Every Breath You Take

[jancivil]

I tend to think that, back in the day I had to have this pointed out to me, hadn't occurred to me... but this came up over there at OT and it was suggested that sociopaths, looking at things differently than "normal people" might construe this normal love song wrong:

This is one of the most misinterpreted songs ever. It is about an obsessive stalker, but it sounds like a love song. Some people even used it as their wedding song. The Police frontman Sting wrote it after separating from his first wife, Frances Tomelty.

In a 1983 interview with the New Musical Express, Sting explained: "I think it's a nasty little song, really rather evil. It's about jealousy and surveillance and ownership." Regarding the common misinterpretation of the song, he added: "I think the ambiguity is intrinsic in the song however you treat it because the words are so sadistic. On one level, it's a nice long song with the classic relative minor chords, and underneath there's this distasteful character talking about watching every move. I enjoy that ambiguity. I watched Andy Gibb singing it with some girl on TV a couple of weeks ago, very loving, and totally misinterpreting it. (Laughter) I could still hear the words, which aren't about love at all. I pissed myself laughing."

just sayin'

[deastman]

Yes, I figured that out for myself (aren't I clever?) but not until long after it had faded from popularity. It is funny to think of people playing it at their wedding. Then again, I played Don't You Want Me? by Human League at mine.

[arkmabat]

Tom Delonge of Blink 182 tried to copy this style of songwriting in songs like Sirens and Breathe as heard on iEmpire:

I do this from time to time
Where I can never wake from a bad dream (from time to time)
I do this from time to time
When I can never say the things I mean (from time to time)
I do this from time to time
Where I like to watch you as you sleep (from time to time)
I do this from time to time
Where I like to think of you with me (from time to time)