4 Key Tracks from ‘Synchronicity’ by The Police

Synchronicity, the fifth and final studio album by The Police, is a tale of two sides.

Side one ends with “Synchronicity II,” an abstract philosophical song, at once dark and brooding. Side two is stacked with virtuosic pop. The second half begins with “Every Breath You Take,” followed immediately by “King of Pain” and “Wrapped Around Your Finger.”

The band is lucky to have survived the process. Reading about the tumult of the album’s studio sessions, it’s surprising how easy the music sounds. Effortlessly melodic, The Police eased up on their reggae leanings and the instrumental density of Ghost in the Machine. Working with fewer layers, it’s like The Police finally found clarity. What became clear to the band: They couldn’t carry on past Synchronicity. The album arrived in 1983. By 1984, they were essentially done.

Here are four key tracks from their giant goodbye note.

“Synchronicity II”

Sting borrowed from philosopher Carl Jung’s thinking about meaningful coincidence. “Synchronicity II” follows a man spiraling from working-class malaise. Meanwhile, a monster many miles away emerges from a Scottish lake and frightens the locals. Not coincidentally, the man sees himself as a monster, the shadow at his family’s door. Sting wrote the song at the Jamaica home of author—and James Bond creator—Ian Fleming. The Police crafted a post-punk soundtrack to despair. The man’s low point arrives with a “humiliating kick on the crotch.”

Another working day has ended
Only the rush hour hell to face
Packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes
Contestants in a suicidal race

“Wrapped Around Your Finger”

The opening verse features the “lesser of two evils” idiom derived from Greek mythology. Later, Sting sings of Mephistopheles from the Faust legend in a song about control. The singer writes in Lyrics by Sting that “Wrapped Around Your Finger” is “vaguely alchemical and probably about a friend of mine.” It’s a struggle for power and by the song’s end, the protégé assumes control. Andy Summers offsets the song’s cynicism with dreamy dub textures.

Devil and the deep blue sea behind me
Vanish in the air, you’ll never find me
I will turn your face to alabaster
Then you’ll find your servant is your master

“King of Pain”

A black spot on the sun inspired Sting to write “King of Pain.” Following the dissolution of his marriage, Sting retreated to Jamaica with his future wife Trudie Styler. The blot on the sun conjured the painful symbolism of Sting’s soul, projected onto the giant star. However ridiculous this story might sound, the song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a global hit. It was later parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic as “King of Suede.”

There’s a little black spot on the sun today
It’s the same old thing as yesterday
There’s a black hat caught in a high treetop
There’s a flag pole rag and the wind won’t stop

“Every Breath You Take”

The band’s biggest hit nearly caused producer Hugh Padgham to quit. Stewart Copeland and Sting came to blows over the song’s arrangement, though you can’t tell from the track’s docility. Andy Summers borrowed from Hungarian composer Béla Bartók for what’s become one of his defining guitar riffs. Following the success of “Every Breath You Take,” The Police became the biggest rock band in the world. Then they were finished.

Oh, can’t you see
You belong to me?
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take?

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