De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da

"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" is a song by the Police, released as a single in 1980. Released as the lead single in the US and second single in the UK from their album Zenyatta Mondatta, the song was written by Sting as a comment on how people love simple-sounding songs. The song was re-recorded in 1986 as "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da '86" but not released until 1995.

"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da"
Single by the Police
from the album Zenyatta Mondatta
B-side	"Friends" (US) "A Sermon" (UK)
Released	October 1980 (US)[1] 28 November 1980 (UK)[2]
Recorded	July–August 1980
Genre	Reggae rock pop rock new wave
Length	4:09
Label	A&M – AMS 9110
Songwriter(s)	Sting
Producer(s)	Nigel Gray Stewart Copeland Sting Andy Summers
The Police singles chronology
"Don't Stand So Close to Me" (1980) "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (1980) "Invisible Sun" (1981)
Alternative cover
US 7-inch cover
Music video
"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" on YouTube

Background

According to lead singer Sting, the song is about the attraction that people have to simple songs.^[3] Sting later criticised those who labelled the lyrics of the song as "baby talk," claiming that the song was grossly misunderstood.^[3] He explained, "The lyrics are about banality, about the abuse of words," saying that "the lyrics have an internal logic."^[3]

I was trying to make an intellectual point about how the simple can be so powerful. Why are our favourite songs 'Da Doo Ron Ron' and 'Do Wah Diddy Diddy'? In the song, I tried to address that issue. But everyone said, 'This is bullshit, child's play.' No one listened to the lyrics. Listen to the lyrics. I'm going to remake it again and put more emphasis on what I was talking about.

— Sting, Rolling Stone, 2/1988^[3]

Sting also said that "I was trying to say something which was really quite difficult – that people like politicians, like myself even, use words to manipulate people, and that you should be very careful.”^[4]

The phrase "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" supposedly was made up by Sting's son. Sting said of this, "In fact, my son came up with it. I've never paid him – so that's another possible lawsuit. He writes songs himself these days. He's got a lot of self-confidence – I don't know where from."^[3]

Its B-side, "A Sermon," was originally written by Stewart Copeland in 1977 and is a parable about a band ruthlessly making it to the top. Copeland played most of the guitar as well, including the intro riff, while Andy Summers can be heard in the middle.^[5] Sting said of the song, "It's arrogant, but Stewart is good at being arrogant in a funny way – as in that Klark Kent line about 'If you don't like me, you can suck my socks'."^[3] In the US version of the single, "De Do Do Do De Da Da Da" was paired with "Friends", a composition by Andy Summers.

"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" was released as the follow-up single to "Don't Stand So Close to Me" in Britain, and was released as the debut single from Zenyatta Mondatta in America. Upon its release, the single became a top ten hit in the United Kingdom and the United States (their first in said country), reaching No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart^[6] and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. In addition to its English-language release, both a Spanish-language and Japanese-language version of the song were recorded and released in their respective markets in early 1981. Actual 45 rpm copies are rare.^{[citation needed]}

Record World said that "Sting's affecting vocals and a percussion-clad rhythm track have created retail/radio reaction that's strictly big business."^[7]

The cover was designed by Hipgnosis and uses the title of the song to juxtapose an image of the band with one of a woman's hand reaching out to a telephone to call the police.

The song was prominently featured in the 1982 film The Last American Virgin and on its soundtrack. It also appeared in the pilot episode of the medical drama St. Elsewhere.

Composition

The song is composed in the key of A major with the chord progression of Asus2-F#m7(add4)-C#m7 in the verses and Asus2-A-Asus2-A-E-D in the chorus.^[8] The song uses an EHX Electric Mistress flanger in the verses.

"I've danced in the Caribbean for weeks to that song," remarked Joni Mitchell. "I'm an old rock and roll dancer, you know. The stops, the pauses, in that one are really fun. I appreciated the rhythmic hybrids, the gaps between the bass lines, the repetitive figures with space between them. James Taylor and I had dinner with Sting once at our mutual manager's place. He was quite effusive about us being his heroes. So I always think of him as our son."^[9]

Track listing

7-inch – A&M / AMS 9110 (UK)

1. "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" – 4:09
2. "A Sermon" – 2:34

7-inch – A&M / AM 2275 (US)

1. "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" – 4:09
2. "Friends" – 3:35

7-inch – A&M / AM 25000 (US)

1. "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (Spanish Version) – 4:00
2. "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (Japanese Version) – 4:00

Personnel

• Sting – bass, lead and backing vocals
• Andy Summers – guitar, lead vocals on "Friends"
• Stewart Copeland – drums, guitar on "A Sermon"

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1980–1981) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[10] 6 Canada (CHUM) 1 Canada (RPM) 5 Dutch Top 40 11 French Singles Chart 22 German Singles Chart 15 Irish Singles Chart 2 Italy (Musica e dischi)[11] 17 NZ Singles Chart 8 South Africa (Springbok)[12] 4 Spanish Singles Chart 2 UK Singles Chart 5 US Billboard Hot 100 10 US Cash Box Top 100[13] 13

Year-end charts Chart (1981) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[14] 72 Canada[15] 56 South Africa [16] 19 US Billboard Hot 100[17] 57 US Cash Box [18] 96

"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da '86"

"De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da '86"
Song by the Police
from the album Every Breath You Take: The Classics
Released	1995 (1995)
Recorded	1986
Genre	Rock, new wave
Label	A&M
Songwriter(s)	Sting
Producer(s)	Stewart Copeland, Sting, Andy Summers, Laurie Latham

The song was re-recorded in 1986, alongside "Don't Stand So Close to Me '86," for inclusion on the Every Breath You Take: The Singles compilation but was ultimately excluded from the album. It was released on the DTS-CD and SACD releases of the Every Breath You Take: The Classics album.

References

1. Strong, Martin Charles (12 May 1995). Great rock discography. Canongate Press. p. 636. ISBN 978-0-86241-541-9.
2. "Music Week" (PDF). p. 30.
3. "'De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da' / 'A Sermon'". sting.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
4. Duquette, Mike (6 May 2022). "All 70 Police Songs Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
5. 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.
6. The Police in the UK Charts, The Official Charts.
7. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 1 November 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
8. "The Police "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" Sheet Music in A Major - Download & Print - SKU: MN0068300". Musicnotes.com. 29 September 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
9. Guitar World, September 1996
10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 235. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
11. "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 4 June 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Police" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
12. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989". Retrieved 5 September 2018.
13. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, January 24, 1981
14. "National Top 100 Singles for 1981". Kent Music Report. 4 January 1982. p. 7. Retrieved 11 January 2022 – via Imgur.
15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
16. "Top 20 Hit Singles of 1981". Retrieved 26 December 2018.
17. Musicoutfitters.com
18. "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 26, 1981". Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2017.