Studio Album · No. 1

Outlandos d'Amour Songwriting Credits by The Police

1978 A&M Records 10 tracks 38 min

Produced by The Police  ·  Engineered by Nigel Gray, Chris Gray

A&M Records New WaveReggae RockPunk RockRock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Police carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
10 trackswritten by The Police 0 tracksoutside writers
The Police's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
3
Lyricists
1
Producers
1978
Released
Data Insight

Sting wrote the large majority of the band's debut, including the singles 'Roxanne,' 'Can't Stand Losing You,' and 'So Lonely.' The two exceptions are co-writes: Sting and Stewart Copeland share credit on 'Peanuts,' and Sting and Andy Summers share 'Be My Girl-Sally.' The record was self-produced by The Police and engineered by Nigel Gray, who would go on to work on the next two albums. It established the trio's blend of punk energy and reggae phrasing that defined their early sound.

The Police cut their debut at Surrey Sound in Leatherhead over six months of 1978, booking time whenever the small studio had a gap, on roughly 1,500 pounds borrowed from manager Miles Copeland. A&M put it out that November and it stalled: the BBC objected to 'Roxanne' and 'Can't Stand Losing You' over their subject matter, and neither single charted on first release. A low-budget American tour turned it around. 'Roxanne' reached number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1979, the UK reissue got to number 12, and the album eventually climbed to number 6 in Britain and number 23 in the US. It is the only Police studio album that never reached number one at home.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Next to You
Sting Sting The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)
2
So Lonely #6
Sting Sting The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)
3
Roxanne #32
Sting Sting The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)
4
Hole in My Life
Sting Sting The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)
5
Peanuts
StingStewart Copeland StingStewart Copeland The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)
6
Can't Stand Losing You #2
Sting Sting The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)
7
Truth Hits Everybody
Sting Sting The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)
8
Born in the 50's
Sting Sting The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)
9
Be My Girl, Sally
StingAndy Summers StingAndy Summers The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)
10
Masoko Tanga
Sting Sting The Police Sting (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 4 contributors

S
Sting
Writer · Vocals
On this album10 written
AS
Andy Summers
Writer
On this album1 written
SC
Stewart Copeland
Writer
On this album1 written
TP
The Police
Producer
On this album10 produced

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Frequently Asked Questions Outlandos d'Amour

Did Sting write all of Outlandos d'Amour?
Sting wrote the large majority of the album, including the singles 'Roxanne,' 'Can't Stand Losing You,' and 'So Lonely.' Two tracks are co-writes: 'Peanuts' was written by Sting and Stewart Copeland, and 'Be My Girl-Sally' by Sting and Andy Summers. It was the band's most collaborative-credited debut before Sting took on nearly all the writing on later records.
Who produced Outlandos d'Amour?
The album was produced by The Police themselves. Nigel Gray engineered the record, and he went on to co-produce the band's next two albums. The trio recorded it on a small budget over scattered sessions in 1977 and 1978.
How high did Roxanne by The Police chart?
'Roxanne' peaked at number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In the UK it reached number 12 on its reissue. The song became The Police's breakthrough and one of their signature tracks despite its modest initial chart performance.
What was the first single from Outlandos d'Amour?
'Roxanne' was the lead single, released in 1978. 'Can't Stand Losing You' and 'So Lonely' followed and both became UK hits on later reissues. 'Can't Stand Losing You' reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart when re-released in 1979.
Is Outlandos d'Amour a reggae album?
It blends punk rock and new wave with reggae rhythms rather than being a pure reggae record. Songs like 'Roxanne' and 'So Lonely' use reggae-influenced verses that shift into rock choruses. This fusion became a defining trait of The Police's early style.
Did Outlandos d'Amour win any awards?
The album did not win any competitive awards such as Grammys. It later appeared on retrospective critics' lists of great albums, but those are rankings rather than awards. The band's first Grammy recognition came with the following album.

Sources

Wikipedia: Outlandos d'Amour Wikipedia: Roxanne (The Police song) Wikipedia: Can't Stand Losing You Wikipedia: So Lonely (The Police song) MusicBrainz release group Cover Art Archive front cover Cover Art Archive: Outlandos d'Amour by The Police