Here are 40 facts about "Synchronicity" by "The Police":
1. This is the fifth and final studio album by "The Police", released in June 17, 1983.
2. The album was recorded at AIR Studios in Montserrat, a small island in the Caribbean.
3. "Synchronicity" was completed in just eight weeks, with six weeks dedicated to recording and two weeks for mixing.
4. The band was well-prepared, always having at least 20 songs written and recorded as demos before entering the studio.
5. "Synchronicity" was produced by The Police along with Hugh Padgham, who had previously worked with the band.
6. Sting wrote some of the album's initial songs, including "King of Pain", "Every Breath You Take", and "Wrapped Around Your Finger", while staying at Ian Fleming's Goldeneye estate, finding solace during a difficult period in his life.
7. The band members were not on good terms during the recordings. actually, Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland actually worked in separate rooms.
8. Stewart Copeland recorded his drum parts just half an hour after hearing each song. Despite imperfections, his initial drum pass remained unchanged while other band members would re-record their parts.
9. "Synchronicity" marked a shift in "The Police's" sound towards a more polished and sophisticated production style.
10. But, After the overstuffed sound of "Ghost in the Machine", which brought synths and horns into the mix, "The Police" tried to strip things back. Most of the songs worked with three instruments only, but lots of overdubs.
11. The album's title, "Synchronicity," was inspired by the book "Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle", by Carl Gustav Jung and by Arthur Koestler's book "The Roots of Coincidence".
12. It reached number one on the charts in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom.
13. It is actually the band's first and only No. 1 album. It remained on the charts for a total of 17 weeks.
14. The album was nominated for a total of five Grammy Awards awards in 1984, including "Album of the Year". it won three.
15. The album sold more than 10 million copies, over eight million of which un the US.
16. It was included in the "Rolling Stone" magazine's lists of the "100 Best Albums of the Eighties".
It is also included in the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list of the "Rolling Stone" magazine.
17. In 2009, Synchronicity was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
18. The "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" compiled it in the list of "The Definitive 200" albums.
19. In 2023, the album was selected for preservation in the "United States National Recording Registry" by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
20. "Synchronicity" was included in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
21. Five hit singles were released from the album. "Every Breath You Take", "King of Pain", "Wrapped Around Your Finger", and "Synchronicity II".
22. "Every Breath You Take" is the most well-known song from the album and became a massive hit worldwide. it won two Grammy Awards in 1984 for "Song of the Year" and "Best Pop Performance" by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
23. The song initially sounded like a "Yes" song in Sting's demo, but the band worked hard to develop the right structure, resulting in their first and only No. 1 hit in America.
24. While some perceived it as a sweet love song, Sting intended it to convey themes of surveillance, ownership, and jealousy.
25. Sting earns significant royalties from Puff Daddy's Grammy Award-winning song "I'll Be Missing You" due to illegal sampling of "Every Breath You Take". Sting receives 100% of the royalties, generating an estimated $2,000 per day, totaling close to $2 million annually.
26. Andy Summers played the iconic guitar part for "Every Breath You Take" in one take.
27. By May 2020, the song had surpassed the previous record holder, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers, with over 15 million radio plays.
28. "Wrapped Around Your Finger" is another popular track from the album, showcasing intricate instrumentation and poetic lyrics. Sting sings about being “caught between the Scylla and Charybdis.” - two figures from Greek mythology.
29. A roadie named Tam Fairgrieve fell asleep during recording, leading the band to playfully wake him up using his snoring sounds, which were later incorporated into the song "Synchronicity II".
30. The connection between "Synchronicity I" and "Synchronicity II" remains a closely guarded secret by Sting.
31. The song "King of Pain" explores themes of emotional turmoil and inner struggles. It was initially written by Sting on a small Casio Synthesizer, but then Stewart Copeland suggested playing it on the xylophone.
32. "Tea in the Sahara" tells a haunting story inspired by the novel "The Sheltering Sky" by Paul Bowles.
33. Even though the band decided to strip things back to the core of three instruments it doesn’t mean they stopped experimenting. Sting got an oboe which he taught himself to play in a short period of time for the song "Tea in the Sahara".
34. Guitarist Andy Summers wrote “Mother”. It was inspired by his actual mother, about his intense relationship with her, and was written to be ironic, funny, and crazy. It also drew influence from "Captain Beefheart's "music, and its off-the-wall style.
35. “O My God” calls back to two earlier "Police" songs. The first verse and chorus are based on “3 O’Clock Shot,” an unreleased song of the pre-Police band "Strontium 90". also, Around the 2:58 mark Sting quotes some lines from “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”.
36. "Murder by Numbers" was recorded in a single take, with the band spontaneously capturing their performance in the studio.
37. the song "Miss Gradenko" was named after the secretary of the recording studio where the album was made.
38. "Walking in Your Footsteps" incorporates a tribal rhythm and addresses themes of human evolution and ecological concerns.
39. The album cover features a series of precisely positioned photographs with overlays of red, yellow, or blue. However, there are numerous versions of the cover depending on the album pressing.
40. "The Police" announced their decision to disband shortly after the release of "Synchronicity". The band Actually Played Their Then-Final Concert Less Than a Year After "Synchronicity's" Release.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music