Every breath you take - Otis Liggett

The Police's 'Every breath you take' is one of the world's best known songs. It was released in 1983 and reached no. 1 in the UK and the USA. Even twenty years later, Sting, who wrote the song, earned an average of $2000 per day in royalties.

No wonder, then, that other artists would record a cover version of this song. Acts like UB40, Juliana Hatfield and Puff Daddy have tried their hand on it, but the first artist to do this must have been Otis Liggett. His version was released in 1983, shortly after the Police released their single.

I didn't know this when I bought the single. I was in Esbjerg, Denmark, for an '80s rock festival in 2006 when I found a second hand record shop in the centre of town. Naturally I had to check it out. I left the shop with 13 singles, and this was one of them. It's a nice enough version, nothing spectacular, but a nice rare find.

My collection: 7" single no. 3430

Found: Esbjerg (Denmark), June 17, 2006

Cost: 10 Danish crowns

Tracks: 'Every breath you take' / 'Every beat you hear'

Download: here