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 This criticism has later been withdrawn.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)
Re-Humanise Yourself
The Police Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
None of his friends know right from wrong
They kick a boy to death 'cause he don't belong
You've got to humanize yourself
A policeman put on his uniform
He'd like to have a gun just to keep him warm
Because violence here is a social norm
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
I work all day at the factory
I'm building a machine that's not for me
There must be a reason that I can't see
You've got to humanize yourself
Billy's joined the National Front
He always was a little runt
He's got his hand in the air with the other cunts
You've got to humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
I work all day at the factory
I'm building a machine that's not for me
There must be a reason that I can't see
You've got to humanize yourself
A policeman put on his uniform
He'd like to have a gun just to keep him warm
Because violence here is a social norm
You've got to humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
Re-humanize yourself
The Police's song "Rehumanize Yourself" is a call to action for individuals to become more empathetic and compassionate towards their fellow human beings. The lyrics describe various instances of societal violence and segregation, such as bullying and joining extremist groups, and encourage listeners to reject these behaviors and instead "humanize" themselves by treating others with kindness and understanding.
The opening lines set the scene for a group of young men who are not held accountable for their violent actions because they are not taught the difference between right and wrong. The singer then shifts focus to a police officer who wishes he had a gun for protection, emphasizing the pervasive nature of violence in society. The chorus repeats the call to "re-humanize yourself," urging individuals to reject violence and embrace their humanity.
In the second verse, the singer describes working at a factory building a machine that is not for them, highlighting the sense of alienation and disconnection that can lead people to become violent or join extremist groups. The final lines of the verse, "There must be a reason that I can't see," suggest a sense of helplessness and confusion.
The final chorus repeats the call to action, emphasizing the importance of individuals taking responsibility for their own actions and treating others with compassion and empathy.
Overall, "Rehumanize Yourself" is a powerful message about the need for individuals to recognize and reject societal violence and segregation, and instead work towards a more compassionate and humane world.
Line by Line Meaning
He goes out at night with his big boots on
He ventures out after dark wearing commanding footwear
None of his friends know right from wrong
His associates lack the moral judgement to discern between good and bad behavior
They kick a boy to death 'cause he don't belong
Due to his difference from their group, they violently murder a young man
You've got to humanize yourself
It is essential to maintain a sense of empathy and compassion for others
A policeman put on his uniform
A law enforcement officer wears their official attire
He'd like to have a gun just to keep him warm
The officer desires a firearm as a comfort mechanism
Because violence here is a social norm
There is a cultural acceptance of aggressive and harmful conduct in this area
I work all day at the factory
I dedicate my daytime hours to industrial labor
I'm building a machine that's not for me
I construct apparatuses that are not intended for my personal use
There must be a reason that I can't see
I am unable to understand why I am constructing these devices
Billy's joined the National Front
Billy has become a member of a right-wing political organization
He always was a little runt
He was small and unimpressive even in the past
He's got his hand in the air with the other cunts
He salutes in allegiance alongside other vulgar individuals
Re-humanize yourself
Reconnect with your humanity through acts of kindness and empathy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GORDON SUMNER, STEWART COPELAND
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel
on Roxanne
Algum leitor sabe a letra de Saludos Caballeros ?
Até agora não conseguí !
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