The Police » Tracks » Message in a Bottle

The Police – Message in a Bottle (4:49)

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About This Track

“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.
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Albums featuring this track

  • The Very Best Of Sting And The Police
    Sting Play
    Buy
  • Message In A Box
    The Police Play
    Buy
  • Greatest Hits
    The Police Play
    Buy
  • Reggatta De Blanc
    The Police Play
    Buy
See all 7 albums

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  • your_dead

    the guitar in this song is just amazing!

    last month

  • Grimmoire

    A year has passed since I broke my nose xD

    last month

  • Leon_idas

    NIE STAĆ CIĘ NA BATON?

    last month

  • Rockinfreddy

    S.O.S.

    last month

  • davidbowiegirl

    Great song

    March 2012

  • Footshac

    IMMORTAL SONG

    March 2012

  • nola872

    "Love can mend your life but love can break your heart." [4]

    March 2012

  • Damazy248

    Deep respect mr. Copeland. Your playing is a quintessence of badassery.

    February 2012

  • pharmman52

    if you never saw them live you really missed out copeland is immense

    January 2012

  • Lucas876

    The opening track of the show!! Que tal buenos aires, an unforgettable moment

    January 2012

  • kikikirsche

    A hundred billion bottles

    January 2012

  • Roseterries

    "Love can mend your life but love can break your heart." [2]

    January 2012

  • PsyRaduga

    dont understand why i so much love this song

    December 2011

  • dewbie226

    "Love can mend your life but love can break your heart."

    November 2011

  • johnny70s

    Awesome

    October 2011

  • MarsAsAGirl

    One of the first bass lines I ever learnt. Reminds me of being a little girl, when my mum and her boyfriend constantly played Sting and the Police

    October 2011

  • GODZILLA_1964

    One of the BEST 3 man groups in music history. Stuart Copeland on the drums is a BEAST.

    October 2011

  • FeXYSpartan

    But seriously, they are good (thats what she said)

    October 2011

  • FeXYSpartan

    That's what she said, Darkside73! :)

    October 2011

  • TheDarkSide73

    They are Fantastic...

    October 2011
See all 543 shouts

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