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Message in a Bottle (The Police song)

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"Message in a Bottle" is a song by British rock band the Police. It was released as the lead single from their second studio album, Reggatta de Blanc (1979). Written by the band's lead singer and bassist Sting, the song is ostensibly about a story of a castaway on an island who sends out a message in a bottle to seek love. Having received no response for a year, he despairs, believing that he is destined to be alone. The next day, however, he sees "a hundred billion bottles" on the shore and realizes that there are more lonely people like him.

"Message in a Bottle"
Standard European artwork
Single by the Police
from the album Reggatta de Blanc
B-side"Landlord"
Released7 September 1979[1]
RecordedFebruary 1979
Genre
Length3:50 (Single Version)
4:51 (Album Version)
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Sting
Producer(s)
The Police singles chronology
"So Lonely"
(1978) 		"Message in a Bottle"
(1979) 		"Walking on the Moon"
(1979)
Music video
"Message in a Bottle" on YouTube

The song was the first of the five UK number one singles released by the Police.[7] Rolling Stone ranked it number 65 on its list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time".

Composition

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The song exemplifies the reggae rock/new wave style of early Police. It starts in the key of C♯ minor with a chord progression of C#m9–Amaj9–B7–F#m, but modulates to the key of A major for the chorus.

According to the band's guitarist, Andy Summers, Sting had initially intended the guitar riff that "Message in a Bottle" is centred around for a different song.[8] Summers said to L'Historia Bandidio in 1981: "Sting had that riff for a while, but there was another tune with it originally. He'd been fiddling about with it during our first American tour. Finally, he rearranged the riff slightly and came up with the song." Summers came up with, as Sting described, "lovely arpeggiated shiver" during the break prior to the third verse.[8] Sting praised this addition saying, "He'd [Summers] do that – the song would be quite raw and he'd just add these lovely colours."[8] The riff in its final form is built of multiple overdubbed guitar parts, played by Summers. Following the main progression of the song, one part features Summers playing a three note figure featuring the root, fifth, and ninth of each chord in succession. A second guitar part plays the identical rhythm with different harmony notes, adding minor or major thirds to each chord, as well as additional extensions such as eleventh and thirteenth notes.[9]

The song was recorded at Surrey Sound Studios as part of the sessions for the Reggatta de Blanc album. Stewart Copeland's drumming, praised as his "finest drum track" by Summers, was "overdubbed [from] about six different parts."[8]

Cash Box described the song's hook as "a mesmerizing guitar figure" that is similar to that of Blue Öyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper."[10] Record World said that "Sharp tempo contrasts are bridged by Andy Summers' hard-edged lead guitar while singer-songwriter Sting pleads an affecting lead vocal."[11]

The theme of the song is "universality of desired connection."[12] The lyrics depict a castaway longing for someone to listen to him who then discovers many messages from others washing up on his shore.[12]

The song's B-side, "Landlord", was written by Sting (lyrics) and Copeland (music). Sting said of its inspiration, "I wrote that after Frances and I were thrown out of the house we were renting in London. I hated the idea of somebody fucking my life up like that. Stewart [Copeland] wrote the music."[8] The song originally featured lyrics by Copeland, but they were replaced by Sting's.[8]

Live performances

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The Police debuted the song on live television on the BBC's Rock Goes to College, filmed at Hatfield Polytechnic College in Hertfordshire, England.[13] The Police donated all money earned from the show to the college.

The Police performed at Live Earth, a 2007 charity concert to raise awareness of global warming and other environmental hazards, and performed "Message in a Bottle" as the US finale, with John Mayer playing guitar with Andy Summers and Kanye West performing a rap verse over the chorus of the song.

Reception

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The song was released as the first single from Reggatta de Blanc in September 1979. The song was a massive success in Britain, becoming the Police's first No. 1 hit in the UK Singles Chart.[14] The song also topped the charts in Ireland and reached No. 5 in Australia. Despite its popularity in the UK, the single only reached No. 74 in the United States. An alternative "classic rock" mix is available on Every Breath You Take: The Classics.

"Message in a Bottle" is also a personal favourite of the members of the band. In addition to saying it was his favourite song in an interview with Jools Holland of the BBC, Sting described it as a "good song", and also said that he was "very proud" of it.[8][15] Copeland said it was "one of our best moments in the studio and always great on stage."[8] Summers described the track as a personal favourite in his book One Train Later, and said, "For me, it's still the best song Sting ever came up with and the best Police track."[8]

'Message in a Bottle' is a good song. That can move me. I like the idea that while it's about loneliness and alienation it's also about finding solace and other people going through the same thing. The guy's on a desert island and throws a bottle out to sea saying he's alone and all these millions of bottles come back saying, So what So am I! I like the fact that the whole deal is clinched by the third verse. It makes a journey.

— Sting, Q, November 1993[8]

According to Billboard, "Message in a Bottle" has an "irresistible" hook.[16] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Mike Duquette rated it as the Police's best song, praising the "foolishly simple guitar riff devised by Sting but played to perfection by Summers" the "cacophony of percussive brilliance by Copeland" and "Sting’s most plainspoken and razor-sharp lyric."[12]

Personnel

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The album credits simply state: "All noises by the Police. All arrangements by the Police."[17] On Tidal, the credits are given as the following:[18]

Track listing

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A&M / AMS 7474
  1. "Message in a Bottle" (edit) – 3:50 (This edit has yet to appear on CD anywhere)
  2. "Landlord" – 3:09

Chart performance

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[38] Gold 500,000*
Italy (FIMI)[39]
sales since 2009 		Platinum 100,000‡
Spain — 25,000[40]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[41]
Digital release 		Platinum 60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[42] Platinum 1,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Covers

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  • On 14 April 2020, Sting recorded a duet cover of "Message in a Bottle" featured the quartet All Saints.[43]
  • In 1999, Machine Head released a cover included on their "The Burning Red" album.

References

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  1. ^ "Music Week Fact Sheets. Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 8 September 1979. p. 22. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  2. ^ Kitchener, Heather (17 February 2015). "Paul Simon and Sting review – well-worn classics from two songwriting giants". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  3. ^ True, Chris. "Message in a Bottle - The Police | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  4. ^ DiVita, Joe (29 April 2019). "The 55 Best Metal Covers of Classic Rock Hits". Loudwire. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  5. ^ Tobler, John (2016). "Police - Reggatta De Blanc". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 428.
  6. ^ a b Breithaupt, Don; Breithaupt, Jeff (17 July 2000). "Conclusion". Night Moves - Pop Music in the Late 70s. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-312-19821-3.
  7. ^ "The Police UK chart history". Official Charts.com. 20 October 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "'Message in a Bottle' / 'Landlord'". sting.com.
  9. ^ Davids, Paul (3 May 2022). "Why this riff is actually GENIUS! (THE POLICE)". YouTube. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  10. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 13 October 1979. p. 22. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Single Picks" (PDF). Record World. 13 October 1979. p. 14. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  12. ^ a b c Duquette, Mike (6 May 2022). "All 70 Police Songs Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  13. ^ Shaun Keaveny (2010). R2D2 Lives in Preston: The Best of BBC 6 Music's Toast the Nation!. p. 125. Pan Macmillan,
  14. ^ "POLICE | Artist". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 26 October 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  15. ^ Robinson, Joe (2 June 2013). "Top 10 Police Songs". Ultimate Classic Rock.
  16. ^ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. 27 October 1979. p. 88. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  17. ^ Reggatta de Blanc (liner notes). The Police. A&M Records. 1979. AMLH 64792.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^ "Try the TIDAL Web Player".
  19. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 235. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  20. ^ a b "National Top 100 Singles for 1980". Kent Music Report. 5 January 1981. Retrieved 17 January 2022 – via Imgur.
  21. ^ "The Police – Message in a Bottle" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  22. ^ "The Police – Message in a Bottle" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  23. ^ "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  24. ^ "The Police – Message in a Bottle" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  25. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Message in a Bottle". Irish Singles Chart.
  26. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 4 June 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Police" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
  27. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – The Police" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  28. ^ "The Police – Message in a Bottle" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  29. ^ "The Police – Message in a Bottle". Top 40 Singles.
  30. ^ "The Police – Message in a Bottle". Singles Top 100.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  32. ^ "The Police Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  33. ^ "Top 100 1979-12-29". Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  34. ^ "Top 100 Singles of 1979" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications. 5 January 1980. p. 30. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  35. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  36. ^ "Top - 1980". Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  37. ^ "Top 100 Singles of the Decade" (PDF). Record Mirror. 5 January 1980. p. 2. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  38. ^ "French single certifications – The Police – Message In A Bottle" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 28 September 2021. Select THE POLICE and click OK. 
  39. ^ "Italian single certifications – The Police – Message In A Bottle" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  40. ^ "International Briefs - Madrid". Billboard. 27 September 1980. p. 56. Retrieved 9 March 2022 – via Google Books.
  41. ^ "Spanish single certifications – The Police – Message In A Bottle". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  42. ^ "British single certifications – Police – Message In A Bottle". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  43. ^ Sting & all saints message in the bottle on www.billboard.com
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