The Police » Tracks » Roxanne

The Police – Roxanne (3:07)

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About This Track

Roxanne is a hit song by the rock band The Police, first released in 1978 as a single and on their album Outlandos d’Amour. It was written about a prostitute in southern France.

Police lead singer Sting wrote the song, inspired by the prostitutes he saw near the band’s seedy hotel while in Paris, France in October 1977 to perform at the Nashville Club. The title of the song comes from the name of the character in the play Cyrano de Bergerac, an old poster of which was hanging in the hotel foyer.

Sting had originally conceived the song as a bossa nova, although he credits Police drummer Stewart Copeland for suggesting its final rhythmic form as a tango. During recording, Sting accidentally sat down on a piano keyboard in the studio, resulting in the atonal piano chord and laughter preserved at the beginning of the track. The Police were initially diffident about the song, but Miles Copeland III was immediately enthusiastic after hearing it, becoming their manager and getting them their first record deal with A&M Records. The single did not chart at first, but it was re-released in April 1979 and reached #12 in the UK and #32 in the U.S., and went on to become one of the classic Police songs as well as a staple of Sting’s performances during his solo career. Roxanne has appeared on every single one of The Police’s Greatest hits albums.

Rolling Stone ranked it #388 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
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  • fsk-_-

    "ROOOOOOX-" "No." [16]

    19 days ago

  • CrazyStar69

    this is very, very, very cool...

    last month

  • PurplePostRock

    ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOXANNE.

    last month

  • skank_pit

    You don't have to put on the red light. (changed my mind) Put on the red light!

    last month

  • TschanFarang

    love it !

    last month

  • neckermanncj

    "ROOOOOOX-" "No." [15]

    March 2012

  • HOLY_DIVER_666

    <3 <3 <3

    March 2012

  • neurotripsy

    New group, join if you were named after a song! =) → [Click]

    March 2012

  • masteroforion

    That moment on Community...

    March 2012

  • mattrockrob

    RoooOOOOOOOOOOOXAAAAAAANNEEEEeee

    February 2012

  • Waldbewohnerin

    So ein geiler Song!

    February 2012

  • ObmujSon

    Class

    February 2012

  • magie41

    yeahhh

    February 2012

  • cgovier280

    crap

    February 2012

  • DaJuWi

    the version with gil evans is awesome, too

    January 2012

  • TheLegend72

    I am not keen on songs about a girl with her name as the title (don't ask me why) but this is one of the very few that I actually do like.

    January 2012

  • beastatharlot

    Love this song.

    January 2012

  • tartonka

    great song... masterpiece

    January 2012

  • wigan_

    ROOOOXAne. thank u community

    January 2012

  • theviperchick

    ♥

    January 2012
See all 564 shouts

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