When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around

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"When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around"
Song by the Police
from the album Zenyatta Mondatta
Released2 October 1980
GenreNew wave
Length3:38
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Sting
Producer(s)
Audio
"When the World Is Running Down" on
YouTube
"When the World Is Running Down (You Can't Go Wrong)"
Single by Different Gear vs the Police
Released24 July 2000 (2000-07-24)[1]
Genre
Length3:24 (radio edit)
LabelPagan
Songwriter(s)Sting
Producer(s)Different Gear
The Police singles chronology
"Roxanne '97"
(1997) 		"When the World Is Running Down (You Can't Go Wrong)"
(2000)

"When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" is a song written by

UK Singles Chart, No. 7 on the Billboard Dance chart, and No. 94 in the Netherlands. On radio stations, the song is often played directly after "Driven to Tears
".

Lyrics and music

"When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" was one of Sting's earliest attempts at a song whose lyrics deal with concerns of the outside world rather than just his own issues.

Bring on the Night", from the 1979 album Reggatta de Blanc.[2] Sting has said of the two songs "such vanity as to imagine one's self as the sole survivor of a holocaust with all one's favorite things still intact".[2]

"When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" and "Bring on the Night" also share their

The Bed's Too Big without You".[5] Like those two Reggatta de Blanc songs, "When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" repeats its three-chord progression over its nearly four-minute length.[5] Fricke regards the chord progression as "hypnotic".[5]

Personnel

The Police

Critical reception

Author Chris Welch praises the rhythm section of Sting and Stewart Copeland on the song, particularly the way they go with the flow and groove with ease.[2] Sounds critic Phil Sutcliffe commented on its "expression of melancholy", noting that it maintains a restrained, dry tone that is able to project sadness without being overly demonstrative.[3] RAM magazine critic Greg Taylor criticises the lyrics for not doing "anything with its potentially political message" but praises the music, particularly Andy Summers' "long ringing" guitar chords.[3] Mojo critic John Harris regards it as one of several formless jams on the album, complaining that it "randomly fades out as if simple boredom finally won out".[3] Duquette called it a "delirious dance drone cut" with an "ass-shaking bassline"[4]

Police guitarist

Rossinus Mantuanus (via Carl Orff) with metre altered to fit the characteristic Police beat".[3]

Remix version

In early 2000, a 12-inch bootleg remix version of "When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" began circulating in prominent nightclubs, played by such disc jockeys as

UK Singles Chart.[8] On the US Billboard Dance chart, the remix went to No. 7.[9] This version was included in the soundtrack for the film Red Planet
(2000).

Charts

Original version

Chart (1981) Peak
position
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[10]
with "Voices Inside My Head" 		3

Different Gear remix

Chart (2000) Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[11] 93
Ireland Dance (IRMA)[12] 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 94
Scotland (OCC)[14] 28
UK Singles (OCC)[8]
 28
UK Dance (OCC)[15] 3
UK Indie (OCC)[16] 5
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[9] 7

Other appearances

Besides the remix version, "When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" has been covered by a number of artists.

Bring on the Night" from the 1979 album Reggatta de Blanc and features contributions from Branford Marsalis and keyboardist Kenny Kirkland.[2] The song was also covered by Tatsuya Nishiwaki on his 2004 album Atmosphere/Sound of Gravity.[18]

The Police version of "When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" was included in the box set Message in a Box: The Complete Recordings.[19]

References

  1. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting July 24, 2000: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 22 July 2000. p. 25. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  2. ^
    ISBN 0711953023
    .
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Zenyatta Mondatta". thepolice.com. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  4. ^ a b Duquette, Mike (6 May 2022). "All 70 Police Songs Ranked Worst to Best". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  5. ^
    Rolling Stone Magazine
    . Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  6. ISBN 9780312374815
    .
  7. ^
    Billboard Magazine
    . p. 30. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  8. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  9. ^ a b "The Police Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  10. ^ "The Police Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  11. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 33. 12 August 2000. p. 11. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 3 August 2000". GfK Chart-Track. Retrieved 24 May 2019.[permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Different Gear vs. The Police – When the World Is Running Down (You Can't Go Wrong)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  14. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  15. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  16. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  17. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  18. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  19. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 6 October 2012.
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