What happens to the teacher in The Police song ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’?
As soon as the low-humming synth comes through at the beginning of The Police’s ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’, it sets itself up for a piece with sinister undertones. This is a pattern that a few Police tracks follow, as similarly, their ‘Every Breath You Take’, despite often being misconstrued as a romantic love song, actually touches upon unhealthy obsession.
‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’ takes a similar approach but follows a much more definite narrative. Sting and the band create a real story throughout this song, which has stuck with many people and continues to be criticised today. But what actually happens?
Sting wrote the lyrics, which talk about a teacher experiencing mixed feelings over one of his students. Themes of lust, fear and guilt are all touched upon as the teacher starts to develop feelings for his student while knowing it’s wrong because of their age difference and the nature of their relationship. The second verse sets the scene as it says, “Inside him, there’s longing / this girl’s an open page / book marking, she’s so close now / this girl is half his age.”
The song implies that the teacher gives the girl a lift home when he sees her at a bus stop. “Temptation, frustration / so bad it makes him cry / wet bus stop, she’s waiting / his car is warm and dry.” Though nothing explicit is said about what happens, the line about “loose talk in the classroom” implies something has occurred.
Afterwards, the teacher is called to the staffroom, and accusations are thrown at him about his wrongdoings. After receiving these accusations, the song ends when he sees the girl and realises that he is still infatuated with her. What happens to the teacher and his student after that is never revealed.
Is ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’ a true story?
The quick answer is no. Despite the lyrics painting a clear narrative of the situation, Sting has confirmed that the entire song is a work of fiction. His influence is revealed in the track itself, as he references Vladimir Nabokov, the author of Lolita.
“You have to remember we were blonde bombshells at the time, and most of our fans were young girls, so I started roleplaying a bit…” said Sting when asked about the song. “To be frank, it was right in our market. A lot of teenage girls were buying our records. So the idea was, let’s write a Lolita story.”
‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’ lyrics
“Young teacher, the subject
Of schoolgirl fantasy
She wants him so badly
Knows what she wants to be
Inside him, there’s longing
This girl’s an open page
Book marking, she’s so close now
This girl is half his age
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Her friends are so jealous
You know how bad girls get
Sometimes it’s not so easy
To be the teacher’s pet
Temptation, frustration
So bad it makes him cry
Wet bus stop, she’s waiting
His car is warm and dry
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Loose talk in the classroom
To hurt they try and try
Strong words in the staff room
The accusations fly
It’s no use, he sees her
He starts to shake and cough
Just like the old man in
That book by Nabokov
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me
Don’t stand, don’t stand so
Don’t stand so close to me”
