Message In A Bottle (4:51)
1,516,836 plays (338,913 listeners)
“Message in a Bottle” is a 1979 song by The Police, from their second album, Reggatta de Blanc.
The song is ostensibly about a castaway on an island, who sends out a message in a bottle to seek help. A year later, he feels that there is no need for love. Later on, he sees “a hundred billion bottles” on the shore, finding out that there are more people like him out there. The Police debuted the song on live television.
“Message in a Bottle” may also be read as a lament of isolation and loneliness caused by the loss of a loved one (“love can break your heart”): he seeks help but gets no reply, then realises that there are many more people out there like him, suggesting that everyone has to deal with loss and loneliness as part of the human experience. The island and the bottle are metaphors; by reaching out, the protagonist discovers he is not alone, and that other people share his feelings of alienation.
The single was The Police’s first number one hit in the United Kingdom, but only reached #74 in the United States. An alternate “Classic Rock” mix is available on Every Breath You Take: The Classics. This is Sting’s favorite song as confessed to Jools Holland of BBC fame.
The Police reformed at Live Earth, a 2007 charity concert to raise awareness of global warming and other environmental hazards and performed “Message in a Bottle” as the US finale, with John Mayer playing guitar with Andy Summers (who described the track as a personal favourite in his book One Train Later) and Kanye West performing a rap verse over the chorus of the song.
The song is ostensibly about a castaway on an island, who sends out a message in a bottle to seek help. A year later, he feels that there is no need for love. Later on, he sees “a hundred billion bottles” on the shore, finding out that there are more people like him out there. The Police debuted the song on live television.
“Message in a Bottle” may also be read as a lament of isolation and loneliness caused by the loss of a loved one (“love can break your heart”): he seeks help but gets no reply, then realises that there are many more people out there like him, suggesting that everyone has to deal with loss and loneliness as part of the human experience. The island and the bottle are metaphors; by reaching out, the protagonist discovers he is not alone, and that other people share his feelings of alienation.
The single was The Police’s first number one hit in the United Kingdom, but only reached #74 in the United States. An alternate “Classic Rock” mix is available on Every Breath You Take: The Classics. This is Sting’s favorite song as confessed to Jools Holland of BBC fame.
The Police reformed at Live Earth, a 2007 charity concert to raise awareness of global warming and other environmental hazards and performed “Message in a Bottle” as the US finale, with John Mayer playing guitar with Andy Summers (who described the track as a personal favourite in his book One Train Later) and Kanye West performing a rap verse over the chorus of the song.
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Shouts
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ImpossibleSmurf wrote:
Great, great song!
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HighSynergy wrote:
i shall never get sick of this song!
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ledluva66 wrote:
sting has an awesome voice!!!
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bigmanbmoney wrote:
sorry, great song but played to death... <NEXT>
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SweenyLyn wrote:
Man, das war mal das Lieblingslied meiner Eltern xD
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keysrgood wrote:
They made some excellent pop records but really irritated me later in their career by denigrating many of the awards they received, especially from fans/members of the public. So ungrateful.
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CAVermeer wrote:
I hear ya, I am rather MEH on Sting myself, not fond of his solo stuff for the most part, too MOR (good MOR but not my cup of tea), and he comes across as a pretentious git. Do love the other 2/3 of the group, though.
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scott_sea wrote:
Leysh it has something to do with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers...
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Allusel wrote:
Classic!
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navasana wrote:
alltime classics.....great
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leysh wrote:
How come I love the police so much and hate Sting !!!
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TheBullfrog wrote:
A real rock classic! www.reverbnation.com/jackybullfrog
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bioconce wrote:
classic rock
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qrobur wrote:
When this came out it sounded very fresh, principally because of the then still unfamiliar chorused guitar. It's still a good track but it sounds dated now.
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malungo100 wrote:
immer noch gut.♫♫♪♫♥♥
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EJZyla wrote:
mmmm - sweet Feyd...
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Pepecambil wrote:
Clásico.
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Knackstachel wrote:
message in a booooottle... dam dam dam
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Giusychevola wrote:
♥ (2)
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vjsupersaint wrote:
30 years today since it was#1. And still a great song.
The Police
Message In A Bottle
full track
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Recent Activity
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trentja and ssa_sdrowkcab loved The Police – Message In A Bottle. 16 minutes ago
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thedoublearon added Message In A Bottle to the playlist Classic Rock. 31 minutes ago
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