About The Song
“Wrapped Around Your Finger” is the second single in the UK (and the fourth single in the US) from the Police’s 1983 album Synchronicity. Written by Sting, it was released worldwide by A&M Records and featured the non-album track “Someone to Talk To” as the B-side in the UK, while a live version of “Tea in the Sahara” was the B-side in the US.
Like other tracks on Synchronicity, such as “Every Breath You Take” and “King of Pain,” “Wrapped Around Your Finger” was a personal song for Sting. He said in an interview, “‘Every Breath You Take’, ‘Wrapped Around Your Finger’ were all about my life.”
Sting described “Wrapped Around Your Finger” as “a spiteful song about turning the tables on someone who had been in charge.” Like other Police songs from this period, it features mythological and literary references, including the Scylla and Charybdis monsters of Greek mythology, and the German legend of Faust. It has a relatively slow, almost foreboding feel in the beginning verses, modulating to evoke a lighter, triumphant feel during the chorus.
This song is 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.
— Sting, Lyrics by Sting
“Wrapped Around Your Finger” was released as the follow-up to the worldwide hit “Every Breath You Take.” In Britain, it reached No. 7 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1983, and in the US, it was instead released as the fourth single from Synchronicity (after “Every Breath You Take,” “King of Pain,” and “Synchronicity II”). The single reached No. 8 on the Billboard chart in March 1984. It was their final top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
The British picture sleeve for “Wrapped Around Your Finger” was released in three colour variations: blue, red, and yellow. The single was also released on a picture disc, each featuring the face of Sting, Andy Summers, or Stewart Copeland. Out of the twelve thousand copies released, however, ten thousand had Sting’s face on it, while Summers and Copeland appeared on one thousand each (making the latter two variations somewhat rare.)
The B-side of the song in Britain, “Someone to Talk To,” was written by guitarist Andy Summers. Sting refused to provide vocals, leaving Summers to sing. Summers expressed disappointment at this, saying, “Maybe I had just split up from my wife. It was a nice thing I had on the guitar and I was disappointed that Sting wouldn’t sing it. That would have given it more of an official stamp.” Drummer Stewart Copeland said of this conflict, “Andy did his best on vocals but I too was disappointed that Sting didn’t sing it. He was very touchy about lyrics.” The American B-side, “Tea in the Sahara” (live), comes from the Synchronicity Tour.
Video
Lyrics
You keep me wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
I was caught up in your orbit
Spinnin’ like a bullet
I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then I shot back down to Earth
I can’t call you right now, I been drinkin’
And I know that I’ll say what I’m thinkin’
My whole life, I was drawn to the deep end
When will it sink in?
Why do I tell myself that I do the best I can?
I know damn well that you couldn’t give a damn
Ten billion cuties that think I’m the man
But if you come around, I’ll be eatin’ out your hand
Keep me wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
I was caught up in your orbit
Spinnin’ like a bullet
I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then I shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
I keep wonderin’, who’s the one replacin’ me?
Take me back to yesterday
When I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then was shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
When we met, you ain’t know I was a singer
You weren’t impressed by all that ice on my finger (so icy)
I had your mom and daddy’s house on my pinky (my pinky)
If I’da known what it’d be like now
I wouldn’t be in misery right now
Look in the mirror, I don’t see myself
Bein’ with me has got to be like hell
So tell the devil I’ma be right down
You keep me wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
I was caught up in your orbit
Spinnin’ like a bullet (spinnin’ like a bullet)
I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then I shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
I keep wonderin’, who’s the one replacin’ me? (Oh)
Take me back to yesterday
When I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then was shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
Yeah, I’m wrapped around, and around
And around on your finger now (ooh, ooh, ooh)
You got me wrapped around, and around
And around on your finger now (ooh, ooh)
I’ma be right down
You keep me wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
I was caught up in your orbit
Spinnin’ like a bullet (spinnin’ like a bullet)
I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then I shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
I keep wonderin’, who’s the one replacin’ me? (Oh)
Take me back to yesterday
When I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then was shot back down to Earth
Lyrics
You keep me wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
I was caught up in your orbit
Spinnin’ like a bullet
I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then I shot back down to Earth
I can’t call you right now, I been drinkin’
And I know that I’ll say what I’m thinkin’
My whole life, I was drawn to the deep end
When will it sink in?
Why do I tell myself that I do the best I can?
I know damn well that you couldn’t give a damn
Ten billion cuties that think I’m the man
But if you come around, I’ll be eatin’ out your hand
Keep me wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
I was caught up in your orbit
Spinnin’ like a bullet
I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then I shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
I keep wonderin’, who’s the one replacin’ me?
Take me back to yesterday
When I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then was shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
When we met, you ain’t know I was a singer
You weren’t impressed by all that ice on my finger (so icy)
I had your mom and daddy’s house on my pinky (my pinky)
If I’da known what it’d be like now
I wouldn’t be in misery right now
Look in the mirror, I don’t see myself
Bein’ with me has got to be like hell
So tell the devil I’ma be right down
You keep me wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
I was caught up in your orbit
Spinnin’ like a bullet (spinnin’ like a bullet)
I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then I shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
I keep wonderin’, who’s the one replacin’ me? (Oh)
Take me back to yesterday
When I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then was shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
Yeah, I’m wrapped around, and around
And around on your finger now (ooh, ooh, ooh)
You got me wrapped around, and around
And around on your finger now (ooh, ooh)
I’ma be right down
You keep me wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
I was caught up in your orbit
Spinnin’ like a bullet (spinnin’ like a bullet)
I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then I shot back down to Earth (shot back down to Earth)
I keep wonderin’, who’s the one replacin’ me? (Oh)
Take me back to yesterday
When I was wrapped around your finger
Wrapped around your finger
Then was shot back down to Earth