U.K. Rock Choir Bans Performance of Classic Hit Song

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Rock Choir – which bills itself as “the UK’s leading contemporary award-winning choir experience” – recently announced that it has banned the performance of a classic (but also controversial) hit song: “Every Breath You Take” by The Police.

Rock Choir’s Rationale + Replacement

As reported by the Telegraph on Jan. 21, the “difficult decision” was made by founder Caroline Redman Lusher MBE and revealed “in a letter to the choir’s 31,000 members.” In it, Lusher explained (via the Telegraph):

Dearest Rockies, after much thought and discussion with some of the team, I have made the difficult decision to remove “Every Breath You Take” from the repertoire. I have never removed a song before now but due to the impact the narrative is having on some Rockies and the potential – when it is taught – of more negative and challenging feelings from the wider membership, I feel it would be wise to replace the song.

She then said that she “would like to reinforce to everyone that Rock Choir is a supportive and safe place,” continuing:

As we know, some members use Rock Choir as therapy and a lifeline; they trust us to bring them joy and confidence in a safe environment. And although the song is popular with many of you and the narrative of this song wasn’t originally written to describe a coercive or abusive relationship, it can be interpreted that way.

Likewise (and also via the Telegraph), Rock Chair’s Head of PR – Louise Harris – stated:

Many song lyrics include themes and messages which can be interpreted in different ways. [“Every Breath You Take”] is no exception. However, even though we were prepared for queries, we weren’t expecting the level of upset we have encountered. Even though it was a small number of members who expressed upset and concern, we wouldn’t want even one Rock Choir member to feel unease when coming to sing with us and take part in Rock Choir. Since our decision was sent to the membership, we have received overwhelming support and understanding as we strive to offer a supportive, safe and inclusive experience for our Rockies.

Lusher also clarified that “Every Breath You Take” will be replaced by Foo Fighters’ “Learn to Fly,” adding: “For the fans of the Police and Sting, do not despair! We will be choosing an alternative song from their catalogue for the near future. Leave this with me as I too am a huge fan of their music.”

READ MORE: 9 Rock + Metal Bands Whose Final Album Is Their Best

More About Rock Choir

Founded in 2005, Rock Choir is Britian’s largest choir, providing (via their official website) “local weekly rehearsals, performances and life-affirming events to more than 400 towns and communities across the UK.” Furthermore, it’s “recognised as the first of its kind to offer a no-audition and no-requirement-to-read-music choir experience in the UK and invites anyone with any level of musical experience to join.”

Over the past 20 years, Rock Choir has won numerous awards and other distinctions, including three Guiness World Records (“The Largest Musical Act to Release an Album (signed),” “The Biggest Hit Act in the UK” and “The Largest Song and Dance Routine held at Multiple Venues”).

In addition to previously playing “Every Breath You Take,” they’ve performed songs by major acts such as “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel and “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen.

More About The Police + “Every Breath You Take”

Written by bassist/vocalist Sting, “Every Breath You Take” was the lead single from The Police’s fifth and final studio album, 1983’s Synchronicity. In the same Telegraph article, they specify that he wrote it “after separating from Frances Tomelty, the Northern Irish actress and his wife” and as he was “beginning a relationship with her close friend, Trudie Styler” (to whom he’s been married since 1992).

Back in 2023, Loudwire included “Every Breath You Take” in our list of 15 Rock Songs That Are Actually Really Creepy, writing that it became “a huge international hit” which “everyone assumed was a feel-good song about being deeply in love.” However, a deeper analysis reveals that “it’s about an obsessive stalker, more or less.”

The year it released, Sting told a sold-out show in the U.S. that he thinks “it’s a nasty little song, really rather evil. It’s about jealousy and surveillance and ownerships.” That said, he later admited that he “didn’t realize at the time how sinister it is,” and in 2023, he told People magazine:

I think if the song has any power at all, it’s ambivalent. It could be sinister or it could be quite warm and sweet and nice, and people have both of those interpretations. And I would never contradict anyone who has a different interpretation of any of my songs because in many ways, that enriches the song.

Lastly, Sting told the Los Angeles Times in 2024 that the recent allegations against Diddy (who sampled “Every Breath You Take” in 1997’s “I’ll Be Missing You”)  haven’t hurt the legacy of the song. “No. I mean, I don’t know what went on [with Diddy]. But it doesn’t taint the song at all for me. It’s still my song,” he expressed.

Given all of that, Rock Choir’s choice to no longer perform “Every Breath You Take” might not be as surprising as it initially appears. Oh, and as of this writing, neither Sting nor anyone else in The Police have responded to Rock Choir’s decision.

What do you think of the situation, though? How do you feel about “Every Breath You Take”? Let us know!

The 95 Rock + Metal Songs With Over One Billion Spotify Streams

Recapping the rock and metal songs that have eclipsed one billion streams on Spotify.

NOT INCLUDED: The definition of rock is incredibly broad today and, in this list, we’ve elected not to include pop/rock acts such as Imagine Dragons, Maroon 5, Twenty One Pilots, 5 Seconds of Summer, Coldplay, Goo Goo Dolls, Gym Class Heroes and Train.

Gallery Credit: Joe DiVita

Link to the source article – https://loudwire.com/uk-rock-choir-bans-performance-classic-hit-song/

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