I came across this video while looking for something to link to Dave Spector's commentary on Caroline Kennedy's, "undiplomatically frank", take on the Japanese annual dolphin hunt. (That sentence was a mouthful).
"The lyrics are the words of a sinister, controlling character, who is watching "every breath you take; every move you make".
I woke up in the middle of the night with that line in my head, sat down at the piano and had written it in half an hour. The tune itself is generic, an aggregate of hundreds of others, but the words are interesting. It sounds like a comforting love song. I didn't realize at the time how sinister it is. I think I was thinking of Big Brother, surveillance and control. —Sting
"Sting later said he was disconcerted by how many people think the song is more positive than it is. He insists it's about the obsession with a lost lover, and the jealousy and surveillance that follow. "One couple told me 'Oh we love that song; it was the main song played at our wedding!' I thought, 'Well, good luck.'" When asked why he appears angry in the music video Sting told BBC Radio 2, "I think the song is very, very sinister and ugly and people have actually misinterpreted it as being a gentle little love song, when it's quite the opposite."
19 comments:
Unless otherwise noted, a music video usually means open thread here. At least, that's true of me.
My recollection of the song was positive at first. Then, it evolved.
The thing is, even with her dumb-assed reset button at the start of her run and the "What difference, at this point, does it make?" brush off of getting one of her "good friends" ass-raped to death by towel heads that the Administration was apparently secretly supporting, Hillary really IS the Democratic A-team.
"At least, that's true of me."
Me, also.
I think everyone took it as a positive love song at the time.
As far as Police songs from Synchronicity, my favorite was "Murder by Numbers", which I believe wasn't available on the actual vinyl LP, but was available on the cassette tape version. It's one of my all-time favorite pick-me-up songs, and yes, I am interpretting it correctly.
Another all-time pic-me-up song (for me) is Pink Flyod's "One of These Days", which has only one line, heavily distorted:
One of these days I'm going to cut you into LEEEEETTLLLEE pieces
Music is a good way to work out frustrations in a way that doesn't involve strangling Oakland. (Let's see if anyone gets THAT reference. And we'll also see if I'm remembering the correct city.)
Icepick I think you are onto something.
"I woke up in the middle of the night with that line in my head"
The 3 am Hillary add.
I think most people took it that way too. _I_ did. The problem is that the song is just too lovingly done and the lyrics aren't really THAT sinister.
Once you know it's a stalker song, though, it all fits.
"It sounds like a comforting love song. I didn't realize at the time how sinister it is. I think I was thinking of Big Brother, surveillance and control."
Everybody says how wonderful Hillary is until you find out that the reason why nobody has anything negative to say about her is because they are scared, petrified of her.
The guy in the song just doesn't SOUND like an ex-lover who's devolved into a stalker. One of my friends went through that with a girlfriend about six years after the song came out. Man, he was a wreck by the time he hit the stalker phase.
Hillary's the stalking candidate.
Hillary is the geezer candidate.
Somebody has Hillary photoshoped as a rouge planet.
I don't know if they intended it as a positive or what. But it looks kind of disturbing.
Quebec firefighters are in the process of pulling up to 30 old people, burned, dead, out of that home in Quebec.
Street view Google shows 2-3 story fairly new and well kept up apartments in a pleasant suburban area, like you can find in many cities. Fire trap would not come to mind, looking at it.
In an interview Nancy Sinatra said These Boots Are Made For Walking was originally a lullaby. And the interviewer responded incredulously, " No way."
"Yesway." Answered Nancy Sinatra flatly. "I'd use the Teddy Bear to stomp the Ken doll and Angela would go fast to sleep. The bear had boots. And for a while there the kid wouldn't settle down until I sang the Bear stompy song." She said she tried and tried to get the song accepted as a lullaby but people rejected that and mistook the song for something fierce and aggressive and retributive when the song is actually just an improvised bedtime end to Teddy Bear Picnic.
Don't stand don't stand so don't stand so close to me.
Somebody give me a call when Sting starts performing with his back to the audience.
Lem I think you mean Caroline Kennedy.
If it was Jacqueline Kennedy I would be pretty freaking impressed since she has been dead for ten years.
Ha! You right troop. Ill fix it when i get home.
It all depends on the context, doesn't it?
If it's someone you want watching over you and protecting you, then it's romantic. Or comforting, like a parent watching over a small child.
If it's someone you'd rather went away then it's uber creepy.
Most songs and art and books that are really *good* have layers of meaning and alternative interpretations.
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