Roxanne (3:08)

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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.

Tagged as:

rock, classic rock, 80s, new wave, the police
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Stewart Copeland, Andy Summer & Sting

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ABM1708 wrote:
last week

Is the the best track or SOS?

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funkyhighrisers wrote:
last month

=}

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Tomahawk214 wrote:
last month

ROXXXXXANE

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StimpyMGS wrote:
last month

best drinking game ever.

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vkrisz wrote:
last month

You don't have to put on the red light.

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futuredirect wrote:
last month

Love the harmonies!

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njoy60 wrote:
last month

Roxanne, yes this song still rock and i still like it

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Yod-b wrote:
last month

Great song. Thank you "new wave" radio :)

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LisaVee1976 wrote:
October 2009

ROXANNE>>>>>>>>Take that red light off HONEY!!!!!!!

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retroguy wrote:
October 2009

I remember hearing this song and thinking that musicaly things were probably going to be changing really quickly. Their sound was so refreshing back in the day. (Yea - I know lots of guys were doing the ska thing but these guys brought it to the mainstream masses)

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nathene069 wrote:
October 2009

The Police – Roxanne

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veruschkan wrote:
October 2009

Darling...you don't have to put on the read light. Those days are over. YOu don't have to sell your body to the night....he should come to Sunset Blvd.lol.

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matthewm27 wrote:
October 2009

Rooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooxanne

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GERRYGUITAR wrote:
September 2009

I hated punk... but the Police were amazing, not true punk, they came in by the backdoor of the movement and proved that they were brilliant! So many good songs!!!

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zarate89 wrote:
September 2009

roooooooooooxanne

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murjanb wrote:
September 2009

Rooooooooooxanne! lol

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lowsparker wrote:
September 2009

c'est magnifique! Avec plazir!

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McBeastie wrote:
August 2009

Never gets old.

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elgurka wrote:
August 2009

espectcuar este marco una era ja !!!!!!!!!!!!

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beitz wrote:
August 2009

masterpiece. one of a few.

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