The Police - Synchronicity (2 CD Deluxe Edition) (2024)

By the time the album Synchronicity was released, The Police's position in the world of pop music seemed to be indestructible, and the band had everything they wanted. However, only a few people were aware of the long-standing antipathy between the very independent and talented members of the group. The rivalry between Sting and Stewart over the management of the band did not stop for a minute, and since both were domineering natures, no one wanted to back down from their own. No matter what it was about — the tempo of the performance, the use of keyboards or synthesizer, the choice of a song - there was always a reason for arguments and squabbles.
During the recording of this album, as well as the previous one, the band members were under pressure from personal problems, including divorce, and Sting, of course, couldn't wait to start a solo career in order to feel his independence, just like in the movies. Perhaps the musicians felt that they had done everything they could do within the framework of "The Police". The band shaped them creatively, brought them great success, and along the way they created a lot of great things. But the spark of inspiration didn't always manage to ignite, and Sting declared, "As soon as it becomes a burden to me.""I'll leave." Which is what happened after the release of "Synchronicity". Although The Police began work on the next album, which was planned to be released in 1984, these plans did not come true.
Work on the material for the new album began in the first weeks of 1982, when Sting rented the Golden Eye estate, previously owned by Ian Fleming. Sitting at the same table where Fleming wrote James Bond stories, the rock composer composed songs intended for "Synchronicity." At the end of the year, the band gathered on the island of Montserrat, having about twenty songs in their arsenal, and rehearsed a lot with new material. They set a goal to find out which of the songs would sound better and come up with suitable arrangements. The most successful were, of course, Sting's songs, but one song by Stewart and Andy was also selected.
For six weeks, the musicians worked hard on the material, which was not always easy. As Andy Summers later said, the title number was so difficult to write that he and Stuart left work until morning and went to bed. The next morning, they discovered that Sting had been working on the song all night, staying in the studio until dawn until everything was done. This song meant a lot to him personally, as it was related to his reflections on the theory of the philosopher Carl Jung. Shortly before that, Sting had undergone Jungian psychotherapy in an attempt to cope with the trauma caused by the divorce.
By far the best song of the album was "Every Breath You Take", which overshadowed all the others. The group helped Sting to place the accents correctly, allowing him to combine laconic simplicity with depth of impact. Andy Summers' guitar theme in the final version turned out to be very inspired.
Both the single and the album topped the charts worldwide. In the States, "Every Breath You Take" was a number one hit for nine weeks, and the album stayed on the top spot for an incredible number of weeks — seventeen! And this is despite the competition from Michael Jackson's mega-bestseller Thriller. In 1984, "Every Breath You Take" won a Grammy Award in the Best Song of the Year category. Sting was right when he said: "I knew it would be a number one hit!"