Wrapped Around Your Finger (song)
| "Wrapped Around Your Finger" | |
|---|---|
| Recorded by The Police | |
| Released: | 1983-06-01 (USA LP release)
1984-01-25 (Japan 12") |
| Recorded: | December 1982 / January 1983 |
| Length: | 5:13 |
| Album(s): | Synchronicity |
| Label(s): | A&M |
| Writer(s): | Sting |
| Producer(s): | Hugh Padgham & The Police |
| Studio(s): | AIR Studios, Montserrat |
| Released as single? | YES |
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" is a song written by Sting and recorded by The Police in 1982 / 1983.
Contents
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 Sting recorded a demo at Utopia Studios in London, England, UK. It lasts 4:45 minutes.
While the basic melody and synth sounds were already in place Sting was still "searching" for the melody for his vocals. The demo's melody is one note higher than the LP version.
Alternate Mix I
There's an early mix from AIR Studios which is quite different to the LP version. It lasts 4:45 minutes and is not featured on the Synchronicity box set release from 2024-07-26.
Right at the start this early version features a lower keyboard noise that comes with the cymbal sound. The second time the main melody is played that lower keyboard plays another harmony that was muted for the LP version. During the fourth time the melody is played Sting makes some animal-like noises.
The guitar with echo right before "Mephistopheles" is missing from this early mix - not only here, but during the whole song.
The whole "Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" verse is really different - this early mix features another vocal take, there's an additional picking guitar played by Andy, the staccato guitar is missing (but played by a keyboard here), and last but not least the four note piano pattern in that verse's second half is absent.
The next chorus also feels unfinished: guitars are missing, keyboards are louder etc.
The keyboard melody during the much shorter fade out is echoed by Sting humming it, guitar parts are again missing here.
Alternate Mix II
Another Alternate Mix is featured on the Synchronicity box set that was released on 2024-07-26. It was mixed by Hugh Padgham at Le Studio in January 1983 and lasts 4:54 minutes.
There are additional echo guitars in the instrumental opening and way more throughout the whole song.
The second verse doesn't feature the acoustic guitar.
The "Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" verse now features the "correct" vocal take, but it's still very different as it includes the four note piano pattern and the staccato guitar right from the start!
The keyboard melody during the much shorter fade out is still echoed by Sting humming it. The fade out is much shorter than the one from the LP version.
LP version
The LP version is 5:13 minutes long.
Instrumental version
An instrumental version was also released on the Synchronicity box set from 2024-07-26 and lasts 5:15 minutes. It was mixed by Hugh Padgham at Le Studio in February 1983.
One can now hear that some keyboards double the melody of the vocals in the chorus.
The "Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" verse also includes the four note piano pattern and the staccato guitar right from the start - like in the Alternate Mix II.
In 1992-04 Bass Player Sting remembers playing the Van Zalinge Bass combined with a Precision fretless.
Personnel
Release History
Albums
Wrapped Around Your Finger 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AM 127 | "Wrapped Around Your Finger"/"Someone To Talk To" | 1983-07-15 | UK |
|
AM 127 | "Wrapped Around Your Finger"/"Someone To Talk To" | 1983-07-15 | UK |
|
AM 127 | "Wrapped Around Your Finger"/"Someone To Talk To" | 1983-07-15 | UK |
|
AMP 127 | "Wrapped Around Your Finger"/"Someone To Talk To" | 1983-07-15 | UK |
|
AMP 127 | "Wrapped Around Your Finger"/"Someone To Talk To" | 1983-07-15 | UK |
|
AMP 127 | "Wrapped Around Your Finger"/"Someone To Talk To" | 1983-07-15 | UK |
12" Singles
| Cover art | Catalog no. | A-side song(s)/B-side song(s) | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AMX 127 | "Wrapped Around Your Finger"/"Someone To Talk To"/"Message In A Bottle" (live)/"I Burn For You" | 1983-07-15 | UK |
Video
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" appears on the following video and dvd releases:
| Cover art | Video title | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Every Breath You Take: The Videos | 1986-MM-DD | Country |
|
Every Breath You Take: The DVD | 2003-04-07 | Country |
Awards, nominations, and certifications
Awards
This section needs more information.
| Year | Winner | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| YYYY | WINNER (album, song, producer, etc.) | AWARD (Grammy, People's Choice, etc.) | CATEGORY |
Nominations
This section needs more information.
| Year | Nominee | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| YYYY | NOMINEE (album, song, producer, etc.) | AWARD (Grammy, People's Choice, etc.) | CATEGORY |
Certifications
This section needs more information.
| Country | Certifier | Classification | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| COUNTRY | CERTIFIER (RIAA, IFPI...) | CLASSIFICATION (Album, singles, foreign artist...) | CERTIFICATION (Gold, Platinum, Diamond...) |
Lyrics
Lyrics are property and copyright of their owners, and provided here for educational purposes only.
You consider me the young apprentice Caught between the Scylla and Charibdes Hypnotized by you if I should linger Staring at the ring around your finger I have only come here seeking knowledge Things they would not teach me of in college I can see the destiny you sold Turned into a shining band of gold I'll be wrapped around your finger I'll be wrapped around your finger Mephistopheles is not your name But I know what you're up to just the same I will listen hard to your tuition And you will see it come to its fruition I'll be wrapped around your finger I'll be wrapped around your finger 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 And you'll be wrapped around my finger I'll be wrapped around your finger You'll be wrapped around my finger I'll be wrapped around your finger
Quotations and trivia
This section needs more information.
Alternative and cover versions
Cover versions of Wrapped Around Your Finger appear on the following album releases:
| Cover art | Artist | Album title | Release date | Release country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jazz Jamaica feat. Courtney Pine | Reggatta Mondatta | 1997-MM-DD | The Netherlands |
|
Underoath | Policia! A Tribute To The Police | 2005-MM-DD | USA |
See also
This section needs more information.
External links
This section needs more information.
References
- Police, The. Synchronicity. (1983) [Audio recording], A&M Records.
- Police, The. Wrapped Around Your Finger.
- Wikipedia. Wrapped Around Your Finger.
- Fabio Trentini (demo info after listening to Pete Smith's tapes)
