Roxanne (The Police song)
| "Roxanne" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Original 1978 UK sleeve | ||||
| Single by the Police | ||||
| from the album Outlandos d'Amour | ||||
| B-side | "Peanuts" | |||
| Released | 7 April 1978 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:02 (Single version) 3:15 (Album version) | |||
| Label | A&M | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Sting | |||
| Producer(s) | The Police | |||
| The Police singles chronology | ||||
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| Sting singles chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
UK 1979 reissue | ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Roxanne" on YouTube | ||||
"Roxanne" is a song by British rock band the Police. The song was written by lead singer and bassist Sting and was released as a single on 7 April 1978, in advance of their debut album Outlandos d'Amour, released on 3 November. It was written from the point of view of a man who falls in love with a prostitute. When re-released on 12 April 1979, the song peaked at No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
The song ranked No. 388 on the Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" and was voted No. 85 by VH1 on its list of the "100 Greatest Rock Songs".
"Roxanne" was first song the band performed live at the 2007 Grammy Awards to kick off their 30th Anniversary Reunion Tour. In 2008, "Roxanne" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.