Walking In Your Footsteps

From PoliceWiki
"Walking In Your Footsteps"
LP cover
Recorded by The Police
Released: 1983
Recorded: December 1982 - January 1983
Length: 3:35
Album(s): Synchronicity
Label(s): A&M
Writer(s): Sting
Producer(s): The Police, Hugh Padgham
Studio(s): AIR Studios, Montserrat
Released as single? NO

"Walking In Your Footsteps" is a song written by Sting and recorded by The Police in December 1982 / January 1983.

About the song

There is no Sting demo for this song. It was created at AIR Studios with a rhythmic OBX pattern that was previously used for O My God.

In "Studio Sound" from March 1984 producer Hugh Padgham remembers that this song was written by Sting on Montserrat and only took half a morning to do. Sting didn't bother to find unique sequencer sounds and used a factory setting he found suitable.

Alternate Version

An Alternate Version from AIR Studios was mixed by Hugh Padgham in December 1982. It features two additional verses, thus lasting 4:37 minutes and can be found on the Synchronicity box set (released on 2024-07-26).

After a longer intro Sting starts with "20 million years ago" which is way off from the 65-66 million years ago when dinosaurs became extinct. Another difference in the beginning is that Stewart constantly plays the "clicks" with his sticks (as it can be heard during the LP version's first chorus).

For the LP version Sting would "correct" the first line to "50 million years ago", which is still way off ...

Alternate Mix

An Alternate Mix was done by Hugh Padgham at Le Studio in January 1983. It features one additional verse, lasts 4:02 minutes and can be found on the Synchronicity box set (released on 2024-07-26).

It also starts with Stewart's continuous clicks and way more guitar screeching than the LP version.

After the fourth verse this version fades out much sooner than the LP version.

LP version

The LP version lasts 3:35 minutes.

Extended LP version

A longer version with the LP mix lasts 4:50 minutes and can be found on the Synchronicity picture disc that features a different running order (released on 2024-07-26). After the band agreed to put all the "fast" songs on side 1 of the LP and the "slow" songs on side 2 parts of this song were cut to reduce the length of side 1 - maintaining a good vinyl sound quality.

This longer version also features the fourth verse as does the Alternate Mix. It fades out a bit after the LP version's fade-out.

Derangement

For his movie Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out Stewart Copeland created a few derangements using unused parts from studio and live recordings. A 3:52 minute derangement of this song can be found on the Synchronicity box set.

Personnel

This section needs more information.

Release History

Albums

Walking In Your Footsteps appears on the following album releases:

Cover art Album title Release date Release country
Police-album-synchronicity.jpg Synchronicity 1983-06-01 USA

Singles

CD Singles

Cover art Catalog no. Songs Release date Release country
Stub.gif Catalog no. "Song"(s) YYYY-MM-DD Country

7" Singles

Cover art Catalog no. A-side song/B-side song Release date Release country
Stub.gif Catalog no. "A-side song"/"B-side song" YYYY-MM-DD Country

12" Singles

Cover art Catalog no. A-side song(s)/B-side song(s) Release date Release country
Stub.gif Catalog no. "A-side song"/"B-side song" (add more songs as necessary) YYYY-MM-DD Country

Video

"SONG TITLE" appears on the following video and dvd releases:

Cover art Video title Release date Release country
Stub.gif Video or dvd title YYYY-MM-DD Country


Awards, nominations, and certifications

Awards

This section needs more information.

Year Winner Award Category
YYYY WINNER (album, song, producer, etc.) AWARD (Grammy, People's Choice, etc.) CATEGORY

Nominations

This section needs more information.

Year Nominee Award Category
YYYY NOMINEE (album, song, producer, etc.) AWARD (Grammy, People's Choice, etc.) CATEGORY

Certifications

This section needs more information.

Country Certifier Classification Certification
COUNTRY CERTIFIER (RIAA, IFPI...) CLASSIFICATION (Album, singles, foreign artist...) CERTIFICATION (Gold, Platinum, Diamond...)

Lyrics

Lyrics are property and copyright of their owners, and provided here for educational purposes only.

  • LP lyrics
Fifty million years ago
You walked upon the planet so
Lord of all that you could see
Just a little bit like me

Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps

Hey Mr. Dinosaur you really couldn't ask for more
You were God's favorite creature but you didn't have a future

Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps

Hey there mighty Brontosaurus don't you have a lesson for us
You thought your rule would always last
There were no lessons in your past
You were built three stories high
They say you would not hurt a fly
If we explode the atom bomb would they say that we were dumb

Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps
Walking in your footsteps

They say the meek shall inherit the earth
They say the meek shall inherit the earth

Walking In Your Footsteps
Walking In Your Footsteps
etc...
  • original fourth and fifth verse
... distinction
To laugh at our extinction
But you really have to think hard
When you're walking in your graveyard
Twenty / Fifty million years ago
They walked upon the planet so
They live in a museum
It's the only place you'll see 'em

...

Tyrannosaurus Rex
Do you think our turn is next
Are we endangered species
When we walk in our own ... feces

Quotations and trivia

The official lyrics for this song feature parts of the fourth verse that's not on the LP version:

Fifty million years ago
They walked upon the planet so
They live in a museum
It's the only place you'll see 'em

Alternative and cover versions

An early mix from AIR Studios features a different vocal track starting with "20 million years ago".

See also

This section needs more information.

External links

This section needs more information.

References

  • Police, The. Synchronicity. (1983) [Audio recording], A&M Records.
  • Studio Sound - March 1984