Every Breath You Take: Singles

The Police | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: A&M
• ASIN: B000008JI6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,116 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Roxanne

2. Can't Stand Losing You

3. Message in a Bottle

4. Walking on the Moon

5. Don't Stand So Close to Me '86

6. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da

7. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

8. Invisible Sun

9. Spirits in the Material World

10. Every Breath You Take

11. King of Pain

12. Wrapped Around Your Finger

Editorial Reviews

CD

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll Be Arrested By This Album!, March 11, 2005

By 

Danielle (Peabody MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Every Breath You Take: Singles (Audio CD)

This is one group I wish was still together. Sting is good as a solo artist, but his songs tend to be very redunant. Every Police song was unique.

I do wish there were more songs on this CD--like "Driven To Tears" "Syncronicity, Part 2" and the original "Don't Stand So Close To Me", but still, I think this album is endlessly listenable, and I highly recommend it.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Dated Greatest Hits Collection, August 12, 2007

By 

L.A. Scene (Indian Trail, NC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Every Breath You Take: Singles (Audio CD)

It is hard to believe that a band can become a Hall of Fame band with just five studio albums to their name, but The Police are such a band. This is an honor that The Police are most worthy of. The Police were sort of an off-shoot of the Punk Rock movement of the late 1970s. The band would eventually encompass other influences - namely Classic Rock, Reggae, Jazz, Dance, and even Folk. For the most part, it is fair to say there was a Punk Rock and Reggae influence on the band for their first two albums" - "Outlandos D'Amour" and "Regatta de Blanc". Both of these albums were terrific efforts - mostly because The Police used applied their unique style to a formula that worked. The Police would soon transform their sound to a more Classic Rock sound. With each successive album ("Zenyatta Mondatta", "Ghost in the Machine", and "Synchronicity"), The Police would continue to grow as a band and incorporate a variety of genres into their sound. Following "Synchronicity" tensions were high among Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland and there were questions on whether The Police would continue. However in 1986, The Police would embark for a short reunion for the "Amnesty International" concerts (for what would be their last reunion for many years). As a way to promote that reunion, The Police would release their first greatest hits collection - entitled "Every Breath You Take - The Singles". This collection would focus on The Police's "hits" over their five albums. While it does provide a snapshot of The Police's music portfolio, it ultimately is a dated greatest hits collection.

"Every Breath You Take - The Singles" takes tracks from each of the band's five albums. Two tracks from "Outlandos D'Amour" ("Roxanne", "Can't Stand Losing You"); Two tracks from "Regatta De Blanc" ("Message in a Bottle", "Walking on the Moon"); One track from "Zenyatta Mondatta" ("De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da"); Three tracks from "Ghost in the Machine" ("Every Little Thing She Does is Magic", "Invisible Sun", "Spirits in the Material World"); Three tracks from "Synchronicity" ("Every Breath You Take", "King of Pain", "Wrapped Around Your Finger"). One of the big attractions to this collection when it was released was that it (at the time) was the only album that contained a new version of "Don't Stand So Close to Me" - simply titled "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86". This was a slower, more somber version of the original version from "Zenyatta Mondatta". Sting clearly doesn't hit the higher notes like he did ont he original. This version also contained a slightly altered lyric (adding the word 'famous' to 'that famous book by Nabokov"). The general consensus was that this 1986 version did not stand up to the original - I subscribe to that theory.

One strength of this collection is that the tracks are chronologically arranged by the studio album they released. This allows you to see how a band has progressed over time. In the case of The Police, this is essential because I think it is important to hear how their sound evolved. The exception to this rule in the new version of "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" is slotted right before "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da". While this is when the song was originally written, it wasn't when the song was recorded. I would have still placed this version of the song at the end of the collection.

When considering a greatest hits compilation, it is important to know that bands often release several flavors of compilations.

"Every Breath You Take - The Classics": This is actually an Updated Version of "Every Breath You Take - The Singles". It includes both versions of "Don't Stand So Close to Me" and an additional version of "Message in a Bottle" (that version is not found on "Every Breath You Take - The Singles"). For the most part, this collection preserves the chronological ordering of the band.

"The Very Best of Sting and The Police": This provides a mix of Sting's solo work with some of The Police's best hits. There are two versions of this collection - one from 1997 and one from 2002 with the latter one being more complete. These compilations do not preserve the chronological ordering of the band.

"The Police - The Police (2 CD Anthology)": This is a 2 CD collection that was released in 2007 to coincide with The Police's 2007 reunion tour. This collection is much more comprehensive than the "Every Breath You Take" collections. It is important to know that all of the songs found on "Every Breath You Take - The Singles" - including "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" are found on this collection.

"Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings": This is exactly as advertised. It includes every song from each of the five studio albums as well as some B side songs, live tracks, and songs not originally found on CD. These songs are arranged in chronological order on four CDs. It also includes the "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86" version.

One thing that is unusual for a greatest hits collection is that "Every Breath You Take - The Singles" contains the lyrics for all of the tracks. While back in 1986, "Every Breath You Take - The Singles" served its purpose, the recent 2 CD Anthology and "Message in a Box" collections are much more comprehensive. It is also worth noting that these particular collections contain all of the tracks that are on "Every Breath You Take - The Singles". If one is considering a greatest hits collection of The Police, I would easily opt for the "Message in a Box" first, then the 2 CD Anthology. You are going to get so much more for your money.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great compilation., January 9, 2012

By 

MRMinen - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Every Breath You Take: Singles (Audio CD)

This is a great best of collection by The Police simple and to the point and not overdone. The sound has an earlier mastering that takes me back to the '80s when I'd hear these songs over the radio and isn't too overly polished. Great CD to own particularly if you're a casual fan or a completist.