Put that Thing Away - "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"

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I was going to make a lame Police at the door pun, but let’s just say it’s fairly obvious by now, if the frequency The Police show up in these music series is any indication, that I must like them. I like them as much as I like cops staying away from my door! (Oh, so close!) Recorded and released in 1981, Sting actually wrote “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” in 1977. It wasn’t recorded until 1981 because, frankly, Sting was butting heads with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers over the tune. Talk about stubborn! First of all, yes, the song was inspired by Sting’s now-longtime wife (then neighbor) Trudy Styler. Sounds romantic as all get out, right? Turns out that that rake, Sting, happened to be married to his first wife at the time. Sting recorded the demo and spent those years insisting they record over his demo, because everything they were trying wasn’t working. So what you are hearing is part demo, part overdub. Against Copeland and Summers wishes, Sting brought in keyboardist Jean Alain Roussel and had him play about 12 piano dubs for the track. It all ended up working, however: the song reached #1 in 4 countries, Top 20 in 12. It is certified either Gold or Platinum in 4 countries. Not too shabby for a song that, when presented to the band, did not fit the then-Police sound, and was dismissed by Copeland and Summers as “soft.” Link is to the official promotional video: