Why Won't This Song Die?

It was on this date in 1983 that the Police hit the top of the charts with “Every Breath You Take”. It was the first single from the group’s album “Synchonicity”, which also topped the sales charts. The British group, starring lead singer Sting had been together since 1977. Synchonicity was their most successful-and last album together.

Now, I’m not surprised that “Every Breath You Take” made it to #1. What surprises me is that over a quarter-century later, that song is still a research monster! What that means is that in radio research, a hundred or so people at a time are herded into an auditorium and are then subjected to nearly a thousand song clips. They vote on each one. The songs you hear on the radio-especially stations like 94.9 WHOM—use these results to help determine which songs to play. After all, this is the essence of going to the consumer and determining which tunes are popular, which ones folks are sick of hearing-and those that come up unfamiliar. If over a thousand people say “I HATE THAT!”, we have a pretty good idea (geniuses that we all are) to perhaps avoid that song!

“Every Breath You Take” is hugely popular among women radio listeners, even after all these years. This strikes me as odd, since the lyrics of the song have a certain “stalker” quality about them. Lines like “I’ll be watching you” don’t outwardly make me think, “Wow, I’ll bet women want to hear THAT from a guy!” More likely that a restraining order is on the way.

Whatever—to each his own. I am a huge fan of the Police, but not of that song, which we still do play on 94.9 WHOM—because the collective “YOU” says you still love it.

And if you like the song, you’ll enjoy this video of the song performed live in Montreal the year it was a hit-1983:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rygpvh5bV4

Sting as STALKER? Maybe not, but I’ll dial 9-1-1 if you insist….
If you’d like my blog in your box, let me know: tim.moore@citcomm.com

I’ll be watching you….