Like other tracks on Synchronicity, such as "Every Breath You Take" and "King of Pain," "Wrapped Around Your Finger" was a personal song for Sting.

This song is vaguely alchemical and probably about a friend of mine, a professional psychic and my tutor in tarot, with bits of Doctor Faustus and The Sorcerer's Apprentice thrown into the pot for good measure.

The British picture sleeve for "Wrapped Around Your Finger" was released in three colour variations: blue, red, and yellow.

[4] The single was also released on a picture disc, each featuring the face of Sting, Andy Summers, or Stewart Copeland.

"[4] Drummer Stewart Copeland said of this conflict, "Andy did his best on vocals but I too was disappointed that Sting didn't sing it.

The music video, directed by Godley & Creme (who directed the videos for "Every Breath You Take" and "Synchronicity II"), furthers the ethereal feeling the song gives off, by having footage of the band performing in a candle-lit, gloomy room, interspersed with scenes of Sting running among tall candlesticks arranged in a sort of maze; in the end, he intentionally knocks all of them down.

"[citation needed] Sting praised the video, saying: It's incredibly atmospheric, and I think the set design is brilliant – there's nothing but all those candles, yet it conjures up so many different feelings and possibilities about the song.

When Kevin (Godley) and Lol (Creme) came to me with the idea, I got very excited because I realised that they really understood the imagistic approach I wanted.

In a positive retrospective review of the song, AllMusic journalist Steve Huey described "Wrapped Around Your Finger" as "a complex take on power dynamics in relationships."