On This Day in 1983, The Police Were at No. 1 for the Final Time With One of the Most Misunderstood Songs of the Decade

On this day (June 4) in 1983, The Police started a four-week run at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart with “Every Breath You Take.” It was their fifth and final single to reach the top of the chart. It was also their first No. 1 in the United States, where it held the top spot for eight weeks. The song won a pair of Grammy Awards and, decades later, became the most-played song in radio history.

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More than a massive hit, “Every Breath You Take” also became the signature song of both Sting and The Police. It has been estimated that the song makes up roughly a third of Sting’s income from publishing rights. Over the years, it has been the soundtrack to many date nights, first dances at weddings, and other romantic occasions. This is because it is one of the most misunderstood songs of the 1980s.

Even Members of The Police Misinterpreted This Song

Despite the widespread belief that “Every Breath You Take” is a love song, it is much darker. The lyrics are about control, obsession, and stalking. Sting wrote the song for The Police’s final album, Synchronicity, after separating from his wife, Frances Tomelty.

“I think it’s a nasty little song, really rather evil,” Sting said of the hit. “It’s about jealousy and surveillance and ownership,” he added. However, he left the lyrics just vague enough that the song could be misunderstood. “I think the ambiguity is intrinsic in the song, however you treat it because the words are so sadistic,” he explained. “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.”

[RELATED: The Police’s Second No. 1 Hit in the United Kingdom Came From Sting Taking One “Stupid” Thing and Making It Dumber]

Drummer Stewart Copeland didn’t realize “Every Breath You Take” wasn’t a love song until after it was already a hit. “Sting was a master of bait and switch,” he said. “I was with him a couple of weeks ago doing a documentary about music, and I asked him, ‘Why didn’t you make “Every Breath You Take” a nice song that people could get married to? What’s the matter with you?’ and we laughed.”

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