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 This criticism has later been withdrawn.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)
When the World Is Running Down You Make the Best of What's Still Around
The Police Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Same one I've had for years
James Brown on the T.A.M.I Show
Same tape I've had for years
I sit in my old car
Same one I've had for years
Old battery's running down
Turn on the radio
The static hurts my ears
Tell me where would I go
I ain't been out in years
Turn on the stereo
It's played for years and years
An Otis Redding song
It's all I own
When the world is running down
You make the best of what's still around
When the world is running down
You make the best of what's still around
Plug in my MCI
To exercise my brain
Make records on my own
Can't go out in the rain
Pick up the telephone
I've listened here for years
No one to talk to me
I've listened here for years
When the world is running down
You make the best of what's still around
When the world is running down
You make the best of what's still around
When I feel lonely here
Don't waste my time with tears
I run "Deep Throat" again
It ran for years and years
Don't like the food I eat
The cans are running out
Same food for years and years
I hate the food I eat
When the world is running down
You make the best of what's still around
When the world is running down
You make the best of what's still around
When the world is running down
You make the best of what's still around
When the world is running down
You make the best of what's still around, whoa
Turn on my VCR
Same one I've had for years
James Brown on the T.A.M.I Show
Same tape I've had for years
I sit in my old car
Same one I've had for years
The Police’s "When The World Is Running Down (You Make The Best of What’s Still Around)" is a song that explores the concept of finding joy and satisfaction in the mundane and familiar aspects of life during trying times. The lyrics describe the singer’s reliance on old vehicles, old technology, and even old recordings of his favorite musicians, highlighting the idea that though the world may be falling apart, we can find comfort and happiness in the things we have known and loved for years. The song’s repetition of the phrase “same one I’ve had for years” serves to emphasize this point and suggest that sometimes, the things we have grown accustomed to can serve as a source of stability and comfort when everything else feels uncertain.
The song also touches on the isolating nature of the world during trying times. The singer describes listening to the radio and feeling like there is nowhere to go, as if he has been stuck inside for years. Similarly, the references to the singer’s loneliness and lack of social interaction (“no one to talk to me,” “Don’t waste my time with tears”) suggest that even though the world may be running down, we must find ways to entertain ourselves and stay mentally stimulated.
Overall, "When The World Is Running Down" is a song that encourages listeners to find meaning and happiness in the aspects of life they may have previously taken for granted. It also acknowledges the importance of creating personal connection and maintaining mental stimulation during times of isolation and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn on my VCR
I'm trying to distract myself from the boredom of my monotonous life
Same one I've had for years
I'm used to the same old routine, nothing new or exciting
James Brown on the T.A.M.I Show
I'm watching a classic performance by a legendary artist
Same tape I've had for years
I haven't bothered to update my entertainment choices
I sit in my old car
I'm using the same transportation I've always had, nothing new or shiny
Old battery's running down
My car has been working for a long time and is starting to show signs of wear and tear
Turn on the radio
I'm trying to find something to listen to, but the quality is bad
The static hurts my ears
The sound is so distorted that it's almost painful to listen to
Tell me where would I go
I haven't been anywhere new in a long time, so I wouldn't know where to look
I ain't been out in years
I've been stuck in the same routine for so long that I haven't had any new experiences
Turn on the stereo
I'm trying to find something to listen to that's not on the radio
It's played for years and years
I haven't updated my music collection in a long time
An Otis Redding song
I'm listening to a classic soulful tune
It's all I own
I haven't diversified my music collection at all
When the world is running down
When everything in life is falling apart
You make the best of what's still around
You try to find happiness in what is left, even if it's not much
Plug in my MCI
I'm trying to stimulate my brain with technology
To exercise my brain
I'm trying to keep my mind sharp
Make records on my own
I'm creating my own music, since I haven't found anything new or inspiring
Can't go out in the rain
I'm unable to go outside, either because of the weather or my lack of freedom
Pick up the telephone
I'm searching for some kind of human interaction
I've listened here for years
I've been hoping for someone to connect with me, but it hasn't happened yet
No one to talk to me
I'm alone and feeling isolated
When I feel lonely here
When I'm overwhelmed by my loneliness
Don't waste my time with tears
I'm trying not to dwell on my sadness
I run 'Deep Throat' again
I'm watching a classic movie to distract myself from my problems
It ran for years and years
I haven't updated my movie collection in a long time
Don't like the food I eat
I'm bored with my diet and craving something new
The cans are running out
I'm running out of non-perishable foods that I've had for a long time
Same food for years and years
I haven't diversified my food choices or tried anything new
I hate the food I eat
I'm really dissatisfied with my monotonous diet
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Gordon Sumner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daniel
on Roxanne
Algum leitor sabe a letra de Saludos Caballeros ?
Até agora não conseguí !
daprendiz1@gmail.com