THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

727-Police-Wrapped Around Your Finger.

1983-Number 7 single.

Best Bit-At 3.39. Sting uses some big words in this one, such as ‘Scylla, ‘Charybdes,’ ‘Mephistopheles,’ and ‘Alabaster,’ with that kind of knowledge he should have been a school teacher.

The Police (see also best songs 1020) were formed in London, England, in 1977, by Gordon Sumner, better known as ‘Sting,’ (bass guitar, lead and backing vocals, double bass, and keyboards) Stewart Copeland, (drums, percussion, and backing vocals) and Henry Padovani, (guitars) Andy Summers (guitars, backing vocals, and keyboards) would replace Padovani within six months of them forming, and that trio are recognised as the classic line up. The Police remained active through until they split in 1986, since then there has been a one off performance in 1992, and another in 2003, with a final re-union, for a world tour in 2007-2008, to mark the groups 30th anniversary.

With record sales in excess of 75 million sold worldwide, the Police are one of the best selling groups of all time.Their discography includes five studio Albums released between 1978-1983, and 26 singles issued between 1977-2000, there are also seven official compilation Albums, three box sets, and three live Albums available. In the UK the Police’s final four Albums all reached the Number 1 position, while in America their only Album to top the ‘Billboard 200’ Album chart was their final release ‘Synchronicity,’ in 1983. In the UK, 18 of their singles have reached the top 40, with five of them making the Number 1 spot, while in America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, they have had nine top 40 entries, with ‘Every Breath You Take,’ from 1983 reaching the Number 1 position.

‘Wrapped Around Your Finger’ was the second of five singles released from ‘Synchronicity,’ the fifth and final Album by the Police, from June 1983. ‘Synchronicity’ is the groups most critically acclaimed Album, and their best selling, with sales in excess of nine million worldwide. At the time of the Album’s release, and following the supporting tour, the Police’s popularity was at such a high that many were calling them the ‘biggest band in the world’ at that time. ‘Wrapped Around Your Finger’ which was one of the 11 tracks on ‘Synchronicity,’ (track 3-side 2) was written by Sting, with the production credited to the Police, and Hugh Pagdham, (see also best songs 741 and 603) who had also worked with the Police on their previous Album ‘Ghost in the Machine,’ from 1981.

‘Wrapped Around Your Finger,’ which peaked at Number 8 on the American Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, like other tracks on ‘Synchronicity,’ such as ‘Every Breath You Take,’ and ‘King of Pain,’ were loosely written by Sting about his own personal life experiences. Sting has described ‘Wrapped Around Your Finger’ as ‘A spiteful song about turning the tables on someone who had been in charge.’ Of the songs meaning Sting has said,’This song is vaguely alchemical, and probably about a friend of mine, a professional psychic and my tutor in tarot, with bits of ‘Doctor Faustus’ and ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ thrown into the pot for good measure.’ Sting would often at around that time use mythological, and literary references in his songs. In ‘Wrapped Around Your Finger,’ he includes ‘Scylla,’ and ‘Charybdis,’ who were mythical sea monsters from Greek mythology. The saying ‘Being between Scylla and Charybdis, is an idiom deriving from Greek mythology, which has been associated with the proverbial advice ‘to choose the lesser of two evils.’ The sayings between the devil and the deep blue sea,’ and ‘between a rock and a hard place,’ express similar meanings. Sting also sings ‘Mephistopheles is not your name,’Mephistopheles’ is another name for the devil.

‘Wrapped Around Your Finger’ is a song about being under the control of another person. For most of the song, the singer is under the control of the woman who dominates him, but by the end however, he figures her out, and turns the tables.

‘Devil and the deep blue sea behind me, vanish in the air you’ll never find me. I will turn your face to alabaster, when you’ll find your servant is your master. You’ll be wrapped around my finger.’