If You Love Somebody Set Them Free

"If You Love Somebody Set Them Free"
7-inch vinyl single
Single by Sting
from the album The Dream of the Blue Turtles
B-side"Another Day"
Released28 May 1985[1]
Recorded1985
Genre
Length4:14
LabelA&M
SongwriterSting
Producers
  • Sting
  • Peter Smith
Sting singles chronology
"Spread a Little Happiness"
(1982)		 "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free"
(1985)		 "Love Is the Seventh Wave"
(1985)
Music video
"Sting - If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" on YouTube

"If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" is the first single by the English musician Sting from his debut solo studio album, The Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985). It is also the opening track of the album, and is featured on Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994 (1994) as well as The Very Best of Sting & The Police (1997).

Background

Sting said that the song was written as a foil to the Police's 1983 song, "Every Breath You Take", explaining that the latter's themes of surveillance, ownership, and possession were diametrically opposed to "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free".

"Set Them Free" is the opposite, saying that if you love somebody, let them alone. There is a nasty side to it too. It's got quite a swagger to it, and a kick in the teeth.[2]

A demo version of this song was recorded with Phil Collins as session musician.[3]

Release and other appearances

A&M Records released "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" in May 1985 with "Another Day" as the B-side.[1] UK, US and French 12" singles also contain two remixes of "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free": the "Jellybean Mix" by John "Jellybean" Benitez and the "Torch Mix" by William Orbit of Torch Song.

The single peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 1 on the US R&B chart,[4] number one on the US Album Rock Tracks chart for three weeks, number 26 on the UK Singles Chart,[5] and number 18 on the Australian Kent Music Report singles chart.[6] The song was also performed at The Brits in February 1995 with M People. He duetted on the song with the band's lead singer, Heather Small and this track was given the dance treatment by the band who were also backed by a 100-strong Gospel Choir at the Earls Court Arena during the annual music awards show.

Live performances of the song are featured on the DVD edition of Bring On the Night and on the CD and DVD editions of ...All This Time.

In 2019, Sting rerecorded a new Dance-centric version of the single, one of six songs produced by Dave Aude for Sting's My Songs set, which was remixed by Tom Stephan, among others.[7]

Reception

Cash Box called the song "a satisfying jazz/R&B/R&R exercise" with "sophisticated production and poignant lyric."[8]

Music video

The music video was directed by Godley and Creme in 1985. It was shot in Paris on a soundstage, with each of the musicians performing separately and the footage then overlaid onto the final version.

Track listings

  • 7" US and Canada single (AM-2738)
  1. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" – 4:14
  2. "Another Day" – 3:59
  • 12" US single (SP-12132)
  1. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Extended Remix by John "Jellybean" Benitez) – 8:00
  2. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" – 4:14
  3. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Torch Song Mix, Produced by William Orbit) – 4:52
  4. "Another Day" – 3:59
  • 12" US promotional single (SP-17324)
  1. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" – 4:14
  2. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" – 4:14
  • 12" France single (392 018-1)
  1. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Torch Song Mix, Produced by William Orbit) – 4:52
  2. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (Remix by John "Jellybean" Benitez) – 8:00
  3. "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" – 4:14
  4. "Another Day" – 3:59

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[33] Gold 50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 25 May 1985. p. 10. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  2. ↑ Bashe, Philip (July 1985). "This Is Gordon Sumner". International Musician and Recording World. p. 55. Retrieved 14 August 2026.
  3. ↑ Phil Collins official forum Q&A
  4. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 552.
  5. ↑ Sting in the UK Charts Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Official Charts.
  6. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 295. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. the Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and 19 June 1988.
  7. ↑ "Gorgon City & Kaskade 'Go' to No. 1 on Dance Club Songs Chart" from Billboard (10 September 2019)
  8. ↑ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 1 June 1985. p. 11. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "Sting – If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  10. ↑ "RPM Magazine, Volume 42, No. 22" (PDF). RPM Archive, Library and Archives Canada. RPM Magazine. 10 August 1985. p. 6. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  11. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). ""Sting". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960-30.6.21 (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 247" (PDF). Retrieved 24 August 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ "Sting – If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (in French). Le classement de singles.
  13. ↑ "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free | IRMA". Irish Singles Chart.
  14. ↑ "Israeli Charts". Retrieved 26 June 2026. Search "Sting" for Israeli chart history.
  15. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 28 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Sting".
  16. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Sting" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  17. ↑ "Sting – If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  18. ↑ "Sting – If You Love Somebody Set Them Free". Top 40 Singles.
  19. ↑ "Sting – If You Love Somebody Set Them Free". Singles Top 100.
  20. ↑ "Sting – If You Love Somebody Set Them Free". Swiss Singles Chart.
  21. ↑ "Search results for "Sting" | Official Chart". Official Charts Company.
  22. ↑ "Top 20 Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music & Media. 1 July 1985. p. 11. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  23. ↑ "Sting Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  24. ↑ "Sting Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  25. ↑ "Sting Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  26. ↑ "Sting Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  27. ↑ "Sting Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
  28. ↑ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 29 October 1994. p. 6. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  29. ↑ "On a Pop Tip Club Chart" (PDF). Record Mirror. Music Week. 28 January 1995. p. 8. Retrieved 15 March 2026.
  30. ↑ "Sting Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  31. ↑ "1985 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 52. 28 December 1985. p. T-21.
  32. ↑ "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  33. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Sting – If You Love Somebod Set Them Free". Music Canada. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
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