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cover for ‘Every Breath You Take – The Singles’

cover for ‘Every Breath You Take – The Classics’

* compilation *

Recorded: 1978-1986

Released: Oct. 27, 1986

Rating: 4.282 (average of 13 ratings)

Genre: new wave/ classic rock

Quotable: --

Album Tracks:

  1. Roxanne
  2. Can’t Stand Losing You
  3. Message in a Bottle
  4. Walking on the Moon
  5. Don’t Stand So Close to Me ‘86
  6. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da
  7. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
  8. Invisible Sun
  9. Spirits in the Material World
  10. Every Breath You Take
  11. King of Pain
  12. Wrapped Around Your Finger

Sales:

sales in U.S. only 5 million
sales in U.K. only - estimated 1.2 million
sales in all of Europe as determined by IFPI – click here to go to their site. --
sales worldwide - estimated 13.5 million

Peak:

peak on U.S. Billboard album chart 7
peak on U.K. album chart 1 2

Singles/Hit Songs:

  • Roxanne (4/78) #32 US, #12 UK
  • Can’t Stand Losing You (10/7/78) #2 UK
  • Message in a Bottle (9/22/79) #74 US, #1 UK
  • Walking on the Moon (12/1/79) #1 UK
  • Don’t Stand So Close to Me * (9/27/80) #10 US, #1 UK, #11 AR
  • De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (10/25/80) #10 US, #5 UK
  • Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (9/26/81) #3 US, #1 UK, #1 AR
  • Invisible Sun (9/26/81) #2 UK
  • Spirits in the Material World (12/5/81) #11 US, #12 UK, #7 AR
  • Every Breath You Take (5/28/83) #5 AC, #1 – 8 wks HT, #1 – 9 wks AR, #1 UK. Sales: ½ million. Airplay: 8 million
  • King of Pain (7/9/83) #33 AC, #3 HT, #1 – 5 wks AR, #17 UK
  • Wrapped Around Your Finger (7/9/83) #13 AC, #8 HT, #9 AR, #7 UK
  • Don’t Stand So Close to Me ‘86 (10/11/86) #46 US, #24 UK, #10 AR
* only on 1995 reissue

Notes: This collection was reissued in 1995 as Every Breath You Take – The Classics. It was given a new cover and added the original version of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” as well as keeping the ’86 remake. An unnecessary remix of “Message in a Bottle” was also added.

Awards:

Rated one of the top 1000 albums of all time by Dave’s Music Database. Click to learn more.

Every Breath You Take – The Singles/ (aka “The Classics”)
The Police
Review:
“Depending on whose report you believe, the Police recongregated in 1985 to either begin work on their sixth studio album or a greatest-hits collection that was to include all new, reworked versions of the hits. Neither ever materialized due to hostility between the members, and when all the trio could show for its work was an insipid remake of Don’t Stand So Close to Me, the Police decided to call it a day. So instead of following the original plan, A&M issued Every Breath You Take: The Singles, which included 11 original versions of their hits plus…[the aforementioned remake]…which prevents the collection from being definitive” (Prato).

“Although frontman/bassist Sting wrote practically all the material, Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland’s contributions leave no doubt that this was a three-man effort. Walking on the Moon features Summers’ reggae shadings and Copeland’s precise percussive nuances, and their instrumental prowess turns a nonsensical title such as De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da into a quirky pop nugget. As for Sting’s songwriting, most of it revolved around relationships and the different turns they take. Phases such as rapture (Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic), manipulation (Wrapped Around Your Finger, Every Breath You Take) and desperation (Can’t Stand Losing You) are all deftly touched on by Gordon Sumner” (CD Universe).

“The only criticism is the absence of other hits/videos/radio faves such as ‘Synchronicity II,’ ‘Demolition Man,’ and ‘So Lonely’” (Prato).

Review Source(s):

Related DMDB Links:

The Police’s DMDB page Sting’s DMDB page

Last updated March 31, 2008.