“Every Breath You Take” by the Police is one of those deceptive songs that has a meaning that’s different than what a superficial listening would lead you to believe. It sounds like a typical love song but when you pay attention to the lyrics you realize it’s about a stalker.
And this video makes that subtext overt.
Somebody took the original song and manipulated it with a computer so it’s in a minor key. And now it sounds like a song being sung by an obsessive stalker.
Phew! That’s creepy!
There are a lot of those out there-- I think I remember seeing a thread on this topic here once before.
For the other side of the coin, here’s REM’s “Losing My Religion” in a major key. It’s transformed from being a song of almost overwhelming existential angst and despair into a song about a guy who’s maybe a little confused about things, but you know in the end everything’s going to be aaaalright. The intro sounds a lot like “Shiny Happy People”.
I realized that “Every Breath You Take“ was about a stalker from the first time I heard it. And I heard it a lot when it was first released, it got some heavy airplay back in the days of radio.
But I only recently realized that “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” is sort of creepy stalkerish as well. I can’t discern if he’s in a relationship of sorts with the woman he’s obsessed with in that song.
Doesn’t really work IMO; it messes up the chord progressions to a jarring degree. For example there’s a I-II chord progression that depends on an unexpected major chord to build and resolve tension.
Yes it does sound a little creepy. Anything in a minor key sounds creepier to the western ear.
Interesting. I’ve always thought EBYT was rather downbeat and frankly, kind of dull. I won’t pretend I ever knew it was being sung from a stalker’s point of view(until I read about it) but it’s always sounded. . . off. I like the minor key version better but it doesn’t sound that much “darker” to me; just better.
I have similar feelings about LMR. Can’t really make that song sound joyful, imo.
On a side note, there’s another thread here positing that Midnight Oil lead singer Peter Garrett is the worst dancer in the business. I’d say Michael Stipe takes that (dis)honor.
Wow!
The top comment under the video by somebody named Mattchester:
“The major key version is what the stalker hears in his head. The minor key is how it sounds to everyone else.”
That nailed it.
That’s goooooood. This discussion is certainly going to add some enjoyment for me the next time I hear that song. Generally I just turn it off.
Is this a common thing for artists to record songs in different keys?
He’s definitely not in a relationship with her.
“I resolved to call her up a thousand times a day
And ask her if she’ll marry me in some old fashioned way
But my silent fears have gripped me long before I reach the phone
Long before my tongue has tripped me
Must I always be alone?”
I didn’t take it as stalkerish, more unrequited love.
BTW, are there ANY Police songs that aren’t creepy/depressing?
I always thought from the start that it was about an obsessively possessive boyfriend, rather than a stalker.
That’s why the original already has some strategically placed minor chords–it doesn’t need to be so blatant as this remake.
Walking on the Moon?
Major key Smells Like Teen Spirit is 100% a Weezer song.
Well there’s. . . um . . .Da Do Do. That’s peppy (and kind of dumb). That’s all I can think of at the moment.
This would seem to be the original recording, processed by a third party using software like Melodyne.
It’s pretty amazing what stuff like that can do!
Yeah, making a Police song sound disturbing isn’t exactly hitting one out of the park.
Not to me it doesn’t; I’ve always heard it as dark and brooding and a little menacing.
Maybe it helps that I’ve never known the song without also knowing the dark, artsy, noir-ish video for it.
I think anyone over a certain age saw that video in tandem with the time it was a big radio hit. I always viewed it as classic “moody, arty, HAMMY Sting”
And what young girl doesn’t want to look at Sting,boring tune, and repetitive lyrics aside. I guess I always heard it as less menacing and more broody and longing. Because who broods and longs more than the Police?
Yeah, I never understood the people who used it as their ‘song’ in weddings. Really? This version doesn’t work for me, though. Maybe if an actual musician re-did it in a minor key, it would work better. Or this one slowed down a bit. . . I dunno, it sounds off to me.
The intro, at least, sounds like a comedy show theme, like King of the Hill or Malcolm in the Middle.