Every Breath You Take
The Eighty Ballad Group Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you
Every single day
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you
Oh can't you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take
Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I'll be watching you
Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace
I dream at night I can only see your face
I look around but it's you I can't replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep crying baby, baby, please
Oh can't you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take
Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I'll be watching you
Every move you make
Every step you take
I'll be watching you
The lyrics to The Eighty Ballad Group's song, Every Breath You Take, can be interpreted in a variety of ways. However, most commonly it is perceived as a song about unrequited love or an unhealthy obsession, a fixation on someone who does not reciprocate the feelings. The song speaks of a possessive person who is monitoring their every move, whether it be day or night, and admits that they cannot get over the object of their affection, their poor heart aching with every step the person takes. They speak of the longing for the person's embrace, and their inability to replace them. The song is a powerful comparison of the singer's life before, when they felt they had control, and their life after, when they've lost control and became wholely reliant and fixated upon the other person.
The song was released in 1983 and became a worldwide hit, reaching number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts where it stayed for eight weeks. It was also number one in Canada, Australia and the UK.
The song was written by The Police front man, Sting, and was reportedly inspired by his divorce from his first wife.
Every Breath You Take is one of the most played songs on radio stations around the world and has enjoyed numerous cover versions over the years.
It is often used in movies and TV shows to denote obsession, stalking or romantic tension.
The song won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1984.
In 2019, Sting was sued by a music publishing company for a portion of the royalties from the song, claiming they owned a stake in the rights due to a previous agreement with Sting.
The song was initially titled "Every Breath You Take Is Poison" before it was changed to its current name.
The song was parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic in his 1984 song "I'll Be Mellow When I'm Dead."
It is a common first dance song at weddings, despite the dark lyrics.
The song appears on numerous Greatest Hits albums and has sold over 14 million copies worldwide.
Chords: G, D, Em, C.
Line by Line Meaning
Every breath you take
I am so fixated on you that I even notice when you inhale and exhale.
Every move you make
I am paying close attention to every action that you take.
Every bond you break
Even the slightest disconnect from our partnership doesn't go unnoticed.
Every step you take
Simply walking anywhere is enough for me to be fixated on your every movement.
I'll be watching you
I am convinced that no matter where you go, I will be there observing you.
Every single day
There is not a moment that goes by that I am not obsessively watching over you.
Every word you say
I am listening intently to every sound that escapes your lips, no matter how insignificant.
Every game you play
Even in your recreation, you are being observed closely by me.
Every night you stay
I know where you are and what you're doing even when you think you're alone.
Oh can't you see
Why can't you understand my all-consuming love is driving me to obsession?
You belong to me
I have convinced myself that you are mine to watch over and protect, no matter the cost.
How my poor heart aches
The pain of not being near you is too much to bear.
With every step you take
Even when you are distancing yourself, it is impossible for me to look away.
Every vow you break
You are not able to keep promises to me without it being a noticeable betrayal.
Every smile you fake
I see through your façade and know when you're putting on a show for others.
Every claim you stake
Your declarations of independence from me only serve to remind me of my own fixation on you.
Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace
When you're not near me, it's as if I am living without direction or purpose.
I dream at night I can only see your face
Even in my sleep, you are at the forefront of my mind.
I look around but it's you I can't replace
I know that no one else could ever take your place in my heart and mind.
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
Without you, I am incomplete and longing for physical contact with you.
I keep crying baby, baby, please
My uncontrollable desire for you brings me to tears, begging you to return to me.
Every move you make
I cannot stop myself from observing every detail of your life.
Every step you take
No matter how much you try to distance yourself from me, I will always be watching over you.
I'll be watching you
I will never stop my obsessive gaze, even if it means losing everything else in my life.
Contributed by Anna B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@alynesinc
Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you
Every single day
Every word you say
Every game you play
Every night you stay
I'll be watching you
Oh, can't you see
you belong to me
How my poor heart aches
with every step you take
Every move you make
Every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake
I'll be watching you
Since you've gone I've been lost without a trace
I dream at night, I can only see your face
I look around but it's you I can't replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep crying, "Baby, baby, please"
@woahwoahwalter
I danced with my girl in the woods to this song. It was a summer evening; the sun was going down. Everything was perfect. I will never forget that experience. She's beautiful.
EDIT: YES. I know that this song is about a stalker, I knew that long before we danced. 😂😂😂
We first kinda of bonded over Stranger Things… and so we kinda started talking about the Snowball, and slow dancing together as time went on…since Mike and Eleven danced to this song at the end of the season, we thought it would be romantic for us to do it as well… AND we’re both onto classic 80’s music like this too, so it just made sense.
Also, the likes are insane… Thank you all! ❤
@alberttjahjadi3124
Anyone watching in April 2024?
@Fokettos._.
Me :>
@ey3s0re_christ12
Right here with ya.✌️
@princessyunyun23
Me 5/4/24
@user-im9km7qs2i
Hello😊
@watcher171
One of the best song ever
@mrmajikjr
This is the kind of song a father dedicates to his son-in-law...
@OliverSalt
mrmajikjr hahaha
@boshjairdlee9682
Genius !
@mrmajikjr
@Andreas Petrikkos That parts to the daughter he lost, and if the son-in-law slips up... he'll be watching him.