"Wrapped Around Your Finger" was a personal song for Sting. He said in an interview, "'Every Breath You Take,' 'Wrapped Around Your Finger' were all about my life."
Like other Police songs from this period, it features mythological and literary references, including the Scylla and Charybdis monsters of Greek mythology, and the German legend of Faust. It has a relatively slow, almost foreboding feel in the beginning verses, modulating to evoke a lighter, triumphant feel during the chorus.
In Britain, it reached number 7 on the UK Singles Chart in August 1983.
The single reached No. 8 on the Billboard chart in March 1984.
The British picture sleeve for "Wrapped Around Your Finger" was released in three color variations: blue, red, and yellow.