Beautiful, haunting, mashing up the secretive trip-hop sounds with the melancholy voice of Tracey Thorn, of Everything But The Girl fame.
Released in 1994, it quickly became a staple in my music collection, like everything of Massive Attack, up to Mezzanine, that is. Their best work is when they invite vocalists to ad to their own genius.

I love, love, love Tracy Thorn's lyrics and voice on this.



This girl I know needs some shelter
She don't believe anyone can help her
She's doing so much harm, doing so much damage
But you don't want to get involved
You tell her she can manage
And you can't change the way she feels
But you could put your arms around her

I know you want to live yourself
But could you forgive yourself
If you left her just the way
You found her

I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection

I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection

You're a boy and i'm a girl
But you know you can lean on me
And I don't have no fear
I'll take on any man here
Who says that's not the way it should be

I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection

I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection

She's a girl and you're a boy
Sometimes you look so small, look so small
You've got a baby of your own
When your baby's grown, she'll be the one
To catch you when you fall

I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection

I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection

You're a girl and i'm a boy (x4)

Sometimes you look so small, need some shelter
Just runnin' round and round, helter skelter
And I've leaned on you for years
Now you can lean on me
And that's more than love, that's the way
It should be
Now I can't change the way you think
But I can put my arms around you
That's just part of the deal
That's the way I feel
I put my arms around you

I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection

I stand in front of you
I'll take the force of the blow
Protection

You're a boy and i'm a girl

HamsterHuey said:

I love Massive Attack! I wish they would all get back to together, Tricky included the music was better.

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Ndeed!!!

This tune, and "Unfinished Symphony" are my two favorite Massive Attack tracks!

BTW, I agree, Tracey Thorn(ebtg) could sing the back of a medicine bottle, and I'd just be ...





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[Edited 10/3/08 11:34am]

I always liked Massive Attack for their choice of guest vocalists.