting! I never knew that!
It is a stalker song, the whole album covers the story - from Murder By Numbers, to Can't Stand Losing You...even Every Little Thing....
as of a couple years ago, this song was named by BMI as the most played song on radio. Not sure if it still holds the title, but it is certainly one of the biggest songs of all time.