Wrapped Around Your Finger
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" is a rock song written by Sting and recorded by the English band the Police for their fifth studio album, Synchronicity, released on June 17, 1983, by A&M Records.[1] Issued as a single in July 1983 in the United Kingdom and January 1984 in the United States, it became one of the album's major hits, peaking at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart after entering on July 23, 1983, and spending 9 weeks in the top 40, and reaching number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1984 and spending 16 weeks on the chart.[2][3] The track features a reggae-influenced rhythm and synthesizer elements, with lyrics that explore themes of manipulation, control, and revenge in a relationship, using allusions to Greek mythology such as Scylla and Charybdis, as well as references to Faustian bargains and the "devil and the deep blue sea."[4] The song's creation occurred amid strained band dynamics during the recording of Synchronicity at Le Studio in Quebec and AIR Studios in Montserrat, where initial sessions in Montserrat yielded no usable tracks after two weeks due to interpersonal tensions, prompting intervention from producer Hugh Padgham and manager Miles Copeland to refocus the group.[5] Sting has described the lyrics as depicting an apprentice who eventually overthrows his master, symbolizing a reversal of power dynamics, which he characterized as a "spiteful song about turning the tables on someone who had been in charge."[4] The accompanying music video, directed by Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, was filmed in slow motion at an A&M soundstage and features the band performing in a surreal, monochromatic setting with a candle-lit labyrinth, achieving innovative visual effects through sped-up playback.[4] Synchronicity itself was the Police's most commercially successful album, topping the Billboard 200 for 17 weeks and selling over 8 million copies in the US alone, with "Wrapped Around Your Finger" contributing to its legacy as a cornerstone of 1980s new wave and rock, including deluxe reissues for its 40th anniversary in 2024.[1][6] The song has been covered by artists including Underoath in 2005 and Brazilian band Skank in a Portuguese version in 2000, and it remains a staple in Sting's solo performances and Police reunion tours.[4]Writing and recording
Background
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" was written solely by Sting during the recording sessions for The Police's fifth and final studio album, Synchronicity, which began in December 1982 at AIR Studios in Montserrat. The song emerged amid escalating tensions within the band, as creative differences between Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers intensified, contributing to the group's eventual breakup after the album's release. Sting later described the track as a personal reflection on his life, noting that much of Synchronicity felt like a solo effort due to the strained dynamics.[7] The song's inspiration draws from themes of power dynamics and reversal in a master-apprentice relationship, specifically evoking the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" motif where the student gains control over the teacher.[4] Sting characterized it as "a spiteful song about turning the tables on someone who had been in charge," blending esoteric elements with personal spite. He elaborated that the concept was "vaguely alchemical and probably about a friend of mine, a professional psychic and my tutor in tarot, with bits of Doctor Faustus and 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' thrown into the pot for good measure."[4]Recording process
The recording of "Wrapped Around Your Finger" took place as part of the sessions for The Police's album Synchronicity, spanning from December 1982 to February 1983. Initial sessions at AIR Studios in Montserrat were unproductive for the first two weeks due to severe interpersonal tensions, yielding no usable tracks and prompting intervention from producer Hugh Padgham and manager Miles Copeland to refocus the group. Tracking then proceeded at AIR Studios in Montserrat, with overdubs and mixing completed at Le Studio in Quebec, Canada.[8][5] The track was produced by the band members—Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers—alongside engineer Hugh Padgham, who handled the technical aspects of capturing their sound on 24-track analog tape. Backing tracks were recorded live with the trio performing together where possible, though escalating tensions often led to isolated overdubs, with band members working in separate rooms to minimize conflicts.[9][8] The sessions were marked by a collaborative process overshadowed by intense interpersonal strife, including physical altercations and emotional discord stemming from personal issues like marital breakdowns; as drummer Stewart Copeland later recalled, "The recording sessions were very dark. We beat the crap out of each other" and "tore each other’s throats out in the studio," with Sting's strong songwriting vision dominating the arrangements.[10][8] Synthesizers, including the Fairlight CMI, were employed to add dramatic textural elements, complementing the core instrumentation of Sting's piano-driven intro riff—played in a staccato style evoking a harpsichord—and Copeland's mallet percussion accents. The final mix, clocking in at 5:13, balanced the band's signature new wave sensibilities with reggae-inflected rhythms, emphasizing clean, layered production to highlight the song's brooding tension.[8][11]Personnel
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" was written by Sting.[12] Sting performed lead vocals, bass guitar, and piano on the track.[12] Andy Summers contributed guitar.[12] Stewart Copeland played drums.[12] The song was produced by the members of The Police—Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland—with Hugh Padgham engineering.[12][13] No additional musicians participated, featuring only the core trio.[12]Composition and lyrics
Musical composition
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" is composed in the key of A minor and maintains a tempo of 128 beats per minute.[14] The track exemplifies new wave with a fusion of rock and reggae elements, characterized by its atmospheric tension and rhythmic drive.[15] The song's structure adheres to a verse-chorus form, opening with an iconic introductory riff repeated eight times before transitioning into verses and choruses.[16] It includes two full verse-chorus cycles, followed by a bridge that blends into the third verse through harmonic shifts, melodic instability, and instrumental changes such as a rock beat on drums and added guitar tension, culminating in a fade-out.[17] Reggae influences are evident in the rhythm section, featuring offbeat guitar stabs echoing dub style and steady drums with the kick drum landing on the "and" of beats 2 and 3, accented by a cross-stick snare on beat 4.[18] The prominent main hook is a synthesizer riff evoking a harpsichord timbre, created using an Oberheim OB-Xa to emulate the sound and layered with subtle synth pads for depth.[19] Sting's baritone vocal delivery employs hypnotic phrasing, syncing with the undulating rhythm to enhance the song's entrancing mood.[5]Lyrical themes
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" explores themes of power dynamics and revenge within a manipulative relationship, where the narrator transitions from a position of subservience to one of dominance over a controlling figure. The lyrics portray the narrator as a "young apprentice" initially ensnared by the other's influence, but ultimately poised to reverse the roles, declaring, "You'll be wrapped around my finger." Sting described the song as "a spiteful song about turning the tables on someone who had been in charge," emphasizing the vengeful shift from victim to controller. This narrative reflects intellectual and emotional control, inspired in part by a real-life acquaintance—a professional psychic and tarot tutor—infusing the track with alchemical undertones of transformation.[4] The song incorporates literary allusions that deepen its exploration of entrapment and temptation. The line "Caught between the Scylla and Charybdis" directly references the mythological peril from Homer's Odyssey, symbolizing the narrator's dilemma between two dangerous choices imposed by the dominant figure. Additionally, "Mephistopheles is not your name" alludes to the Faust legend, evoking the devilish tempter from Goethe's Faust or Marlowe's Doctor Faustus, where the phrase "such a lot of fascinating things" echoes Mephistopheles' seductive promises of knowledge and power. These references underscore the theme of hypnotic manipulation, as the apprentice is drawn into a Faustian bargain of subservience. The master-servant dynamic also briefly evokes the power imbalances in Shakespeare's The Tempest, such as between Prospero and Ariel.[4] Vivid imagery reinforces the song's motifs of control and its consequences. The narrator is "hypnotized" by the other's gaze, illustrating psychological entrapment and loss of agency. The chilling promise "I will turn your face to alabaster" suggests a petrifying transformation, rendering the once-powerful figure lifeless and stone-like, symbolizing the draining of vitality and the permanence of revenge. Through these elements, the lyrics convey unfulfilled promises and the inevitable fruition of inverted power, where the manipulated becomes the manipulator.[4][5]Release
Single release
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" was issued as the second single from The Police's album Synchronicity following "Every Breath You Take", by A&M Records on July 8, 1983, in the United Kingdom.[20] In the United States, the single was released on January 2, 1984.[21] The UK 7-inch vinyl edition featured "Someone to Talk To" as the B-side, a non-album track written by guitarist Andy Summers.[22] The US version paired the track with a live recording of "Tea in the Sahara".[23] The single was available in multiple formats, including 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl records, as well as promotional versions distributed to radio stations and media outlets.[24] Promotion for the release was integrated with the broader marketing campaign for Synchronicity, which included television appearances, radio play, and performances during the band's extensive Synchronicity Tour that began in July 1983 and continued through 1984.[11] This strategy helped sustain album sales and build anticipation for the tour across Europe, North America, and beyond.[25]Track listings
The single "Wrapped Around Your Finger" was released in multiple vinyl formats in 1983 in the UK and 1984 in the US markets.[24]| Format | Catalog number | Country | Tracks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-inch single | AM 127 | UK | "Wrapped Around Your Finger" – 5:07 "Someone to Talk To" – 3:08 |
| 7-inch single | AM-2614 | US | "Wrapped Around Your Finger" – 5:07 "Tea in the Sahara" (live) – 5:03 |
| 12-inch single | AMX 127 | UK | "Wrapped Around Your Finger" – 5:07 "Someone to Talk To" – 3:08 "Message in a Bottle" (live) – 4:52 "I Burn for You" – 4:50 |
| 12-inch promo | SP-17264 | US | "Wrapped Around Your Finger" – 5:12 "Wrapped Around Your Finger" (live) – 5:22 "Murder by Numbers" – 4:31 "Someone to Talk To" – 3:05 |
Commercial performance
Chart performance
"Wrapped Around Your Finger" was a commercial success across multiple international markets, peaking in the top ten in several countries and demonstrating The Police's global appeal during the Synchronicity era. Released in the UK in July 1983, the single entered the UK Singles Chart at number 7 on July 23, 1983, where it peaked for two weeks before descending, ultimately charting for a total of 9 weeks.[2] In North America, the track was issued later as the album's fourth single, debuting on the US Billboard Hot 100 on January 7, 1984, at number 61 and ascending to number 8 on the chart dated March 3, 1984, for one week; it totaled 16 weeks on the listing.[26] In Canada, it peaked at number 10 on the RPM Top Singles chart in 1984.[27] The song performed even stronger in some European territories, topping the Irish Singles Chart for three weeks in July 1983.[27] It also reached number 4 in Australia on the Kent Music Report in September 1983 and number 6 in the Netherlands on the Dutch Top 40 in August 1983.[27]| Country | Chart | Peak Position | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Kent Music Report | 4 | 1983 |
| Canada | RPM Top Singles | 10 | 1984 |
| Ireland | Irish Singles Chart | 1 | 1983 |
| Netherlands | Dutch Top 40 | 6 | 1983 |
| United Kingdom | UK Singles Chart | 7 | 1983 |
| United States | Billboard Hot 100 | 8 | 1984 |