The Police

Released: June 1, 1983

Songwriter: Andy Summers Sting

Producer: The Police Hugh Padgham

[Verse 1]
Once that you've decided on a killing
First you make a stone of your heart
And if you find that
Your hands are still willing
Then you can turn a murder into art
There really isn't
Any need for bloodshed
You just do it with a little more finesse
If you can slip a tablet
Into someone's coffee
Then it avoids an awful lot of mess

[Chorus]
Because it's murder by numbers, 1, 2, 3
It's as easy to learn as your ABC
It’s murder by numbers, 1, 2, 3
It's as easy to learn as your ABC

[Verse 2]
Now if you have a taste for this experience
And you're flushed
With your very first success
Then you must try
A twosome or a threesome
And you'll find your conscience
Bothers you much less
Because murder is like anything you take to
It's a habit-forming need for more and more
You can bump off
Every member of your family
And anybody else you find a bore

[Chorus]
Because it's murder by numbers, 1, 2, 3
It's as easy to learn as your ABC
It's murder by numbers, 1, 2, 3
It's as easy to learn as your ABC

[Verse 3]
Now you can join the ranks of the illustrious
In history's great dark hall of fame
All our greatest killers were industrious
At least the ones that we all know by name
But you can reach the top of your profession
If you become the leader of the land
For murder is the sport of the elected
And you don't need
To lift a finger of your hand

[Chorus]
Because it's murder by numbers, 1, 2, 3
It's as easy to learn as your ABC
Murder by numbers, 1, 2, 3
It's as easy to learn as your ABCDE

[Bridge]
123, ABC
123, ABC
123, ABC

[Outro]
[?] It's murder by numbers, 1, 2, 3
It's as easy to learn as your ABC
It's murder by numbers, 1, 2, 3
It's as easy to learn as your ABCDE

[Light applause]

The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting (lead vocals, bass), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums). The Police became globally popular in the late 1970s and are generally regarded as one of the first new wave groups to achieve mainstream success, playing a style of rock that was influenced by punk, reggae, and jazz.

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