"Don't Stand So Close to Me" is a famous song and hit single by the British pop group The Police. It concerns a schoolgirl's crush on her young teacher; including her obsession, teasing by friends, and the teacher's own nervousness about the situation, as well as events relating to these.
Although not quite as much so as another Police song, "Every Breath You Take", "Don't Stand So Close to Me" may be considered an example of a paranoia song because of the situation of the schoolteacher - trying to avoid temptation with the girl who lusts after him. The music and lyrics of the song were written by the lead singer of The Police, Sting, who had previously worked as an English teacher. The line... "Just like the old man in the book by Nabokov" ...alludes to Nabokov's famous novel Lolita.
"Don't Stand So Close to Me" appeared in The Police's album Zenyatta Mondatta (A&M), and was also released as a hit 'No.1' single along with a studio music video. It was the single that 'broke' The Police in the USA.
It was re-recorded in 1986 and the new version appeared as "Don't Stand So Close To Me '86" on the album Every Breath You Take - The Singles and was again accompanied by a music video (notable for its early use of animated computer graphics).
