"Fortress Around Your Heart" is a hit single released from

Sting Stimulator of interferon genes (STING), also known as transmembrane protein 173 (TMEM173) and MPYS/MITA/ERIS is a regulator protein that in humans is encoded by the STING1 gene. STING plays an important role in innate immunity. STING induces typ ...

's 1985 debut solo studio album ''

The Dream of the Blue Turtles ''The Dream of the Blue Turtles'' is the debut solo album by English musician Sting, released on 17 June 1985. The album reached number three on the UK Albums Chart and number two on the US ''Billboard'' 200. Five singles were released from ...

''. It was released as the album's third single in the UK, and the second single in the US. The song was later included on the U.S. release of the '' Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994'' compilation album.

Song information

"Fortress Around Your Heart" was inspired by Sting's divorce. The pain he felt at the collapse of his first marriage led him to write some of his biggest hits, including "

Every Breath You Take "Every Breath You Take" is a song by the English rock band the Police from their album ''Synchronicity'' (1983). Written by Sting, the single was the biggest US and Canadian hit of 1983, topping the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart for ei ...

" and " Wrapped Around Your Finger". Sting wrote the song in the studio in

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

in 1985. The song features a

Branford Marsalis Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, he also performs frequently as a soloist with classical ens ...

sax solo. In a ''

Musician A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...

'' magazine interview later that year, Sting said:

"''Fortress''" is about appeasement, about trying to bridge the gaps between individuals. The central image is a minefield that you've laid around this other person to try and protect them. Then you realize that you have to walk back through it. I think it's one of the best choruses I've ever written.

During one of Sting's first performances of the song in concert in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, his crew lowered a tiny fortress onto the stage in a parody of the similar

Stonehenge Stonehenge is a prehistoric Megalith, megalithic structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, west of Amesbury. It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around high, wide, and weighing around 25 tons, to ...

scene from the film '' This Is Spinal Tap''.

Reception

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' said that the single is "challenging, complex and rather difficult," with "mysterious poetic imagery" and a melody that is "more

recitative Recitative (, also known by its Italian name recitativo () is a style of delivery (much used in operas, oratorios, and cantatas) in which a singer is allowed to adopt the rhythms and delivery of ordinary speech. Recitative does not repeat lines ...

than

hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...

." ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' said that the song illustrated Sting's "genius as songwriter," although it is "tinged with melancholy" and "less jazzy and more

Police The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

-like than Sting's previous US single, "

If You Love Somebody Set Them Free "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" is the first single by English musician Sting from his solo debut album, ''The Dream of the Blue Turtles'' (1985). It is also the opening track of the album, and is featured on '' Fields of Gold: The Best of ...

Single release

The song was also released as a single, and reached #8 and #49 on the U.S. and U.K. singles charts, respectively. It also reached #1 for two weeks on the ''

'' Top Rock Tracks chart, becoming his second consecutive #1 hit on this chart. Whitburn, Joel (2004). ''The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits'', 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 606.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end

References

{{authority control Sting (musician) songs 1985 singles Songs written by Sting (musician) Sophisti-pop songs A&M Records singles 1985 songs