Sting has enjoyed two successful careers, both as part of the Police, a successful rock band he co-founded, and as a solo career. His voice is iconic, but he’s also a very talented songwriter, writing these four massive rock hits by himself.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Every Breath You Take”
One of the Police’s biggest hits, “Every Breath You Take” came out in 1983. On Synchrocity, the record that would become their final album, “Every Breath You Take” became an eight-week No. 1 hit for the group.
“Every Breath You Take” begins with “Every breath you take / And every move you make / Every bond you break, every step you take / I’ll be watchin’ you / Every single day / And every word you say / Every game you play, every night you stay / I’ll be watchin’ you.“
In 2019, “Every Breath You Take” was named the most-played song in radio history.
“If I Ever Lose My Faith In You”
A chart-topping single for Sting, “If I Ever Lose My Faith In You” is on his fourth studio album, Ten Summoner’s Tales. It was released as a single in 1993.
Sting says the meaning of the song is ambiguous on purpose.
“‘You’ could be my producer,” he explains. “It could be faith in God, it could be faith in myself, or it could be faith in romantic love. It could be all of those things, I don’t define it. I think it’s important not to define it.”
“If I Ever Lose My Faith In You” says, “Some would say I was a lost man in a lost world / You could say I lost my faith in the people on TV / You could say I lost my belief in our politicians / They all seemed like game show hosts to me / If I ever lose my faith in you / There’d be nothing left for me to do.”
“Fields Of Gold”
“Fields Of Gold” is one of Sting’s most popular singles as a solo artist. Out in 1993, Sting drew inspiration for the song after purchasing a 16th-century home in Wiltshire, England.
The sweet song says, “See the west wind move like a lover so / Upon the fields of barley / Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth / Among the fields of gold.”
In 1996, Eva Cassidy released her own version of “Fields Of Gold”.
“Message In A Bottle”
On the Police’s sophomore Regatta de Blanc album is “Message In A Bottle”. “Message In A Bottle” is written from the perspective of someone who is stranded on a deserted island.
The song says, “Just a castaway, an island lost at sea, oh / Another lonely day with no one here but me, oh / More loneliness than any man could bear / Rescue me before I fall into despair, oh. I’ll send an SOS to the world / I’ll send an SOS to the world / I hope that someone gets my / I hope that someone gets my / I hope that someone gets my / Message in a bottle.”
“Message In A Bottle” remains among the Police’s most revered songs. Although, surprisingly, it did not do as well at radio in the United States. Still, it became the band’s first No. 1 single in the United Kingdom.
Photo by Phil Dent/Redferns
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