As I’ve said numerous times in this thread, I’m not trying to spoil anyone’s enjoyment of the song as it is.
But for me, unlike you, when I listened to it over and over what are (to me) flaws emerged. So I wrote about them.
I’m all for enjoying things whether they logically make sense or not (see the previous week’s post, for example).
But, as songwriters, doesn’t it serve us to question, to look under the hood? Of course we’ll often disagree about what we find.
But we’re not just consumers, we’re creators!
Thanks for reading and writing,
Tony

That’s pretty much how I see it, Wayne… there was a knockout punch to be delivered… he went another way (‘playing to his base’?).
Thanks,
Tony

Ash,
Thanks for the comment!
Best wishes,
Tony

Mike,
Thanks for writing to share your considered and well thought-out comments. Keep them coming!
Much appreciated,
Tony

Seems to me, and to elaborate on Jamie’s point, that this verse is speaking to the “why” of his disillusionment. Completely logical expansion of the idea in my mind.

First off, very interesting article and thanks for sharing it. You make some very astute points.

In the first verse, Sting mentions things that people hold as important or even ‘sacred’: the holy church… the sense of direction that we get from what we hold dear whether it is science or religion.
In the second verse he talks about the people on TV and the politicians. What I think is crucial is the line: ‘they all seem like gameshow hosts to me’. What is great about that line as a setup for the first line of the chorus is this: He paints a picture of politicians being (if I may use the word) unreal.. talking heads on TV that don’t seem like you or me. This to me really sets up: If I every lose my faith in you. For me it really draws attention to the important word in the chorus: you. And it draws attention to it in a new way. The underlying meaning that jumps out to me is: If ‘you’ ever become unreal like a fake personality on tv… what would I do? And also it give it a twist and illustrates ‘you’ as sacred. That connection between humans.
So for me this ties back to the first verse in a highly interesting way. It really highlights why he started the first verse talking about the entities of science and religion and brings home why the entity of ‘you’ can be thought of as something just as deserving of faith as the other things he ‘listed’. He could be talking about a higher power when singing ‘you’ but that still works because he is then contrasting that ‘you’ (higher power) with the structures and ideologies created by man.
So whichever meaning it is it gives the first verse… the one that you dig more meaning. Lastly, that you could also be a specific person he is thinking of which is why I’m glad he contrasted those in power within the organizations of the world with that ‘you’. A people’s artist?

Thanks again for bringing this into creative discussion. Keep it coming!

Cheers,
Mike

Gail,
Thanks for writing. Again, a very generous response. As I said to Rich (above), if it works for you, it works!
Best wishes,
Tony
ps See below for a more detailed response.

Rich,
Thanks for writing. See below for a more detailed response, but I’d say your analysis is very generous (I’d say the unifying theme of the song is ‘If I Ever Lose My Faith In You’)… but, bottom line, if it works for you… it works!
Best wishes,
TC

Jamie,
Thanks for writing. See below for a more detailed response. I’d add that Sting singing, ‘I never saw no miracle of science’ is almost the opposite of saying he’s lost his faith in it. He couldn’t lose it… he never had it! Same for ‘military solutions’.
Best wishes,
Tony

Ed,
Thanks for your comment. I agree with a lot of what you say (see below), though I’m not sure I see boundaries and form as so likely to stifle one’s creativity. As often as not, if not more so, they expand creativity. But, as you point out, breaking form can also be one of the most powerful tools we’ve got.
Best wishes,
Tony

I agree that once the lyricist sets up a list song in verse 1, some of us (including me) look forward to how cleverly the writer will deal with it later on, so that the list device doesn’t become monotonous. But I am just as happy here that he chose to depart from it to make the bigger statement.