Don't Stand So Close To Me – English Lyrics

• By: The Police
• Album: Zenyatta Mondatta

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the intricacies of human emotion through The Police's hit song, “Don't Stand So Close to Me.” This track offers a unique lens into complex themes while showcasing the band's signature blend of new wave, pop rock, and reggae influences. Learn how Sting's lyrics and the band's musical arrangement create a narrative that resonates across generations.

[English]

("Don't Stand So Close To Me" by The Police)

♪ 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 ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
teacher /ˈtiːtʃər/ A1	noun - a person who teaches, especially in a school
schoolgirl /ˈskuːlɡɜːl/ A2	noun - a female student at a school
fantasy /ˈfæntəsi/ B1	noun - the faculty or activity of imagining things, especially things that are impossible or improbable
longing /ˈlɒŋɪŋ/ B1	noun - a strong desire or yearning for something or someone
temptation /ˌtɛm(p)ˈteɪʃən/ B1	noun - the desire to do something, especially something wrong or unwise
frustration /frʌsˈtreɪʃən/ B2	noun - the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something
jealous /ˈdʒeləs/ A2	adjective - feeling or showing an unhappy and angry desire to have what someone else has
accusation /ˌækyəˈzeɪʃən/ B2	noun - a charge or claim that someone has done something illegal or wrong
tempt /tɛmpt/ B1	verb - to attract or entice someone to do something, especially something wrong or unwise
shake /ʃeɪk/ A1	verb - to move or cause to move with short, quick movements
cough /kɒf/ A1	verb - to expel air from the lungs with a sudden sharp sound
Nabokov /ˈnæbəkɒf/ C1	noun - a reference to the author Vladimir Nabokov, often associated with complex and controversial themes
pet /pɛt/ A1	noun - a domesticated animal kept for companionship or pleasure noun - a person who is a favorite or is treated with special favor
staff /stɑːf/ A2	noun - the group of people who work for an organization or institution
fly /flaɪ/ A1	verb - to move through the air with wings verb - to move or be distributed quickly

Key Grammar Structures

• Young teacher the subject

  ➔ Omission of relative pronoun

  ➔ The relative pronoun ('who' or 'that') is omitted, common in informal or poetic language.

• She wants him so badly

  ➔ Adverbial intensity

  ➔ 'So badly' is an adverbial phrase emphasizing the intensity of 'wants'.

• This girl's an open page

  ➔ Contraction

  ➔ 'This girl's' is a contraction of 'this girl is', common in spoken and informal English.

• Book marking she's so close now

  ➔ Present continuous for immediate action

  ➔ 'She's so close now' uses present continuous to indicate an action happening at the moment of speaking.

• This girl is half his age

  ➔ Comparative structure

  ➔ 'Half his age' is a comparative phrase indicating a difference in age.

• Sometimes it's not so easy

  ➔ Contraction and adverbial intensity

  ➔ 'It's' is a contraction, and 'not so easy' uses an adverbial phrase to modify 'easy'.

• Just like the old man in that book by Nabokov

  ➔ Simile and prepositional phrase

  ➔ 'Just like' introduces a simile, and 'in that book by Nabokov' is a prepositional phrase providing additional information.