Can't Stand Losing You
| "Can't Stand Losing You" | ||||||||
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| Single by The Police | ||||||||
| from the album Outlandos d'Amour | ||||||||
| B-side | "Dead End Job" | |||||||
| Released | August 14, 1978[1] June 1979 (re-release) |
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| Format | vinyl record (7") | |||||||
| Recorded | 1978 | |||||||
| Genre | New Wave, reggae fusion | |||||||
| Length | 2:58 | |||||||
| Label |
A&M - AMS 7381 and AMPP 6001 L in Blue vinyl |
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| Writer(s) | Sting | |||||||
| Producer | The Police | |||||||
| Certification | Silver (BPI) | |||||||
| The Police singles chronology | ||||||||
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"Can't Stand Losing You" is a song by rock band The Police, first released as a single and on their album Outlandos d'Amour, both in 1978. The original single was banned by the BBC because of the controversial cover (an alternative cover was released in some places). As Sting described: "The reason they[the BBC] had a problem with "Can't Stand Losing You" was because the photo on the cover of the single had Stewart standing on a block of ice with a noose around his neck, waiting for the ice to melt."[2] Despite this, it became the group's first single to break the charts,[3] and has held a spot in their live sets ever since it was written.
The original single capped at number 42,[3] but the June 1979 reissue nearly topped the UK Singles charts, held off only by "I Don't Like Mondays" by The Boomtown Rats.[4] In 1995, a live version of the song was also released as a single and reached number 27 in the charts.[3]
The instrumental track "Reggatta de Blanc" from the album of the same name originated from an improvisational stage jam played during live performances of "Can't Stand Losing You". This instrumental track went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1981.
Two music videos exist for the song. One features the group playing the song on a stage with Sting wearing huge glasses. Slow motion shots of the group live appear as well. The second features the group performing the song in front of a red backdrop. This was filmed on the same day as the red backdropped version of "Roxanne".
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[edit] Covers
British rock band Feeder have covered the song and played it live on a couple of occasions. It also appears on their B-sides album Picture of Perfect Youth.
Belgium band Novastar covered the song. The track appears on the B-side of their 1999 single "The Best is Yet to Come".
"Can't Stand Losing You" has appeared as downloadable content in the music video game series Rock Band as in a 3-song pack along with The Police's other songs "Synchronicity II" and "Roxanne".
[edit] Personnel
- Sting - bass, lead vocals, backing vocals
- Andy Summers - guitar
- Stewart Copeland - drums
[edit] B-Side
The B-side of "Can't Stand Losing You", is based on a riff Copeland wrote in high school.[5] The song is composed in a punk rock format, and contains many expletives. Sting's lyrics mention being a teacher as a dead end job, which was his job before joining The Police. The song was only available on vinyl until the release of 1993's Message in a Box.
[edit] References
- ^ Sutcliffe, Phil & Fielder, Hugh (1981). L'Historia Bandido. London and New York: Proteus Books. ISBN 0-906071-66-6. page 58.
- ^ Garbarini, Vic (Spring 2000). "I think if we came back...", Revolver.
- ^ a b c The Police in the UK Charts, The Official Charts.
- ^ UK Singles Chart for the week of August 4, 1979, The Official Charts.
- ^ Sutcliffe, Phil (1993). "The B-sides and Other Obscure Releases". In Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings (pp.57-59) [Boxed set booklet]. A&M Records Ltd.
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