EDIT: Our response after reading many comments. We understand the girl was painted as the ‘aggressor’ in the narrative and that the teacher wasn’t actively pursuing anything, his role was doing his very best to resist temptation, our main issue/quarrel with its depiction was idea that his ability to effectively set the boundary as an adult is somehow dependent on the girl acting appropriately. The issue with this perception is that it inadvertently suggests the power/control is actually in the hands of the girl, and that even if he does succumb to temptation or is flirting with the idea of it then the student is equally to blame if not more so, and that was our main deal with it. After reading many of your comments yesterday we understand it wasn’t them romanticizing as much as it was painting a picture of the concept and bringing it to light where it can spark dialogue and is overall an art form, witty, and very catchy. I’ll be listening to this song with a clear head as I enjoy it greatly though I wanted to clear up our perspective so everybody and their mother can stop saying ‘The girl was coming on to him...!’
I've always been partial to 'Wrapped around your Finger'. The first time I heard it I was in the middle of reading 'The Dragonlance Chronicles'. That song seems to fit the character of Raistlin in those books. I know, it's a strange reason, but I always get the feels when I hear it. *edit* I also wanted to mention that for your next song, I'd suggest the 5th album instead of the 4th. You really can't go wrong with any song off of Synchronicity.
I've always read the song as she's definitely into him and he's not blind to her charms, but is like "No, back off, this ain't happening." He's tempted, but hasn't acted, yet everyone assumes he has. You HAVE to do "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic."
That would be a great choice. Ghost in the Machine is probably my favorite album of theirs. I do like the bass and the drumming a bit better in Spirits in the Material World, personally.
Oh, hell yes. That is an amazing song. Saw them live at Shea Stadium for that tour. Joan Jett opened for them, but the first band on the bill, opening for Joan Jett, was an obscure, newly signed band from Georgia called REM! It poured down with rain for the entire show and no-one cared. The Police were amazing, and Synchronicity II was a highlight. You guys should definitely do that, but honestly, there are a ton of great compositions and performances to choose from that you could probably just randomly pick any song.
The song isn't trying to romanticize an inappropriate teacher/student relationship, it's about a teacher AVOIDING the temptation. The temptation is there, but he's not taking a bite of the apple, hence "don't stand so close to me".
@@cirenosnor5768 yep, it definitely is the right thing to do. Being cold and wet is not likely to cause her any real harm. These days, any teacher who lets any student of any age or sex into their car is all kinds of a fool. Not to mention, breaking specific rules of their employment in most cases. "Don't stand so close to me" but join me here in the intimacy of my warm, cozy car.
I don't think it is a song that shows his "preferences" for young women. With Sting once being a teacher, he said that it was not unusual for a female student to have crushes on instructors. Sting said he was happy to leave teaching.
@@michaelconnors8525 There is such a chasm between a girl having a crush and an adult male raping such a student -- and it was the latter which Sting said in 1993 was what he was writing about - see my comments elsewhere on the thread.
Back when this song came out, there was no "me too" movement, and it was kind of cool to fantasize and romanticize that a young teacher would be interested in a you as a student. It was different times for sure.
@@longhaullulu4814 It was a very different climate back then. Songs like this were just kind of accepted without much question. It does seem a little shocking now.
YES! I agree. "Driven To Tears" transitions into "When the World...". The whole album is good. You gotta' play these 2 songs! Together!! You gotta' !!!
The song isn't about the TEACHER pursuing the student - but, the other way around. The teacher gets nervous around her - even to the point of shaking and coughing. She was aggressively pursuing him. It's really interesting how many people, probably due to the political social climate over the past decade or two, don't think that women can be the aggressive ones. Back when I was a performer, I got into a short relationship with a woman and broke it off when she was too obsessive. She stalked me from 1990 until 2013. NO JOKE! She found out where I lived, phone #, who I was with - EVERYTHING!
I had a stalker woman from college find my phone and address. I never told her where I lived. Another woman found me after i moved, giving no forwarding address. My fiance answered the door one day, and there the girl was. 😁🤣😂Women can be aggressive, for sure
Sting was a high school literature teacher before the police. This song could be also taken as the student is pursuing him and he is desperately trying to resist that temptation.
Ok, you guys were just off on this one. As a teen I had several "crushes" on pretty female teachers. Those teachers would've never followed through with that sort of thing. That's what this song is about - a female student having a crush on her male teacher, and that teacher making sure he isn't tempted by her.
@Bella Bella it happened a lot back in the day. I know of several teachers who were rumored to be engaging in inappropriate relationships with students. That doesn't mean that it happened but like the song says the accusations fly.
Always thought the song was about the teacher resisting, not romanticizing an actual dalliance. I think Sting was probably writing about schools girls be flirty with him when he was a teacher and pointing out having to ask them to back off because teachers have to resist that kind of temptation.
The song is definitely about a teacher who is really trying to resist the flirting approaches of a young student, but he's afraid he may not be able to hold out.
She's driving him nuts. Guy's yes it's touchy but it happens all the time in high school. Many male teachers have to deal with girls who want to be the teachers pet. I will also say if an artist is afraid to push the boundaries a bit then they probably are not artists. The Police had no fear in doing so. They enjoyed discussing controversy in their music.
If you want to know how insanely hip The Police were: they were hitting the top 40 with reggae beats supporting literary references, in the middle of one of the most musically vapid decades in rock history.
What part of: “DON’T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME” don’t you understand as being negative? She’s apparently very cute and coming on to him-and he’s saying “STOP IT!”
Agreed! Synchronicity II also has a great lyric by Sting. The tune has a drive but is also moody. The Police were deceptively simple! And live, they would often improvise and extend these tunes. One of the greats. Thanks guys for giving them a listen.
@@loosilunot in a creepy way, but more like teen girls crushing on young Mr. Sumner (now known as Sting). Notice the song references YOUNG TEACHER, which he was. Also, in the book Lolita (referenced in the lyrics) it's the girl who seduces the old dude.
I don't know but back in the day when I was in high school I was "aware" of one of my teachers but never went further than a little flirting. However, if Sting had been my English teacher?? 🙄🤔😏🤗
You guys never had a crush on a female teacher and have fantasies? High school girls always have a crush on a young male teacher.there was no controversy. Radio never felt the need to censor it.
There were certainly teachers at my school that me and loads of guys talking about being "fit" or "hot". There were even some rumors that had been some events between some of them haha
When he says 'Don't stand so close to me'.. its not because he doesn't want them to get caught.. it's because he doesn't want her near him, he doesn't want to deal with her advances nor the temptation that comes with it.
"Just like the old man in that book by Nabokov". Great line he's referring to the book Lolita. Reportedly Nabokov was Becker/Fagen's favorite author. Guitar tone was mutt Telecaster into clean Marshall with heavy echoplex. Set the way for U2's Edge.
Pretty sure you mean Electric Mistress, a key flanger to Andy Summers' tone. I have a Longamp Roxanne meant to be a convincing knockoff. It's a really distinctive flanging tone, very different from say the VH 'Atomic Punk' or the Pretenders flanger tones.
Both Syncronicities in fact: Synchronicity I and Synchronicity II. Because II is a bigger, moodier story, but I is SO INTENSE and they like bangers: on every level SyncI is a brutal relentless banger. The tempo is insane, the playing is fierce, the lyrics are seriously highbrow and food for much thought. And then SII is just as intense, but in a storytelling, moodsetting way. I remember seeing Rick Beato analyse the chords of SII and the Police were up to some BONKERS stuff there, so advanced the guys might not entirely register it.
Yeah... didn't that one girl's parents just kind of go, "how many rich rock stars are likely to want to sleep with our nubile teen daughter in this life?"
Or many other Police songs for that matter. Stalking, realizing the reason you can't get any help is everyone else being ins just as bad a situation as you, severe depression, committing suicide to guilt trip an ex through your suicide note, etc etc. They have a LOT of disconcerting / dark but very clever and well written subject matter.
You’ve got it backwards. The teacher wasn’t pursuing the student, it was the young Lolita student pursuing him. Lolita is the book by Nabokov he references.
It's wrong to label the victim in the novel as the pursuer. Lolita was a precocious 12 year old, but Humbert was the instigator/pursuer. He even called himself an animal with ape hands.
This song came out when I was in junior high school. The way I interpreted it was that the girl was attracted to the teacher, but the teacher was not interested in her, and that's why he was saying, "Don't stand so close to me." It was a way of pushing her away. Maybe he is tempted, but nothing about the song says he actually succumbed.
Me as well. I was almost 14 when this was released. But I never saw any of my male school teachers in that way, so I couldn't relate to the lyrics at all...
The "Nabokov book" is: Lolita. ...which was, in fact, the main source of the subject matter for this song. ...and, even more important (esp. for those who only know "Lolita" via "reputation" and "overall social reference") in "Lolita", the character 'Lolita' [Dolores] is not, in fact, "the victim" ...She is a manipulator (which is another thing that made the book so radical and threatening...) and, certainly, cruel and deceitful, exploitative, vindictive, if, also naïve. A bit of all (which is an extremely dangerous and untenable combination, at BEST!). Sting's point was NOT to "support" or "crucify" the situation, but to leave it up to a listener to decide, investigate, consider ...which, in truth is what many or most great authors, writers, etc. do. ...you, also, misconstrue how the line "Don't stand so close to me" is being delivered or "felt." ...It ISN'T a "pooh-pooh" or a "demand" implying "don't be stupid, here" (although those elements apply, ALSO. Yes!); it is a PLEA, in fact. It is alluding to or implying that: the girl does not understand or respect the power she possesses (and, in truth, may not, indeed, understand that she does possess it, herself - Not fully, anyway...). It is a plea to, not stand so close to him, because ...he cannot control his feelings or his mind, when she does ...and he doesn't want things to lead where ...well, arguably, where "they already have," or where most people think that they "have" or, likely, will ...but.... Sting confirms this by inserting the word "Please" at the coda of the song, prior to the terms "don't stand so close to me." It is a request for mercy, NOT an admonishment to some "lesser." Listen again. (This -as I alluded to, above- also reflects the characters in Nabokov's famed/infamous "Lolita." ) The musical "uneasiness" was, absolutely, intentional. ...also. the, overall "feel" of the song (the happier 2/3, sort-of, "distracted" most people from the lyrical content ...many artists had done this, but it seemed pretty prevalent in the '80s ...r.e.m.'s "Orange Crush" jumps to mind. While Stipe's lyrical delivery was, still, ...if not "indecipherable," then, certainly "obfuscated" or "imprecise" 👍👍--making the message of the song quite-a-bit less obvious or "more hidden" than, here in "Don't Stand So Close To Me"- that song was, really, a description of a young man who was sent to Viet-Nam and suffered all of the horrors of war as well as betrayal by his own leaders, via, among other things: being subjected to the un-admitted/ignored, etc. debilitation by: "Agent Orange." ...However, it (the song) was EMINENTLY "danceable" and had a catchy feel to it and had you asked ME or ANYONE what the song was about after first hearing it (or even after 15x hearing it!) ...no-one would have known (unless they were an r.e.m./Stipe freak or owned the album and had delved into it, already...) or, likely, have thought abut it, much. It was another in a long line of musical pieces using pleasant, happy, uplifting "catchy,"what-have-you melodies and sounds to mask or divert attention from or to contrast purposely against: ugliness, terror, horror, disgust, anger, etc.) diverted many listeners attention away from whatever the lyrics were stating/describing/alluding to. The Police knew what they were doing and all of it was intentional. While the song I am about to name, off of this same album [Zenyatta Mondatta - b.t.w.: That is NOT an actual place, and the words do not mean anything, in any language. They were, just, made-up to sound cool and "mysterious" and "far away" (and, to rhyme 😜) ....And, apparently: that worked well, too.... 😛👍], is in some ways "the opposite" of "Don't Stand So Close To Me" ...in how it comes across, in some ways, one could think of it as "the same" or, at least: "similar. The song "Driven To Tears" is a discussion regarding the simplicity of ignoring problems and horrors in other parts of the world (esp. the so-termed "Third World" 🤦♂️) and thinking that "something s being resolved" when one sees: a magazine or newspaper article on something, or sees a report on TV ...and, maybe, if you're "a somewhat caring person," then: donating some money to something/someone that may-or-may-not, actually, assist in these travails. ...But, simultaneously (and intentionally, even if sub-consciously), "absolving" oneself from having to consider: YOUR own position in causing or maintaining the situations which bring such things about, feeling any responsibility or, actually, taking action or forcing those who have power to take action to do so. ["...All we can offer them is a page in some magazine. To many cameras and not enough food. THIS is what we've seen...]. BUT: as a SONG?: "Driven To Tears" is groovy-as-hell! Danceable! Funky, even! ...I wouldn't call it "happy"(it maintains its somber tonality, throughout ...and is a more direct, serious piece of work than, say "Don't Stand So Close To Me" ...but, perhaps you see what I'm getting at. OFTEN artists "confuse" or "obfuscate" by using contrasting feelings/ideas in: sonics, textures, lyrics, etc. 👍👍🤘🤘 -Yes?? Understand? ...The Police's BIGGEST (and MOST misunderstood!) song, which, ALSO, employs this technique (Really, it's also, ...different from what's occurring in the songs mentioned, above, but...🤦♂️🤷♂️🙄 **sigh**....) is the famed: "Every Breath You Take" ...which is, to-this-day, often couched as "a romantic ballad" and "love song" and played at weddings, etc., worldwide. ...but which is, actually, a song written about: obsession, control, utter subjugation,... ...at the very least: stalking. (Which Queensryche, also, wrote an even BETTER piece about, on Rage For Order -within a few years of: Synchronicity's release- "Gonna Get Close To You". "Stalking" was not on the books as "a crime," per se in these years ...Not until the murder of actor Rebecca Schaeffer in?? I believe that was 1988 or 1989 [not 100% sure] did "stalking" enter the "public consciousness" (as it were), I would argue (Although, celebrities had suffered torturous and surreal events and elements in their lives for decades, already... - but, now, I begin to digress... ---Apologies.). ..."Every Breath You Take" always creeped me out, personally ...and everyone else I knew thought I was, essentially, "crazy." (Only years later, when Sting, first, spoke-out about it & its intended "meaning" (if-you-will)/"attitude" ...did they reconsider my notions... 🤷♂️🤦♂️🙄🤪😳). ...Anyhow: Juxtaposing something beautiful or comforting, with something sinister or, at least, ..."troublesome," etc., is a well-worn songwriting and literary, theatrical technique. ...But the Police (to my mind) did seem to employ it a fair amount. To great effect. ...Make no mistake.
Unfortunately this is the world we live in now. Everybody getting hung up and misinterpreting the meaning of subject matter that at the time was not exactly foreseen 20 to 50 years later.
Funny how times change. I was in highschool in the mid 80s not long after this song came out. It was on the radio a lot. No one that I know of freaked out about it. I remember a student wrote the first line of the song on a chalk board in a class for some reason. No one cared. It's just a song. It didn't cause teachers and students to hook up in broom closets. People are so sensitive these days.
It's a true story: Sting was an English teacher & there were 15 year old girls that were into him. The song was about him resisting temptation. You'll like "Synchronicity II" I like "The Police" but I really have countless "Sting" solo work I love.
Nope. Sting was interviewed in 1993 by The Independent and he said that the song was about a teacher (not him) who rapes a student in the back of his car but blames his conduct on her "seduction." Rather than be graphic in the lyrics, Sting instead referred to the "book by Nabakov" -- Lolita -- in which a young man marries a divorced women to gain acccess to her 12-year-old daughter, whom he repeatedly rapes, all while justifying in his own mind his conduct by asserting that this young girl seduced him (the facts of the story show precisely the opposite).
@@jonsher7682 "I wanted to write a song about sexuality in the classroom,” the rocker explained in the 1981 book L'Historia Bandido. Sting then admitted his previous profession influenced the song. “I'd done teaching practice at secondary schools and been through the business of having 15-year-old girls fancying me - and me really fancying them! How I kept my hands off them I don't know.” Still, the singer has made it clear on multiple occasions that he remained completely professional while teaching. "I never had a relationship with any of my pupils - I wouldn't want to,” he declared to Q in 1993
A literary reference would provide further inspiration for “Don’t Stand So Close to Me.” “Then there was my love for Lolita, which I think is a brilliant novel,” the singer noted. “That opened the gates, and out it came: the teacher, the open page, the virgin, the rape in the car, getting the sack, Nabakov, all that." Sting further explained in a 1993 interview with The Independent that "this idea of a teacher, a Humbert Humbert character, appealed to me because I'd been a teacher before the Police. Read More: Is the Police’s ‘Don’t Stand So Close to Me’ Autobiographical? | ultimateclassicrock.com/police-dont-stand-so-close-to-me/?
Don't know why you guys are tripping on the subject matter. The protagonist is resisting temptation and telling the girl to back off. How is that a bad thing?
Some people see it the other way. That it is about the teacher trying to hide it. I can see how it can be interpreted either way. I see it as him not giving in to the temptation.
@@susanfinn3699 People can interpret it in any way that suits their fancy, but the fact is, there is no evidence in the lyrics that the teacher did anything wrong.
@@clintonsmith5163 sorry, it just sounded like you were discounting my comment. That's the problem with online comments vs speaking in person. Tone helps us understand what is said and its hard to convey tone online sometimes. Sorry for misinterpreting.
The book is Lolita, about a teacher's relationship with a 12 year old girl. The name Lolita has now become symbolic for the sexualizing of any underage girl. Super creepy....
@@adrianstevens2146 Ok, I poorly phrased that. It's not a teacher who has relationship(s) with students, the character H.H. happens to be an English Teacher. I just noted that because I believe Gordon Sumner was also an English Teacher. I could just google it, but, I'm lazy.
I never felt like this song "romanticized" an inappropriate teacher/student relationship. More, spotlighted the awkwardness and level of inappropriateness. It's uncomfortable because it's supposed to be uncomfortable. Anyway, that's what I always got out of it.
Fun fact: The chorus for Don't Stand So Close to Me was lifted to do I Want my MTV on Dire Straits Money for Nothing. And they even had Sting sing that line in the song.
Ya, it’s interesting how many reactions I see on RU-vid these days, mostly by individuals around your age, and a bit younger/older, mistake this song about the teacher pursuing a student when it is obviously the other way around. Those of us who heard the song when it was released decades ago, understood it. I was an adolescent girl at that time as well, and absolutely knew how bad girls could get. 😎
Your interpretation is interesting. I've always interpreted the lyrics to say that the girl was interested, and the teacher was telling her no, even tho he was tempted. Sting was a schoolteacher before he was a rock star, so I'm sure he had some knowledge & experience on the subject. As a grown ass woman, I can say that had my teacher been Sting, I would have definitely stood too close to him 😍 However, I greatly respect your interpretation of the song & your acknowledgement of the innapropriate power dynamic. Peace!✌
Old fart here. There was a time when we actually had to read "Lolita" in English class in High School, and then have to write a paper analyzing it. Now you get through college without that? As Biden would say, "Cm'on man!"
I'm curious to know what kind of classics are considered standard in high school English these days. One of the books we read 30+ years ago was The Stranger by Camus. I wonder if that would be considered acceptable on a reading list today. Limiting books that students can read is very dangerous. People should be able to read things, learn how to think and learn how to discuss with others and that it's OK to agree or disagree.
@@BeautyIsMyLife We got, just top of mind, "War and Peace", "Huckleberry Finn", "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", "Treasure Island", "The Scarlet Pimpernel", "The Man in the Iron Mask", pretty much the entire Poe repertoire, "Moby Dick", "The Scarlett Letter", "A Connecticut Yankee in King Author's Court", "The Gulag Archipeligo", "Farenheight 451", "1984", "The Old Man and the Sea", "For Whom the Bell Tolls", "The Collector", and numerous others, all of which left me with a passion for reading. Both this small list (I left out "The Divine Comedy", not on the list, but I made it through the Cary translation before beginning college.) I also consumed a LOT of sci-fi and fantasy back in the day. I know I am omitting many great works that made me want to read, but in "K-courses" (meaning advanced at our school), this is a sample of what we read. EDIT: I suspect I graduated about a decade before you, my high school matriculation was 1978.
@@BeautyIsMyLife We had the opposite at my school; we had the boring books by famous authors. My first Ray Bradbury book was "Dandelion Wine", and I found it so dull and insufferably twee I didn't re-visit Bradbury for years. Then I read "Fahrenheit 451" and was furious my teachers didn't open with that one instead.
The song is about the temptation, not the actual act. He’s saying “don’t stand so close to me” because it makes me weak in the knees. He’s flirting with the idea of something forbidden. But I don’t believe the song implies that he’s acted upon it. There was little to no outrage when this song came out in 1980. Definitely a different generation.
I do believe there is some inference in the fact there are accusations. He gave her a ride, something may have happened or it was all rumors. I guess that is the point. She wanted to, he is tempted, he held off. The question is did it happen or not.
My high school girlfriend used to think "Canary in a Coalmine" was "Canary in a Coma". Worse than that, I used to think the song "Panama" by Van Halen was "Cannonball".
@@triggerwarning5762 Lmfao!! No doubt. But is it now illegal to be smitten with someone? I mean there's obviously a creep factor to be avoided at all times. Idk. I tend to think there's nothing wrong with a harmless infatuation.
@@MrUnderdog-vn3zf Stalking's illegal now, but not when the song came out. (Every Breath) In re "Don't Stand", I always assumed something went down when she got into his car...
Keep in mind he never says he wants her. He days she wants him. And then he says don't stand so close to me. It seems more like the desire is there for him but he is like no no no no way. But she us like heeeey what's uuup and he's like oh God what do I do this is so uncomfortable. But maybe not! I don't know.
Great song and reaction...try "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" and "Walking on the Moon" and "When the World is Running Down You Make the Best of What's Still Around"...all awesome!
The book by Nabokov is called "Lolita". Sting's job before becoming vocalist and bassist in The Police, was being an English Teacher. The song is about a teacher trying to rebuff the advances of a teenage girl though, rather than him coming on to her, or them being in a relationship. Even though he does not want her, due to her advances there is still gossip in the classroom, and accusations in the staff room. If you are going to do their 4th album next...the obvious choice is "Every little thing she does is magic"
The Police were a great three man band. As Rush was with classic/progressive rock, The Police were to new wave/reggae rock. Stewart, Andy and Sting were so good together. ✌Peace ☮ ✌
I worked backstage security (a chick with a walkie-talkie, in my case.), for the Synchronicity Tour in LA @ Hollywood Park. I got to see the show side stage!! I was off when the Police hit the stage!! 🤘❤🎸🎶
@@MrSinnerBOFH There was a pretty obvious Police influence on the Signals album, especially "Digital Man", and the reggae version of "Working Man" they did on and off starting in the 80s was Police-influenced too.
She's a kid though. She's playing, she doesn't really know what she's doing. In these kinds of dynamics (older authority figure and kid), it's always the adult's responsibility to set the boundary.
@@LeeBee-hs6mj She knows exactly what she's doing. All because people are considered kids nowadays until they're 26 doesn't make it so. A few generations ago people were getting married at 15.
@@leestewart72 actually most people don't stop growing and aren't fully mature until their 20s. Also the power dynamic is all out of whack. Like a boss having an affair with a subordinate, it causes no end of trouble. Imagine a teacher banging a student then marking their exam. Or being accused of giving them preferential treatment, or the opposite. There are good reasons why it's not allowed.
I can’t stand loosing you ,spirits in the material world ,wrapped around your finger and every breath you take are awesome police songs Please continue down this rabbit hole
You guys had it a little wrong - the teacher was trying to withstand the pursuit of a student. He kept telling her not to stand so close to him. Plenty of hints in the song - you guys heard what you wanted to hear I guess.
So glad you are doing the Police Sting ( Gordon Sumner) was an English teacher. I think the song is about a girl who is into the teacher and she's being ridiculously obvious and gossip starts even in the staff room. I don't think he's encouraging it. He's telling her to not stand so close to him she's causing problems, for him especially. I don't remember anyone caring about the 'innuendos' of the song. My friends and I thought Sting was pretty hot back then and we'd have a crush on him too! Also we knew Sting had been a school teacher before his music career. We figured "Don't Stand So Close To Me " was autobiographical! Lol My favorite songs are "King of Pain" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" Their most famous, I think, is "Every Breath You Take"
Hey guys, love your channel. I would suggest “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” for your next Police track. It is pure joy. Stewart Copeland’s drumming is great as always, and has the greatest fill right near the end of the song. Cheers!!
For Ghost in the Machine, it has to be either "Spirits in the Material World" (darker reggae with a more serious message) or "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" (the pop hit love song from the album, but very musically interesting with great playing). For Synchronicity, "Every Breath You Take" may be the obvious choice, one of the biggest hits of all time, but you've probably heard it, and it's not their best song in my opinion. I would probably go for "Wrapped Around Your Finger" or "King of Pain" if you need hits from them, or "Synhcronicity I" if you want to see a different side of them that's almost prog. That album has a very different sound from their previous ones. It's too bad they broke up after that because they were really developing.
The official video for this one is excellent! Also, Sting obviously used the phrasing from this for his repeated vocal on Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing"...."I want my MTV!"
This is about a teacher trying to gently brush off the advances of a pupil. He is telling her to not stand so close to him... i.e. go away, I'm not interested. I get the impression that although he is flattered, he doesn't appreciate the awkwardness he is being made to feel.
