Every Breath You Take

Was chatting with someone and afterwards was thinking about certain songs that on the surface are often taken as love songs, and sound like love songs but are actually very dark.

The first one that came to mind was "Every Breath You Take" by the Police and written by Gordon Sumner (better known as Sting because of the hooped jumpers he wore as a teacher).

Lots of people think that this is a beautiful love song when in fact it is about a stalker who is a rejected admirer.

Love is never mentioned in it. It is extremely disturbing. The first verse sets the stalker’s tone, and as the song progresses it gets worse. The more I listen the more I wonder about people who think this is romantic. It is a work of genius to be able to disguise such as disturbing song as a love song

“Every breath you take

Every move you make

Every bond you break

Every step you take

I'll be watching you”

You can read the lyrics here and listen to the song in the video above.

Next one up is “I Will Find You” by Peter Hammill which in my opinion outdoes “Every Breath You Take”, I really first noticed on random play on my phone and discovered it was from the album “Fireships”. Peter Hammill, when he wants has one of the most vicious but accessible voices you will hear and in this absolute beauty, you start to wonder whether it’s because of him that you don’t trust i , but kike “Every Breath You Take” he manages to dress up such disturbing lyrics in the clothes of a love song.

It does mention the fact that he cares. But what is his target running from and what does the perpetrator really care about? Here’s the first verse to give you a taste

“Trapped like a rabbit by the future glare

Onrushing headlights that blind you

A frightened runaway

At least you know I care

I will seek, I will search, I will find you”

You can read the lyrics here and listen to the song in the video above.

Moving away from the stalker aspects we go back to the sixties and The Crystals and “He Hit Me, It Felt Like A Kiss”. Even at the time, I thought this was sick but I have known so many girls who excused physical abuse with “It’s Only Because He Loves Me”, who the hell hit’s someone because they love them?

I have seen so many relationships like that and if I ever suggested they should have a new boyfriend or partner I became the bully, I became the bad guy. Black eyes and bruises were acceptable because he was just showing how much he loved her.

I once went out with someone who belittled me because I didn’t hit her and said at least she knew where she stood with her previous abusive partner because he was a real man.

The first verse starts thus.

“He hit me

And it felt like a kiss.

He hit me

But it didn't hurt me.”

If you get a line like that from someone you are probably not going to change them

You can read the lyrics here and listen to the song in the video above

So these are three very disturbing songs for your , shall we say, investigation , rather than enjoyment. The first two are fine to listen to , but I find the Crystals is almost impossible to take , and I think that , seriously , it was meant as a romantic love song by Phil Spector. Take a listen and see what you think.