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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

This was originally an acoustic ballad Sting wrote while The Police were known as Strontium 90 (and included bassist Mike Howlett). You can hear the first recording of this song if you find their rare CD, Police Academy, released in 1997 and produced by Mike Howlett.

Sting used a lyric from this, "Do I have to tell the story of a thousand rainy days since we first met? It's a big enough umbrella but it's always me that ends up getting wet," on some other songs he wrote, including The Police's "O My God" from Synchronicity and "Seven Days" from his solo album Ten Summoner's Tales. (thanks, Jeff - Kendall Park, NJ, for above 2)

True to their Punk roots, The Police have some colorful and dysfunctional characters in their early songs. While this song seems very endearing, the guy clearly has some issues, as he pursues a girl who does not return his affections. He might be crossing over into stalker territory as he resolves to call her up "1000 times a day."

This was the only track on Ghost In The Machine not recorded in Montserrat, an island in the Caribbean (it was recorded in Canada). However the promo video was shot at George Martin's Montserrat studio - we can see people of the island with the members of the band. The police were deeply influenced by the music of the Caribbean (Reggae music). (thanks, Mylene - Guadeloupe French West Indies, France)

This appeared on the soundtrack of the Adam Sandler movie The Wedding Singer and the 2005 film Bewitched. (thanks, Jazzz - Frankfurt, Germany)

In 1982 this won the Best Pop Song at the annual Ivor Novello Awards. (thanks, Edward Pearce - Ashford, Kent, England)

The intro to this song was used by German R&B singer Sebastian Hamer for "Immer Noch." His song's meaning is just about the opposite of the original. (thanks, Thomas - Saarbrucken, Germany)

Comments:

I agree with James this is about a guy who is too shy to approach a women he is smitten with. A big enough umbrella but he always getting wet is a reference to his uncertainty. It always seems to rain on him when he tries to find love, with this women.
- wario, london city, United Kingdom

This is one of my favorite songs ever...but the album it's on GHOST IN THE MACHINE is otherwise terrible, to my tastes. I read Sting say other people were copying the Police's original sound, so they decided to change their sound for GHOST. To me it's sterile and overly "synthy." So I've played "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" a million times, and the rest of GHOST songs hardly at all!
- Susan, Toronto, Canada

Hey Evileye_8: ??? That's like claiming Ferrari gets a bad image from the movie Red Line ... totally lame movie, but great car(s) ... c'mon.
- Scott, West Palm Beach, FL

I just heard the Strontium 90 version from the CD, Police Academy. Its a great version, if you like this song you will love it.
- Jeff, Branford, CT

The entire GHOST IN THE MACHINE album blew me away when it was released back in 1981. To me it has a dark sci fi feel to it, almost like it was recorded in outer space or on another planet! Strange but that's what it seemed like to me and I was only 10 or 11 years old back then. The tune "Secret Journey" is the best example, check that tune out.
- Barry, New York, NY

Do tell, Roger from Los Angeles... the meaning of the song seems simply clear to me. A man is too shy to approach the woman of his dreams. What am I missing?
- James, Westchester, England

Actually, Sting used that trick of quoting his own songs pretty frequently. I think he does it as a running joke from album to album, or used to. He quotes 'Every Breath You Take' in 'Love is the Seventh Wave' on The Dream of the Blue Turtles. I don't remember right now which song from 'Turtles' he quoted in 'Nothing Like the Sun,' but I remember he did it then too.
- Dennis, Anchorage, AK

yeah your right. it only brings down the image of the band.
- evileye_8@msn.com, Perth, Australia

I was disappointed to see a preview for the movie Bewitched and see that this song is used in the movie. Shame on Sting (or whoever has the rights to Police songs) for giving this lame movie permission to use this song. This song, along with Every Breath You Take, have to be two of the most misunderstood songs of all time.
- Roger, Los Angeles, CA

Sting was writing this song in the back of a tour bus and was attempting to write a song that rhymed sort of like a poem. He turned to Stewart Copeland, who was sitting behind him, and said "Can you think of a word that rhymes with magic?" Copeland said "Tragic?" and that was how the line "Even though my life before was tragic" came about.
- Ronnie, Ft. Meyers, FL

Mel Gibson uses the "I resolve to call (her)you up a thousand times a day, and ask you(her) if you'll(she'll) marry me in some old-fashioned way" line in the movie "Conspiracy Theory" to tell Julia Roberts' character that he loves her. She blows him off. "Those are song lyrics."
- Eddie, Lachine, MI