"Synchronicity I"
LP cover
Recorded by The Police
Released:	1983-06-01 US LP 1983-10-26 (Japanese 7")
Recorded:	December 1982 - January 1983
Length:	3:23
Album(s):	Synchronicity
Label(s):	A&M
Writer(s):	Sting
Producer(s):	The Police, Hugh Padgham
Studio(s):	AIR Studios
Released as single?	YES (Japan)

"Synchronicity I" is a song written by Sting and recorded by The Police in 1982 / 1983.

About the song

Writing

Sting wrote the song at Ian Fleming's "Goldeneye" residence on Jamaica around May / June 1982.

Utopia demo

On 1982-10-08 and 1982-11-23 he recorded demo versions at Utopia Studios in London, England, UK. The demo that was released on the Synchronicity box set (released on 2024-07-26) lasts 3:33 minutes.

The song was basically finished including its sequencer parts The bass pattern was less basic than what's on the LP version.

The voices in the choruses were not as sustained and overlapping as they are on the LP.

The demo was recorded as The Connecting Principle.

Alternate Mix

There'a Hugh Padgham mix from AIR Studios done on 1983-01-10 with some differences to the known LP version. It sounds like all instruments are already in place, but the LP version is an edited version of what they originally recorded - as this mix is 3:52 minutes long.

The start is the same, but Sting counts the other instruments in. Once the drums kick in there are eight bars of instrumental music before Sting starts to sing (there are only four on the LP).

A similar case of tightening the song comes after the last chorus where there are sixteen bars of repeating "Synchronicity" in the early mix (before the additional guitar kicks in), whereas on the LP version it's eight bars only.

The version fades out a few bars later than the LP version, which altogether makes it considerably longer than the LP version.

LP version

The LP version lasts 3:22 minutes.

Instrumental version

There's an instrumental version on the Synchronicity box set (released on 2024-07-26) that lasts 3:22 minutes. It was mixed by Hugh Padgham at Le Studio in February 1983. Compared to the LP version there's an addtional guitar in the coda.

There are about two additional minutes of instrumental music in an interlude called Loch which was originally supposed to link Synchronicity I and Synchronicity II. This sounds like something that would fit right into the movie Blade Runner (the closest thing to it in The Police's song catalogue might be the beginning of Secret Journey) - Andy detuned his guitar synth to C sharp and produced a great wash of sound. There was an acoustic on top, a few cymbals and an oboe. It didn't work too well and Miles Copeland said it was too psychedelic... no drums or bass whatsoever...

Even way into April 1983 Synchronicity I had another working title, similar to the demo title: A Causal Connecting Principle. As there was no Synchronicity I at that time, there was also no Synchronicity II - that song was just called Synchronicity by then.

Personnel

Release History

Albums

Synchronicity I appears on the following album releases:

Cover art	Album title	Release date	Release country
	Synchronicity	1983-06-01	USA
	Message In A Box: The Complete Recordings	1993-MM-DD	UK

Singles

CD Singles

Cover art	Catalog no.	Songs	Release date	Release country
	Catalog no.	"Song"(s)	YYYY-MM-DD	Country

7" Singles

Cover art	Catalog no.	A-side song/B-side song	Release date	Release country
40px	AMP-784	"Synchronicity I"/"Someone To Talk To"	1983-10-26	Japan

12" Singles

Cover art	Catalog no.	A-side song(s)/B-side song(s)	Release date	Release country
	Catalog no.	"A-side song"/"B-side song" (add more songs as necessary)	YYYY-MM-DD	Country

Video

"SONG TITLE" appears on the following video and dvd releases:

Cover art	Video title	Release date	Release country
	Video or dvd title	YYYY-MM-DD	Country

Awards, nominations, and certifications