"Every Breath You Take" by...

Feel the haunting presence of The Police's "Every Breath You Take." This massive 1983 hit blends New Wave sparseness with Soft Rock smoothness. Defined by its hypnotic guitar riff and Sting's seemingly tender vocals, it's often perceived as a simple love song, yet holds a much darker underlying meaning.

Released in 1983 on The Police's chart-topping album Synchronicity, "Every Breath You Take" became one of the biggest songs of the decade worldwide. Penned by Sting, its distinctive sound combines Andy Summers' mesmerizing guitar arpeggio with Stewart Copeland's subtle drumming and Sting's restrained vocal delivery. This minimalist New Wave approach, coupled with a deceptively smooth Soft Rock sensibility, created a unique and atmospheric global hit.

"Every Breath You Take" dominated global charts and earned multiple Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year. Its sophisticated sound ensures its enduring popularity on radio and playlists. Despite its common use as a romantic "Love Song" at events like weddings, its surface beauty masks the much darker lyrical theme intended by its writer, making it one of rock's most famously misinterpreted classics.

SONG MEANING: Despite its beautiful melody often leading it to be mistaken for a tender love song, Sting wrote "Every Breath You Take" about possessiveness, control, and surveillance after a painful relationship's end. Lines like "Every move you make... every vow you break... every smile you fake... every claim you stake, I'll be watching you" depict an obsessive, sinister monitoring rather than romantic devotion, exploring the darker side of lost love and jealousy.