A 1983 single by The Police, written by Sting, that pairs a repeated guitar riff with possessive lyrics often misread as a tender love song.
Composition
Sting wrote Every Breath You Take in 1982 in the aftermath of his separation from his first wife. The lyrics, depicting persistent watching of a former partner, were paired with a sparse Andy Summers guitar riff that anchors the track.
Reception
Released in May 1983, the song spent eight weeks at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 1984 ceremony.
Legacy
The song was sampled in Puff Daddy and Faith Evans’s 1997 single “I’ll Be Missing You,” which became a worldwide tribute to Christopher Wallace. Sting has noted publicly that he believes listeners often misinterpret the song’s tone.
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