The band reunited in January 2007 for a reunion tour that lasted until August 2008.
Biography
The Police formed in early 1977 in London by Stewart Copeland (drums), Gordon Sumner, better known as Sting (bass and lead vocals), and Henry Padovani (guitar). Andy Summers later joined the group, and after a very short stint as a quartet, Padovani left the band. The Police became one of the most popular bands in the late 70s and throughout the 80s.
The Police are notable as one of the first mainstream white pop groups to adopt reggae as a predominant musical form and to score major international hits with reggae-styled material. (The first all-white reggae band with permanent members and frequent recording in Europe was Peps Blodsband, lead by Peps Persson from south Sweden who changed from blues to reggae 1974/75). Although reggae was already very popular in the United Kingdom (due to the large number of Caribbean immigrants) and a number of Western European countries, reggae was little known in the United States and rejected by most black artists in U.S, and prior to the emergence of the Police only a handful of reggae songs had enjoyed any significant chart success. The Police, UB40, The Clash and Bob Marley (Jamaican, partly living in England after being shot in Jamaica, are considered with a number of new wave, rock and ska bands as one of the leaders of the Second British Invasion of the U.S.
The Police were strongly influenced by reggae (especially reggae drumming and base lines), jazz and, in the beginning, punk rock – something that came to be shifted more and more towards pop during the 80s. Their lyrics also changed from challenging, but yet somewhat politically restrained punk- and new wave lyrics, to after 1982 in some songs emphasize environmental awareness and human oneness. The biggest hits, however, had romantic or sexual themes. The Police met together with other "white" British bands which played reggae, as UB40, criticism from black English rastafarian reggae bands like Aswad (in a BBC documentary on TV) and Steel Pulse, for being accomplices in the music industry of "Babylon", stealing the Caribbean slave descendants' musical treasure. This criticism has later been withdrawn. Aswad has even made the covers of Police songs like "Roxanne".
Tension grew between the band members, because unlike most other bands, they did not share songwriting credits. They released their last album, Synchronicity, in 1983, selling over 8 million copies. Synchronicity is critically regarded as their best album, with hits such as Synchronicity II, King of Pain, and probably their best known song, Every Breath You Take. In 1984, after touring in support of Synchronicity, The Police went on hiatus while Sting pursued his acting and solo music careers. Two years later, The Police reformed and played a few concerts for Amnesty International. Soon after the band went into the studio. Sting wanted to re-record their old songs but Andy and Stewart wanted to leave the originals alone and only two songs were re-recorded during these studio sessions. Although the group is considered to have disbanded in 1984, 1986 was the last time The Police engaged in any musical activity.
In 1992 the band released "Message in a Box", their 4 CD box set, and performed at Sting's wedding to Trudie Styler. A live CD was released in June 1995. On March 10, 2003 The Police were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and performed Message in a Bottle, Roxanne and Every Breath You Take.
The Police reformed in 2007 and opened the Grammy award ceremony of that year with a performance of Roxanne. Towards the end of May the band began a world tour. In 2008 the tour ended at Madison Square Garden, New York on August 7, and The Police disbanded for good. Sting was quoted towards the end of the tour that he had achieved closure with the band and revealed that The Police would never tour or record again.
Sting has said that the material on the album Ghost in the Machine were inspired by the writings of Arthur Koestler, and that the Police's final studio album Synchronicity was influenced by the writings of Carl Jung. Sting also peppers his songs with literary allusions: the song "Don't Stand So Close to Me" mentions Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita; "Tea in the Sahara" alludes to the novel The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles; and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" refers both to the sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis, from Greek mythology, and to Mephistopheles, from the German legend of Faust .
Discography
* Outlandos d'Amour (1978)
* Reggatta de Blanc (1979)
* Zenyatta Mondatta (1980)
* Ghost in the Machine (1981)
* Synchronicity (1983)
Message In A Bottle
The Police Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Another lonely day, no one here but me, oh
More loneliness any man could bear
Rescue me before I fall into despair, oh
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
A year has passed since I wrote my note
I should have known this right from the start
Only hope can keep me together
Love can mend your life but love can break your heart
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Oh, message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Walked out this morning, don't believe what I saw
Hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone in being alone
Hundred billion castaways looking for a home
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, yeah
Message in a bottle, whoa
Message in a bottle, yeah
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
I'm sendin' out an SOS
I'm sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
Sendin' out an SOS
The Police's "Message in a Bottle" is a song that laments loneliness and the need for human connection. The singer is stranded on an island and feels completely isolated from the rest of the world, and even though he has sent out a plea for help, he doesn't know if anyone has received it. It seems as though nobody knows he exists, and he feels forgotten by the world outside of his island. The chorus of the song features the singer sending out an SOS to the world, as he hopes that someone will catch his message in a bottle and rescue him from his isolation.
The second verse of the song highlights the fact that a year has gone by since the singer has been stranded, indicating that his loneliness has been ongoing and sustained. He wonders if he had been naive in sending out his previous plea for help, as nobody has responded to him since he sent it. Despite this, he hopes that his message will still reach somebody and that they will be able to rescue him from his isolation.
The final verse of the song highlights the irony that even though the singer is completely alone, there are a hundred billion bottles that have washed up on the shore of his island. This emphasizes the fact that there are many other people in the world who feel just as lost and alone as he does, despite the fact that they are surrounded by other people. The song ultimately highlights the need for human connection and the fact that even though we may feel isolated, we are never truly alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Just a castaway, an island lost at sea, oh
I am stuck on an island with no escape
Another lonely day, no one here but me, oh
I am all by myself with nothing to do
More loneliness any man could bear
Being lonely is unbearable
Rescue me before I fall into despair, oh
Please help me, I am on the edge of hopelessness
I'll send an SOS to the world
I will call for help from anyone out there
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone hears my message
Message in a bottle, yeah
This message is written on a bottle
A year has passed since I wrote my note
It has been a long time since I sent this message
I should have known this right from the start
I regret doing this in the first place
Only hope can keep me together
I am holding on to hope to survive
Love can mend your life but love can break your heart
Love can save you or destroy you
Walked out this morning, don't believe what I saw
I saw something unbelievable this morning
Hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore
There are countless messages like mine washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone in being alone
I am not the only one who is lonely
Hundred billion castaways looking for a home
There are so many people out there who need help
Sendin' out an SOS
I am asking for help again and again
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Gordon Sumner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MysticRhythmsLive
Press "CC" button for Closed Captioning (Lyrics on Screen)
Just a castaway
An island lost at sea, oh
Another lonely day
With no one here but me, oh
More loneliness
Than any man could bear
Rescue me before I fall into despair,oh
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, oh
Message in a bottle
Oh, message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
A year has passed since I wrote my note
I should have known this right from the start
Only hope can keep me together
Love can mend your life
But love can break your heart
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
Walked out this morning
I don't believe what I saw
A hundred billion bottles
Washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone at being alone
A hundred billion castaways
Looking for a home
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS, c'mon
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Eeoh
Reynolds Horton Jr.
Diesel man mike
Amen brothers in pecussion. I love Copeland. Hes got some of the best rythmic sense Ive heard. Of course Neil Peart is on the top of the short list. Lets not be hasty &
forget the beast John Bonham's
tasty "Fool In the Rain" or how bout
the clever rhythm on "When the
Levee Breaks", "Traveling Riverside
Blues". Bill Ward from Black Sabbath.is good too. Im a professional drummer & I understand the work & ability
& practice to.play at that level.
Im good , not good as Copelsnd
or Peart. But drummers.likr them bring my game up . I strive to perform at their level though
mine is pretty good. All this is just
my humble opinion.
Thanks for reading my long winded reply.
CRAZYHORSE aka(ReyH)
MysticRhythmsLive
Press "CC" button for Closed Captioning (Lyrics on Screen)
Just a castaway
An island lost at sea, oh
Another lonely day
With no one here but me, oh
More loneliness
Than any man could bear
Rescue me before I fall into despair,oh
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle, oh
Message in a bottle
Oh, message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
A year has passed since I wrote my note
I should have known this right from the start
Only hope can keep me together
Love can mend your life
But love can break your heart
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
Walked out this morning
I don't believe what I saw
A hundred billion bottles
Washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone at being alone
A hundred billion castaways
Looking for a home
I'll send an SOS to the world
I'll send an SOS to the world
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
I hope that someone gets my
Message in a bottle
Message in a bottle
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS, c'mon
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Sending out an SOS
Eeoh
Hanna Barrick
Hello
Jésica Roja
Jh
Jésica Roja
Hhhh
Jésica Roja
Hhhh
Jésica Roja
H uyy
chizmo7
Stewart Copeland is a beast.
Sofia gallo
it's unbelieveable
Matt Jones
Yes he is.
BaBy RACC YT
Stewart’s snare sound is iconic in the drumming world