The Police: Don't Stand So Close To Me
[purchase]
As if we needed further evidence of Sting's literary leanings, here's a Lolita story of mutual longing, a teacher deperately struggling to resist nubile temptation, a parable of the flightiness of immortal youth and the dark secrets that lurk in the grown-up mind. Not exactly a celebration of the classroom, but then, school is hell for teachers some days, too.
Though it was their earlier, punkier work which makes collectors and purists drool, this song is a textbook example of the distinctive sound that made The Police a household name. Listen for the subtle bass, the bouncy guitar thrum, the tenor's cry, and the pounding "Police Pulse", and you'll have heard each band member, straining against their already growing differences, using the tension to drive the music forward. Perfect late night beachparty music, too, if you've got sand and surf and one more weekend to party before classes begin.
