radio host Chris Douridas, McCartney said that only recently did he remember why he’d written it. And then confirmed that, yes, it is about racism. Though he never mentioned that interpretation for decades, he started using it often. A potential example is Paul McCartney’s stories about his beautiful “Blackbird,” which several writers suggested was not about birds, but about racism. It wouldn’t be the first time that a songwriter fudged the facts about the meaning of a famous song. But it never seemed entirely genuine, and smacked of a kind of songwriter revisionism, when a songwriter changes the facts about the original intention or meaning of a song.
The story behind this song is one often told. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.Is the official story behind this beloved song true? Or is it an instance of intentional revisionism?
This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at for further information. (SOUNDBITE OF THE POLICE SONG, "EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE")Ĭopyright © 2021 NPR. and I want to listen to music, I want to hear a song that's tailored to 6 a.m.ĬHANG: Thompson says "Every Breath You Take" may be eternal, but we don't need another one. THOMPSON: I don't think it's a bad thing if there's a song that's best for 6 a.m. HEGGLI: You should really aim for something that's, you know, more or less in the middle of the pack - something that's not too high in tempo but also not too low, and something that's danceable but maybe not too danceable, either.ĬHANG: NPR's Stephen Thompson is not so sure. KELLY: So is there anything artists trying to score a hit can learn from The Police? Heggli thinks yes. And it's all over just a very pleasant, perhaps even a bit bland song. It doesn't have any, you know, like, loud surprises. It's a bit groovy, but not too much groovy. HEGGLI: Mainly because it is a very in-the-middle type of song - it's a medium tempo. THE POLICE: (Singing) I'll be watching you, every breath you take, every move you make. Scientists say it shows how our music preferences are shaped by our daily rhythms.ĬHANG: But here's the catch - the song whose musical qualities would allow it to drift through all five time blocks? Well, you guessed it. KELLY: Danceable music in the evening - you get the point. RIHANNA: (Singing) Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD)") ROBBIE WILLIAMS: (Singing) When there's no love in town, this new century keeps bringing you down.ĬHANG: Now, louder, faster songs rule in the afternoon, like "Only Girl (In The World)" by Rihanna. Heggli suggested "Supreme" by Robbie Williams. In the morning block, slow but energetic songs dominate. KELLY: Ole Heggli of Aarhus University says those five time blocks have different musical qualities. OLE HEGGLI: And we found that we could categorize it into five distinct time blocks throughout the day. In a study published this week by the Royal Society, researchers in Denmark analyzed streaming data for nearly 4 million songs on Spotify to see if there was a pattern to the types of music we listen to over a 24-hour period. And weirdly, I think over the decades, that has kind of been flipped from what might be seen as a weakness to a strength.ĬHANG: Well, now there's some new science that might explain the song's staying power. But otherwise, that song kind of sits flat. It has that one really memorable kind of snaky guitar line to it. THOMPSON: It's actually kind of a monochromatic arrangement. KELLY: That is NPR Music's Stephen Thompson. STEPHEN THOMPSON, BYLINE: I'm not surprised at all that people continue to gravitate to it in part because it sounds so distinct. And today, it plays on - the soundtrack to parties and weddings, trips to the grocery store. The Police, of course - "Every Breath You Take" was a huge sensation when it came out in 1983. THE POLICE: (Singing) Every breath you take and every move you make. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE") Some songs will just never go away - like this one.
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