THE POLICE - EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE

Estrena: 20 de maig de 1983

Llistes: EUA: #1 (8 setmanes)  Regne Unit: #1 (4 setmanes)

"Every Breath You Take" és una cançó inclosa a l'àlbum *Synchronicity* de 1983. Escrita per Sting, es va convertir en un èxit massiu, liderant la llista Billboard Hot 100 durant vuit setmanes (mentre que "Billie Jean" de Michael Jackson es mantenia al segon lloc durant set setmanes) i aconseguint un gran èxit a Canadà i al Regne Unit, on va romandre al número 1 durant quatre setmanes. La cançó va arribar al top 10 en molts països i va rebre tres nominacions als 26ens Premis Grammy, guanyant el premi a la Cançó de l'Any i a la Millor Interpretació Pop d'un Duo o Grup amb Veu.

"Every Breath You Take" sovint es malinterpreta com una cançó d'amor, tot i que en realitat tracta sobre l'obsessió i l'assetjament. Escrita per Sting després de separar-se de la seva primera esposa, Frances Tomelty, la cançó reflecteix sentiments de gelosia, vigilància i possessió. En una entrevista de 1983, Sting la va descriure com "bastant malvada", destacant el contrast entre el so melòdic i la lletra fosca sobre una figura possessiva que observa algú de prop. Va remarcar la ironia que la gent la utilitzés com a cançó de casament, mostrant-se divertit per la seva mala interpretació, especialment quan va veure Andy Gibb cantant-la en un context aparentment amorós, sense captar els matisos sinistres.

La lletra descriu un amant possessiu que controla obsessivament la seva parella, amb la frase recurrent "every breath you take; every move you make, i’ll be watching you" (cada respiració que facis; cada pas que facis, t’estaré vigilant). Sting va explicar que va idear la frase central de la cançó durant una inspiració a mitjanit, escrivint tota la peça en només mitja hora. Tot i que va descriure la melodia com a genèrica i semblant a moltes altres, va reconèixer que les paraules li donen un significat més profund i fosc. Inicialment, no es va adonar de com de sinistra era la cançó, ja que el seu so melòdic amaga la naturalesa obsessiva de les frases, fent-la semblar una cançó d'amor reconfortant.

Sting va compondre "Every Breath You Take" al mateix escriptori a Jamaica on Ian Fleming va escriure les seves novel·les de James Bond, reflectint la popularitat màxima de la banda, que sovint buscava llocs exòtics per facilitar el procés creatiu. En aquell moment, Sting exercia un major control creatiu, depenent menys dels seus companys de banda durant el procés de gravació.

La cançó va ser el primer senzill de “Synchronicity”, el cinquè i últim àlbum d'estudi de The Police. La gravació es va caracteritzar per les tensions personals importants entre els membres de la banda, especialment entre Sting i el bateria Stewart Copeland. El productor Hugh Padgham va assenyalar que, durant les sessions, els dos "es detestaven", cosa que va provocar enfrontaments verbals i fins i tot físics a l'estudi. Aquestes tensions gairebé van portar a la cancel·lació de les sessions de gravació, però una reunió entre la banda i el seu mànager, Miles Copeland (germà de Stewart), va acabar amb un acord per continuar treballant junts. Les tensions dins la banda indicaven que ja no podien col·laborar de manera efectiva.

"Every Breath You Take" compta amb un videoclip dirigit pel duo Godley & Creme, inspirat en el curtmetratge de 1944 "Jammin' the Blues" de Gjon Mili. Rodat en blanc i negre amb un toc de blau marí, el vídeo mostra la banda tocant en una sala de ball tènue, acompanyada per un pianista i una secció de cordes, mentre un home neteja una finestra del terra al sostre al darrere. Cal destacar que Sting toca el contrabaix en lloc del baix elèctric. El vídeo va guanyar el premi a la Millor Cinematografia als primers MTV Video Music Awards de 1983.

Puff Daddy va samplejar "Every Breath You Take" en el seu homenatge de 1997 al raper Notorious B.I.G., titulat "I'll Be Missing You". Sting no estava al corrent del sampler fins després del llançament de la cançó, però en va obtenir un benefici econòmic significatiu, fins al punt de dir que els guanys li van ajudar a pagar l'educació universitària dels seus fills. Quan la cançó original es combina amb la versió de Puff Daddy, que va estar 11 setmanes al número 1, les 19 setmanes totals fan que "Every Breath You Take" sigui la cançó amb més temps al número 1 del Billboard Hot 100.

THE POLICE - EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE

Released: May 20, 1983

Charts:  US: #1 (8 weeks)  UK: #1 (4 weeks)

"Every Breath You Take" is a song featured on the 1983 album “Synchronicity”. Written by Sting, it became a major hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for eight weeks (Michael Jackson's “Billie Jean” was #2, with a seven-week stay) and achieving significant success in Canada and the UK, where it remained at #1 for four weeks. The song reached the top 10 in many countries and received three nominations at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, winning for Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. 

"Every Breath You Take" is often misunderstood as a love song, despite its true theme of obsession and stalking. Written by Sting after separating from his first wife, Frances Tomelty, the song reflects feelings of jealousy, surveillance, and ownership. In a 1983 interview, Sting described it as "rather evil," highlighting the contrast between its melodic sound and its dark lyrics about a possessive figure watching someone closely. He noted the irony of people using it as a wedding song, expressing amusement at its misinterpretation, particularly when he saw Andy Gibb performing it in a seemingly loving context while missing the sinister undertones.

The lyrics depict a possessive lover who obsessively monitors their partner, with the recurring line, "every breath you take; every move you make, i’ll be watching you". Sting recounted that he came up with the song's central line during a midnight inspiration, composing the entire piece in just half an hour. While he described the tune as generic and reminiscent of many others, he acknowledged that the words provide a deeper and darker meaning. Initially, he did not recognize how sinister the song truly was, as its melodic sound masks the obsessive nature of its lyrics, making it appear like a comforting love song.

Sting composed "Every Breath You Take" at the same desk in Jamaica where Ian Fleming wrote his James Bond novels, reflecting the band's peak popularity as they often sought exotic locations for more effective songwriting. By this time, Sting was exerting greater creative control, relying less on his bandmates during the recording process. 

The song became the first single from “Synchronicity”, the Police's fifth and final studio album. The recording was marked by significant personal tensions among the band members, especially between Sting and drummer Stewart Copeland. Producer Hugh Padgham noted that by the time of the sessions, the two "hated each other," leading to frequent verbal and even physical confrontations in the studio. These tensions nearly resulted in the cancellation of the recording sessions, but a meeting involving the band and their manager, Miles Copeland (Stewart's brother), ultimately led to an agreement to continue working together. The tensions within the band indicated they could no longer collaborate effectively.

"Every Breath You Take" features a music video directed by the duo Godley & Creme, inspired by Gjon Mili's 1944 short film "Jammin' the Blues." Shot in black-and-white with a navy blue tint, the video showcases the band performing in a dimly lit ballroom, accompanied by a pianist and a string section, while a man washes the floor-to-ceiling window behind them. Notably, Sting plays the upright bass instead of the bass guitar. The video won the award for Best Cinematography at the first MTV Video Music Awards in 1983.

Puff Daddy sampled "Every Breath You Take" in his 1997 tribute to rapper Notorious B.I.G., titled "I'll Be Missing You." Sting was unaware of the sample until after the song's release, but he profited significantly from it, even stating that the earnings helped fund his children's college education. When combined with Puff Daddy's version, which spent 11 weeks at #1, the total of 19 weeks makes "Every Breath You Take" the longest-running #1 tune in the Billboard Hot 100.

 BEACH BOYS - SURFIN’ SAFARI

Released: June 4, 1962

Charts:  US: #14     

"Surfin' Safari" is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, and released as a single in June 1962 with "409" as the B-side. It peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also included on their album of the same name. 

The song is one of many early Beach Boys tracks centered on surfing, a popular theme that became their signature style, but Dennis Wilson was the only actual surfer in the band, though the others embraced the image for promotional purposes. The band was initially almost named "The Surfers" by their first record label.

"Surfin' Safari" was the Beach Boys' second single and their first release with Capitol Records. Their debut single, "Surfin'," had been issued on the independent Candix Records. Murry Wilson, the group's manager and father of Brian, Carl, and Dennis, sold the masters of "Surfin' Safari," "Lonely Sea," and "409" to Capitol for $100 each, along with a 2.5% royalty for the band. 

"Surfin' Safari" acts as a travelogue, naming popular surf spots like Huntington, Malibu, and Rincon in California, as well as Cerro Azul in Peru. The song was influenced by Chuck Berry's style of combining simple chord progressions with references to place names, as seen in "Back in the U.S.A." and "Sweet Little Sixteen." Surfer Jimmy Bowles, brother of Brian Wilson's girlfriend Judy Bowles, provided many of the surfing locations and terms featured in the lyrics, giving the song an authentic surf culture feel.

In the DVD “Brian Wilson Songwriter 1962 - 1969”, Mike Love credits Murry Wilson, father of Beach Boys members Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, with contributing to the distinctive treble-heavy guitar sound on "Surfin' Safari." When Brian left the control room to record his bass parts, Murry, who saw himself as a producer, would adjust the guitar settings to his preferred treble sound. Love believes this sharp, cutting guitar tone played a key role in helping "Surfin' Safari" become a commercial success.

SUZI QUATRO & CHRIS NORMAN - STUMBLIN’ IN

Estrena: novembre de 1978

Llistes: EUA: #4 Regne Unit: #41

"Stumblin' In" és un duet interpretat per Chris Norman de Smokie i Suzi Quatro. Inicialment llançada com a senzill independent, la cançó es va incloure més tard en algunes edicions de l'àlbum de Quatro “If You Knew Suzi...”. Aquesta cançó significa un canvi respecte a l'estil típic de hard rock de Quatro, ja que explora el tema de trobar l'amor de manera inesperada. Va esdevenir el major èxit als Estats Units per a ambdós artistes.

"Stumblin' In" va ser creada pel duo de compositors i productors Mike Chapman i Nicky Chinn, coneguts pels seus èxits amb Smokie i Suzi Quatro. Tot i que Smokie s'havia separat de Chapman i Chinn, la sort va fer que el 1978 Smokie rebés un premi a Düsseldorf, mentre Quatro estava gravant el seu àlbum “If You Knew Suzi...” a Colònia. Després de la cerimònia, Quatro i Chapman van assistir a una festa on es va tocar música. Chapman va interpretar un medley dels seus èxits, i més tard Quatro es va unir a Chris Norman a l'escenari. Inspirat per la seva química, Chapman va imaginar un duet entre els dos. L'endemà, va tenir la idea de la frase "our love is alive" i la va proposar a Quatro, que la va acceptar amb entusiasme.

"Stumblin' In" va marcar un punt d'inflexió significatiu per a Suzi Quatro i Chris Norman. En aquell moment, Quatro havia aconseguit nou èxits al Top 40 del Regne Unit, però encara no havia tingut èxit al mercat americà. De manera similar, Smokie havia tingut 11 èxits al Regne Unit, però només una cançó va arribar a les llistes americanes, "Living Next Door to Alice", que va assolir el número 25 el 1977. "Stumblin' In" va triomfar als Estats Units, convertint-se en el major èxit de Quatro, mentre que només va arribar al número 41 al Regne Unit. En una entrevista, Quatro va reflexionar sobre aquest fet, assenyalant que, malgrat formar part de l'escena del glam rock, aquell estil no va funcionar bé al mercat americà. Tot i tenir èxit radiofònic amb cançons com "All Shook Up" i "Can the Can", va ser aquest duet de country-rock el que finalment va tenir un impacte significatiu a Amèrica.

El remix fet pel DJ australià Cyril l'any 2023 es va convertir en una sensació viral a TikTok, captant l'atenció d'usuaris d'arreu del món, incloent-hi estrelles del futbol del Bayern de Munic que es van sumar a la tendència. Aquest ressorgiment va fer que la cançó tornés a les llistes de diversos països, incloent Àustria, Alemanya, Suïssa i el Regne Unit.

SUZI QUATRO & CHRIS NORMAN - STUMBLIN’ IN

Released: November 1978

Charts:  US: #4   UK: #41 

"Stumblin' In" is a duet performed by Chris Norman of Smokie and Suzi Quatro. Initially released as a standalone single, it was later included in some editions of Quatro's album “If You Knew Suzi...”. This song marks a shift from Quatro's typical hard rock style, as it explores the theme of unexpectedly finding love. It became the biggest hit in the United States for both artists.

"Stumblin' In" was crafted by the songwriting and production duo Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, known for their many hits with Smokie and Suzi Quatro. Although Smokie had parted ways with Chapman and Chinn, serendipity struck in 1978 when Smokie received an award in Dusseldorf while Quatro was recording her album “If You Knew Suzi…” in Cologne. After the award ceremony, Quatro and Chapman attended a party where music was played. Chapman performed a medley of his hits, and Quatro later joined Chris Norman on stage. Inspired by their chemistry, Chapman envisioned a duet featuring the two. He came up with the line "our love is alive" the following day and pitched the idea to Quatro, who embraced it. 

"Stumblin' In" marked a significant turning point for Suzi Quatro and Chris Norman. At the time, Quatro had enjoyed nine UK Top 40 hits but had yet to find success in the American market. Similarly, Smokie had 11 UK hits but only one U.S. hit, "Living Next Door to Alice," which peaked at #25 in 1977. However, "Stumblin' In" resonated in the U.S., becoming Quatro's biggest hit, while it only reached #41 in the UK. Quatro reflected on this in an interview, noting that although she was part of the glam rock scene, that style didn't translate well to the U.S. market. Despite having radio success with songs like "All Shook Up" and "Can the Can," it was this country-rock duet that finally made a significant impact in America.

Australian DJ Cyril's 2023 remix became a viral sensation on TikTok, capturing the attention of users worldwide, including Bayern Munich soccer stars who joined in on the trend. This resurgence propelled the song back into the charts across several countries, including Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the UK.

BEACH BOYS - HEROES AND VILLAINS

Released: July 24, 1967

Charts:  US: #12   UK: #8 

"Heroes and Villains" was an ambitious follow-up to "Good Vibrations," showcasing Brian Wilson's fragmentary writing style to an extreme. The song, part of the “Smiley Smile” album, remains a unique achievement in pop music for its disjointed yet innovative approach. Despite its challenges, it features impressive lyrical content and a diverse range of musical instruments, infused with a playful whimsy not always present in the Beach Boys' work. 

Written by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks, it was envisioned as a grand, Old West-themed musical comedy that would surpass the success of "Good Vibrations." Despite high expectations, the song didn't live up to its critical and commercial hopes but still became a hit, reaching number 12 in the US and number 8 in the UK. It was also the first single released by the Beach Boys' Brother Records label.

"Heroes and Villains" marked the first collaboration between Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks. When Wilson first shared the melody with Parks, Parks spontaneously created the opening line. The song was influenced by California's early history, incorporating references to Spanish and Native American themes. Initial versions of the song included elements inspired by the standard "You Are My Sunshine" and featured lyrics about farm animals ("Barnyard") and health ("I'm in Great Shape"). 

"Heroes and Villains" underwent at least 20 recording sessions over several months, as Wilson was meticulous about its production. Its creation was extraordinarily complex, with recording spanning almost the entire Smile sessions. Brian Wilson experimented with numerous versions of the track, some extending between six to eight minutes. Some sections, like "Cantina Scene" and "Bicycle Rider," were eventually dropped but were frequently included in live performances.

Brian Wilson delayed the release of "Heroes and Villains" for a month, waiting for what he believed was the astrologically right moment. On July 11, 1967, he and producer Terry Melcher personally delivered the vinyl to KHJ Radio. Despite Wilson’s excitement, the DJ initially refused to play it due to programming rules. After some intervention, the song was eventually aired, but the experience left Wilson deeply frustrated.

Filmmaker Peter Clifton created an early music video for "Heroes and Villains," featuring surfers and broadcast on the BBC's *Top of the Pops* on August 31, 1967. An official music video was shot at Brian Wilson's home and was scheduled to air on September 21. However, this official video was ultimately scrapped.

BEACH BOYS - FUN, FUN, FUN

Released: February 3, 1964

Charts:  US: #5 

"Fun, Fun, Fun" is a song from the album “Shut Down Volume 2”. Released as a single in February 1964, it was backed by "Why Do Fools Fall in Love." The song is a classic example of the "California myth" genre, which the Beach Boys helped define—songs that celebrated the carefree, sun-soaked lifestyle associated with California. 

"Fun, Fun, Fun" tells the story of a rebellious daughter who borrows her dad's Ford Thunderbird, claiming she's going to the library, but instead uses it to show off and race other drivers. When her father finds out, he takes the car away, but she gets the last laugh by running off with someone who admired her driving. 

Written by Brian Wilson with lyrics by Mike Love, the song's concept came from Love, who was more in tune with teenage culture. Love suggested writing about a girl cruising instead of studying, and also inspired the Chuck Berry-style guitar intro played by Carl Wilson. Originally, the song was credited solely to Brian Wilson due to issues with publishing rights managed by Murry Wilson, but songwriting credits were adjusted in the 1990s.

Mike Love clarified that there was no specific girl who inspired "Fun, Fun, Fun." He explained that the song was more of a generic story reflecting a common teenage experience. According to Love, most teens, after getting their driver's license, look forward to borrowing the family car to go cruising, sometimes using excuses like going to the library. 

There are two popular stories about the inspiration behind "Fun, Fun, Fun." One version involves a girl that Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson was dating. She was from a wealthy family in Palos Verdes, Los Angeles, and would tell her father that she needed his Ford Thunderbird to go to the library, but instead, she'd spend time with Dennis at his apartment. Dennis reportedly joked, "We'll have fun till her daddy takes the T'bird away," which became the hook for the song.

The second story involves Shirley Johnson England, whose father owned an Utah radio station, KNAK. Shirley claims that she borrowed her dad's Thunderbird and was caught after taking it to a drive-in instead of the library. The Beach Boys, who often made promotional appearances at the station, supposedly heard this story and wrote the song about her. Despite these claims, Mike Love has said that the song was more of a generic story reflecting typical teenage behavior rather than being based on any specific person.