Hit Parade: "If You Love Sting, Set Him Free" Edition Part 1

Host: Chris Molanphy
Release Date: October 18, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode of Hit Parade explores the enduring appeal, talent, and contradictions of Gordon Sumner—better known as Sting—covering his rapid ascent with The Police, his unique knack for pop stardom, and the artistic and legal complexities that surround his most iconic hits. Host Chris Molanphy illuminates Sting's journey from humble jazz beginnings through punk, reggae fusion, literary pretensions, and on to behind-the-scenes influence and present-day controversies. The episode weaves chart trivia, musical anecdotes, and sonic analysis into a rich tapestry that places Sting’s career at the heart of pop history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sting’s Chart Ubiquity in the 1980s

• Sting’s simultaneous chart presence (1985):
  • Second solo single "Fortress Around Your Heart" enters the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10.
  • His distinctive voice is also featured in Dire Straits' hit "Money for Nothing" (00:55).
• Notable trait:
  • "Good chart fortune just seemed to follow Sting... Sophisticated, verbose, sexy, and as angular as the man's cheekbones." (03:39, Chris Molanphy)

2. The Legacy and Reinvention of The Police

• Breakout from the UK punk scene:
  • Transition to New Wave and reggae-infused pop (05:00).
• The Police’s MTV era dominance:
  • Sleek hits, memorable videos, and chart success culminating in superstardom before an amicable split.

3. Sting’s Signature Sound – Timeless and Imitated

• Generational influence:
  • Modern artists borrow melodies and emulate the "Sting sound" (06:19–06:42), e.g., Juice WRLD’s interpolation.

4. Every Breath You Take – From Classic Success to Legal Saga

• Chart-topping details:
  • Eight weeks at #1 on the Hot 100; 1983’s biggest US hit (08:03).
• Ominous subtext:
  • Sting called the track “evil and sinister,” despite its popularity as a love song.
• 2025 copyright controversy:
  • Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland sue Sting for arranger’s fees, seeking to be credited like the famed but uncredited “Show Me Love” remixer StoneBridge (12:39–17:56).
  • “Those elements [Summers’ riff, Copeland’s beat] are arguably as important... as Sting’s melody is.” (18:05, Chris Molanphy)
  • “I am sort of rooting for Summers and Copeland, but skeptical they will succeed… But I also gotta give it up for Sting’s innate skill and melodic gifts.” (20:17, Molanphy)

5. Why Is Sting ‘Pretentious’—and Why Does It Work?

• Sting’s literary aspirations:
  • Lyrics brandishing references to Shakespeare, Nabokov, Oppenheimer, and Homer’s “Scylla and Charybdis” (Gr. mythology) (22:33–24:04).
  • “Sting is the king of pretension. Not really the king of pain. I don’t imagine his life is all that painful.” (25:21, Molanphy)
• Cultural jabs:
  • Dana Carvey’s 1990s standup: “The guy named himself a verb, present tense… Who’s got the balls to tell their friends to call them Sting?” (24:45)
• Criticisms:
  • Trouser Press’ Ira Robbins calls Sting “smug and pretentious, and his like-it-or-not voice is still his voice.” (20:46)

6. Sting’s Musical Roots and Transformation

• Early life and jazz influences (27:57):
  • From son of a milkman and hairdresser in Northumberland to university graduate and schoolteacher.
  • Jazz phase: Newcastle Big Band, Phoenix Jazzmen—nickname “Sting” originated from his yellow-and-black jumper (29:25).
• Rock transition:
  • Formation of Last Exit, an ambitious jazz-rock band, and London relocation.
  • Meeting Stewart Copeland (ex-Curved Air) and forming the first lineup of The Police (32:27).
  • Andy Summers joins, solidifying the classic trio.

7. Classic Police Albums: Ascent to Superstardom

• Breakthrough with “Roxanne” (41:34–44:23):

  • Song inspired by Paris streetwalkers and a hotel Cyrano de Bergerac poster.
  • Stuart Copeland’s rhythm changes transform the song from bossa nova to reggae-punk hybrid.
  • Miles Copeland (manager) deems it “a goddamn classic.”

• Building album by album:

  • Outlandos d’Amour (1978): Punk/new wave debut; slow UK start, but “Roxanne” and “So Lonely” break in the US after CBGB gig (46:41–47:59).
  • Reggatta de Blanc (1979): “Message in a Bottle” and “Walking on the Moon” hit UK #1, but US chart success is modest; Sting becomes primary songwriter (50:11–51:31).
  • Zenyatta Mondatta (1980): “Da Do Do Do, Da Da Da Da” becomes their first US Top 10; “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” melds teacher experiences and Nabokov’s Lolita (53:51–56:46).
  • Ghost in the Machine (1981): Synth-heavy, political-tinged hits (“Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” “Spirits in the Material World,” “Invisible Sun”) (58:29–58:36).

8. Synchronicity and the Peak (and Dissolution) of The Police

• Synchronicity (1983):
  • “Every Breath You Take” is written about a stalker, packaged with an artful B&W video, becomes their only US #1 single (62:19–63:54).
  • Album challenges Michael Jackson’s Thriller for the top of the charts—17 weeks at #1.
  • Other major singles: “King of Pain,” “Synchronicity II,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger.”
  • Internal conflict: Sting’s dominance causes friction—leads to quiet band dissolution post-1984 (67:47).
  • Final group effort: Re-recording “Don’t Stand So Close to Me” in 1986, featuring a drum machine due to Copeland’s injury.
  • “By then, career-wise and emotionally, the three men of the Police had moved on. Most especially Sting.” (69:08)

9. Sting Solo: Setting Himself Free

• A preview for Part 2: Sting’s ventures into jazz, classical, calypso, and groove—testing the boundaries of what his audience would accept and setting the stage for his “sophista-pop” solo dominance.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On ubiquity:
  “Good chart fortune just seemed to follow Sting.” (03:39, Chris Molanphy)

• On pretension:
  “Sting is the king of pretension. Not really the king of pain.” (25:21, Chris Molanphy)

• On copyright & musicianship:
  “If anyone should benefit financially from the Beyoncé hit’s allusion to ‘Show Me Love’, it’s surely DJ StoneBridge. But that’s not what happened...” (13:58, Chris Molanphy)

• On “Every Breath You Take”:
  “The guitar arpeggio, that famous smoldering riff which Andy Summers came up with himself, and the cracking snare drum rhythm that Stuart Copeland devised—those elements are arguably as important to the endurance of ‘Every Breath You Take’ as Sting’s melody is.” (18:05)

• On formation of The Police Name:
  “Sting thought it was a dumb name, but he went along with the plan.” (33:43)

• Dana Carvey on Sting’s name:
  “The guy named himself a verb, present tense… Who’s got the balls to tell their friends to call them Sting?” (24:45)

• On The Police’s place in music video history:
  “Right away, when MTV launched… the Police were a flagship act on the video channel.” (56:46)

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Sting solo & Dire Straits chart presence: 00:55
• Generational influence – modern artists borrow from Sting: 06:19–06:42
• “Every Breath You Take” context and 2025 lawsuit: 08:03–18:05
• Ira Robbins “smug and pretentious” quote: 20:46
• Sting’s literary references & image: 22:33–25:21
• Origin of the nickname “Sting”: 29:25
• Police’s first US breakthrough (“Roxanne,” CBGB): 46:41–47:59
• First US top 10 Police hit (trivia): 53:51
• Police as MTV video stars: 56:46
• Peak of Police stardom (“Every Breath You Take,” Synchronicity): 62:19–63:54
• Band’s split & Sting solo hint: 69:08

Conclusion & Setup for Part 2

Chris concludes by previewing Sting’s boundary-pushing and genre-crossing solo success post-Police, promising a deep-dive into how his fanbase and the pop charts continued to follow him—sometimes to surprising places.

“Fans endorse his experiments, his social conscience and his high toned Sophista pop. But they really want Sting to bring the swoon so he gives them what they want. All for love.” (69:08)

Summary Table

| Segment | Timestamp | Key Content | |------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Intro & Sting’s 1985 chart ubiquity | 00:55 | Simultaneous top 10 hits, chart-luck theme introduced | | 2025 lawsuit over “Every Breath You Take”| 12:39–18:05| Summers & Copeland seek arranger credit; copyright law discussion | | Criticisms of Sting’s artistry | 20:46 | Ira Robbins: “smug and pretentious” | | On Sting’s pretension (humorous take) | 24:45 | Dana Carvey monologue about the name “Sting” | | Origin of Sting’s name | 29:25 | Jazzmen bandleader calls him “Sting” after his striped sweater | | “Roxanne” inspiration and breakthrough | 41:34–46:41| Inspired by Paris prostitutes; song’s transformation in the studio | | Police dominate MTV early era | 56:46 | Police as flagship for video age | | “Every Breath You Take” & band breakup | 62:19–69:08| Massive 1983 success, band’s gradual dissolution, Sting’s impending solo career |

For New Listeners

This part one episode of Hit Parade is a meticulously crafted portrait of Sting’s indelible impact on pop music—full of wit, sharp analysis, behind-the-scenes tales, and a critical look at the quirks, snobberies, and genuine gifts of one of pop’s most divisive but successful stars. Even if you’re not a Sting superfan, you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for both his music and the peculiar ironies of pop stardom. Stay tuned for Part 2 for the solo years and more hit parade intrigue.