Sting and the Police

Agent_matt · 23 Jun 2007 at 16:23

Saw it on TV the other day and then noticed today that the lyrics for 'Every Breath You Take' by Sting and the Police isn't infact about thinking about someone on their mind but is infact about stalking someone.

Just thought i'd share that

One More Solo · 23 Jun 2007 at 16:32

Nice one.

Dave · 23 Jun 2007 at 16:41

Thought it was pretty common knowledge?

Great song though, even if it is a little creepy

semi-pro waster · 23 Jun 2007 at 17:01

There are quite a few songs that become rather more interesting when you know what the 'hidden' meaning or inspiration is. Oddly enough I was thinking about this earlier on after listening to The Vapors - Turning Japanese.

One More Solo · 23 Jun 2007 at 17:26

Another great song for this sort of thing is U2 - Until the End of the World. Read between the lines like.

kdd · 23 Jun 2007 at 22:43

Well you can't say for certain that the song is about stalking, perhaps sting was trying to make a statement about the intensity of unrequited love.

SexyGreyFox · 24 Jun 2007 at 01:23

kdd said:
Well you can't say for certain that the song is about stalking, perhaps sting was trying to make a statement about the intensity of unrequited love.

Yes he can.
I knew when it was released it was about a stalker.

kdd · 24 Jun 2007 at 04:52

dmpoole said:
Yes he can.
I knew when it was released it was about a stalker.

Oh really lol
so you don't agree that poetry dealing with the subject of love is too vague and abstract in its meaning to be understood through a socially constructed concept such as stalking? As grotesque and as sensitive subject as it is, stalking is a term, a concept to try and communicate an ideal of a particular type of sociopathic behaviour. The lyrics to that song make no reference exactly to any physical action on the protagonists part, simply his longing for a lost love. It could be interpreted in any number of ways. Most of the police's songs hover around similar subject matter, yet all have a painful almost innocent quality to them that wouldn't be fairly treated by understanding them through criminal or sociopathic terms.
I used to be a big fan of the police is all...

Participant · 24 Jun 2007 at 09:37

Say what you want but if Sting himself said that it was about stalking then who / what are we to believe - the artists himself or your "artistic" license?

SexyGreyFox · 24 Jun 2007 at 09:49

kdd said:
Oh really lol
so you don't agree that poetry dealing with the subject of love is too vague and abstract in its meaning to be understood through a socially constructed concept such as stalking? As grotesque and as sensitive subject as it is, stalking is a term, a concept to try and communicate an ideal of a particular type of sociopathic behaviour. The lyrics to that song make no reference exactly to any physical action on the protagonists part, simply his longing for a lost love. It could be interpreted in any number of ways. Most of the police's songs hover around similar subject matter, yet all have a painful almost innocent quality to them that wouldn't be fairly treated by understanding them through criminal or sociopathic terms.
I used to be a big fan of the police is all...

You're talking complete and utter nonsense or should I say the journalist you cut and pasted from.
Sting is well known for writing lyrics that the listener thinks is one thing but really means another.
You can try this for starters -
http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&q="every+breath+you+take"+stalk&btnG=Search

or this http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/1996/07/07-05-96tdc/07-05-96darts-column-01.asp

kdd · 24 Jun 2007 at 16:50

dmpoole said:
You're talking complete and utter nonsense or should I say the journalist you cut and pasted from.
Sting is well known for writing lyrics that the listener thinks is one thing but really means another.
You can try this for starters -
http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&q="every+breath+you+take"+stalk&btnG=Search

or this http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/1996/07/07-05-96tdc/07-05-96darts-column-01.asp

Very flattered that you think i cut and pasted that, feel free to google the text... Like i said, you don't need to look at thins in a black/white way, lyrics like that can have multiple interpretations.
My main point is like i said in my post songs rarely have a fixed 'meaning' songs, like all words are just abstractions generally for people to project their own feelings/experiences onto.