"The Bed's Too Big Without You" | ||||
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Single by the Police | ||||
from the album Reggatta de Blanc | ||||
B-side | "Truth Hits Everybody" (live) | |||
Released | 30 May 1980 [1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:26 | |||
Label | A&M (AAMPP 6001/E) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Sting | |||
Producer(s) |
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The Police singles chronology | ||||
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Vinyl 45 | ||||
Audio | ||||
"The Bed's Too Big Without You" on YouTube |
"The Bed's Too Big Without You" is a song by British rock band the Police,released as the final single from their second studio album Reggatta de Blanc (1979). It was written by lead vocalist and bassist Sting. An alternate version was released as a single in the UK in 1980 in the set Six Pack in conjunction with the re-release of the Police's earlier singles "Roxanne","Can't Stand Losing You","So Lonely","Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon". [2]
It has been covered by a number of other artists,including Sting as a solo artist,Ranking Roger and Sheila Hylton. [3]
The themes of the song are loneliness and the pain of the end of a relationship. [4] The lyrics were inspired by an incident in which Sting's first girlfriend,after being heartbroken upon their break-up,committed suicide. [5]
"The Bed's Too Big Without You" was first released on Reggatta de Blanc in 1979. However,the following year,the song saw a single release as a bonus single in the Six Pack box set,which featured the band's five previous British singles (excluding "Fall Out"). Said box set peaked at No. 17 in Britain. The song was also released as the B-side to "So Lonely" in Germany.
A promo video for "The Bed's Too Big Without You" was performed by the band on The Kenny Everett Video Show . It featured the band members miming to the song in a suburban house.
"The Bed's Too Big Without You" was included on a number of Police compilation and live albums. The original album version was included on Greatest Hits and the UK deluxe version of The Police ,while the alternate mono version was included on Message in a Box:The Complete Recordings . [6] A live version is included on Live! . [6]
AllMusic critic Chris True regards "The Bed's Too Big Without You" as a classic example of the Police's ability to merge reggae with new wave music. [6] He also praises the musicianship of all three members of the band,Stewart Copeland's "brilliant" drumming,Andy Summers' "trebly" guitar playing and Sting's "rolling" bass line. [6] He notes that the song never gets boring,even when only the drums and bass are playing. [6] Ultimate Classic Rock critic Mike Duquette also praised Copeland’s "off-kilter backbeat." [7] Authors Chris Welch and Ken Micallef and Donnie Marshall also praise Copeland's drumming,particularly on the snare drum. [4] [8] Micallef and Marshall specifically describe Copeland's snare drum rhythms as "ricocheting" and "dub-heavy". [8]
Welch regards "The Bed's Too Big Without You" as the third great hit from Reggatta de Blanc,along with "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon",particularly praising the fact that it is "a simple phrase,a neat concept". [4] Welch also praises the alternate version,which appears on the box set Message in a Box ,for having an even "more direct impact". [4] AllMusic critic Greg Prato considers it an "early fave" of the Police. [9] Mojo critic John Harris regards the song as "stereotypically Police-esque" to the point of appearing to be a self-parody. [10] Rolling Stone critic Debra Rae Cohen described it as "an evocative reggae track",particularly praising Sting's vocals and Summers' guitar. [10] While NME critic Tony Stewart considered it to be "a lame expression of remorse", [10] author Martin Charles Strong describes it as a "melodic lament" and an example of the Police "charting new musical territory". [11] Police guitarist Andy Summers regards it as a great song,along with "Message in a Bottle","Bring on the Night",and "Walking on the Moon" from the Reggatta de Blanc album. [12]
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. Within a few months of their first gig,the line-up settled as Sting,Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland,and remained unchanged for the rest of the band's history. The Police became globally popular in the late 1970s and early to mid 1980s. Emerging in the British new wave scene,they played a style of rock influenced by punk,reggae,and jazz.
Reggatta de Blanc is the second studio album by British rock band the Police,released on 5 October 1979 by A&M Records. It was the band's first release to top the UK Albums Chart and features their first two UK number-one singles:"Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon". In early 1980,the album was reissued in the United States on two 10-inch discs,one album side per disc,and as a collector's edition with a poster of the band.
Zenyatta Mondatta is the third studio album by British rock band the Police,released on 3 October 1980 by A&M Records. It was co-produced by the band and Nigel Gray.
Andrew James Summers is an English guitarist who was a founding member of the rock band the Police. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a band member in 2003. Summers has recorded solo albums,collaborated with other musicians,composed film scores,written fiction,and exhibited his photography in galleries.
"Walking on the Moon" is a reggae song by British rock band the Police,released as the second single from their second studio album,Reggatta de Blanc (1979). The song was written by the band's lead vocalist and bassist Sting. It went on to become the band's second No. 1 hit in the UK.
HenryPadovani is a French musician,noted for being the original guitarist of English rock band The Police. He was a member of the band from January 1977 to August 1977 and was replaced by Andy Summers,who had originally been part of the band as a second guitarist. Following his departure from the band,Padovani was handed the rhythm guitar spot with Wayne County &the Electric Chairs,before forming his own band,The Flying Padovanis.
"Message in a Bottle" is a song by British rock band the Police. It was released as the lead single from their second studio album,Reggatta de Blanc (1979). Written by the band's lead singer and bassist Sting,the song is ostensibly about a story of a castaway on an island,who sends out a message in a bottle to seek love. A year later,he has not received any sort of response,and despairs,thinking he is destined to be alone. The next day,he sees "a hundred billion bottles" on the shore,finding out that there are more people like him out there. Over the course of the song,Sting mentions sending an S.O.S. 31 times.
Last Exit were an English jazz fusion band formed in Newcastle upon Tyne,England,in 1974. It is best remembered as the group Sting was in before finding stardom with The Police.
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"Can't Stand Losing You" is a song by British rock band the Police,released from their debut album Outlandos d'Amour,both in 1978. The song also was released as the follow-up single to "Roxanne",reaching number 2 in the UK Singles Chart on a re-release in 1979. It was written by the band's lead singer and bassist Sting as a song about suicide.
The Reunion Tour was a 2007–2008 worldwide concert tour by The Police,marking the 30th anniversary of their beginnings. At its conclusion,the tour became the third highest-grossing tour of all time,with revenues reaching over $360 million. The tour began in May 2007 to overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans and critics alike and ended in August 2008 with a final show at Madison Square Garden.
Six Pack is a collection of seven-inch singles released by British rock band the Police in 1980.
"Fall Out" is a song by British rock band the Police. It was released as their first single in May 1977 with "Nothing Achieving" on its B-side. It was re-released in 1979. A non-album track,it has appeared on a number of compilation and live albums including Message in a Box:The Complete Recordings,The Police and Live!
The Police is a self-titled compilation album released by the Police on 5 June 2007,to both celebrate the 30th anniversary of their recording debut and accompany their reunion tour. It contains 28 tracks over two discs,a mixture of hit singles and fan favourites. All the singles are included,with the exception of "Secret Journey" and '"Don't Stand So Close to Me '86". International editions contain two bonus tracks,"The Bed's Too Big Without You" from Reggatta de Blanc and "Rehumanize Yourself" from Ghost in the Machine. The band's non-studio album debut single,"Fall Out",originally recorded in 1977,is also included;other than Message in a Box:The Complete Recordings (1993) the song has never been included on any other Police album.
"Reggatta de Blanc" is a 1979 musical composition by The Police,and the title track on their second album. The instrumental evolved from improvisational stage jams during early Police performances of the song "Can't Stand Losing You". The track won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1980.
Certifiable:Live in Buenos Aires is a live album and concert video by the Police. It was recorded in December 2007 during the band's reunion tour and was released in November 2008. The album was released in the US exclusively through Best Buy. The album has a number of releases including a four disc version containing two CDs and two DVDs. The two CDs contain the live album from River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires,Argentina. The first DVD contains the 109-minute wide-screen concert presented in Dolby Surround and Stereo. The concert film was directed and produced by Jim Gable and Ann Kim,of Graying &Balding,Inc. The second DVD contains the 50-minute bonus feature,"Better Than Therapy," directed by Stewart Copeland's son Jordan Copeland,detailing The Police's reunion with behind-the-scenes interviews from the band and road crew,plus two photo galleries of The Police on tour:one shot by guitarist and photographer Andy Summers,and one by photographer Danny Clinch. The DVDs were also released on Blu-ray format. A triple vinyl format was also released that contained a digital download of the concert.
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