Saturday Morning Soundtrack #67: "Can't Stand Losing You" by The Police (1978)

I guess maybe we should call this "Sunday Morning Soundtrack" this week--I had the entry written, but I got caught up with some other work yesterday morning and complete forgot to post it!

Still, better late than never, right?

I've been on a big Sting kick lately, ever since watching this brilliant TED Talk about artistic inspiration, and so it's no surprise that this week, I'll be taking a look at the first hit single ever produced by The Police.

So sit down with your morning cup of coffee, and let the music play. . . .

---

Saturday Morning Soundtrack @ Youtube

---

"Can't Stand Losing You" by The Police (1978)

Was there a bigger rock band in the late 70s and early 80s than The Police? I can't think of one. How big were The Police? They were almost as big as the glasses Sting is wearing in the video above. And though they didn't stay together long before splitting up over internal animosity in the group (only 10 years), they put out an impressive catalog of music.

In his book Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life, author Steve Almond talks about hearing "Can't Stand Losing You" for the first time--his father comes in while the song is playing, listens to the lyrics, and begins laughing. It's the first time Steve realizes that rock music can be funny. His anecdote is a perfect example of what makes this song (and this band) special. The Police were a literate group. Smart, clever in their lyrics. (Their bassist/front man, Sting, was a former English teacher, so I guess that shouldn't come as a surprise.) They were also superb musicians--unlike some rock acts at the time, these guys could actually play their instruments well--and they melded into their rock music some reggae and jazz influences.

"Can't Stand Losing You" is a classic tale of passive-aggression. The lead in this song is a guy who is just sort of figuring out that his relationship with his girlfriend is over. He's a little late to the realization and having trouble letting go:

Called you so many times today
And I guess it's all true what your girlfriends say
That you don't ever want to see me again
And your brother's gonna kill me
And he's six-feet-ten

Our poor lovelorn hero could accept this news maturely. Could walk away with his head held high, hanging on to his last shred of dignity. Could learn from his experience, move on, and really show his ex what she's missing--living good being the best revenge.

But he doesn't. 

Instead, in an attempt to make her feel guilty, he threatens suicide. "You'll be sorry when I'm dead," he warns her (with more than a bit of hopefulness), right before launching into a typical Police chorus with its simple, repetitive lyrics.

Before your moral radar starts going off and you start posting angry comments about me laughing at suicide, keep in mind that this is not an actual suicide attempt. The kid is just being manipulative, and he's doing it in the most artless, barefaced manner possible. It's funny!

The cover to the original single only reaffirms this with its overly dramatic photograph of drummer, Stewart Copeland, standing on a block of ice with a noose around his neck, waiting for it to melt. No surprise, but it was a controversial cover in the eyes of the censors, and it resulted in the song being banned by the BBC.  It didn't stop the single from breaking into the charts, however. (In fact, it may have even helped.) And today, the song remains one of the band's most popular hits.

---

So what do you think? Did I get it right or miss the mark? Please, feel free to weigh in using the comments below. And, if you would like to write a Guest Entry for the "Saturday Morning Soundtrack" series where you creatively respond to one of your favorite rock songs, don't hesitate to contact me with queries.