Unfinished Sympathy

Infobox Single
Name = Unfinished Sympathy


Artist = Massive Attack
from Album = Blue Lines
Released = February 12, 1991
Format = cassette tape, CD
[Recorded =]
Genre = Trip hop
Length = 5:07
Label = Virgin Records
[Writer =]
Producer = Robert Del Naja / Grant Marshall / Shara Nelson / J. Sharp / Andrew Vowles
Chart position =

#13 (UK)

Last single = Daydreaming
(1991)
This single = Unfinished Sympathy
(1991)
Next single = Safe From Harm
(1991) "Unfinished Sympathy" is a song by Massive Attack that originally appeared on the group's 1991 debut album "Blue Lines". It features Shara Nelson on lead vocals, and is generally recognized as a pioneering song in the trip hop genre.

One reviewer described in the following terms: "It's no exaggeration to place "Unfinished Sympathy" in the same classic strata as Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", The O'Jays' "Back Stabbers", or a party-pack of Chic singles" [http://www.musicomh.com/music/features/massive-attack_0306.htm]

The song

The lyrics add to the emotional mood of the song, complementing the string section:

:"I know that I've imagined love before":"And how it could be with you":"Really hurt me baby, really cut me baby":"How can you have a day without a night":"You're the book that I have opened":"And now I've got to know much more"

:"The curiousness of your potential kiss":"Has got my mind and body aching":"Really hurt me baby, really cut me baby":"How can you have a day without a night":"You're the book that I have opened":"And now I've got to know much more"

:"Like a soul without a mind":"In a body without a heart":"I'm missing every part"

The song projects a dark mood. This was likely to have been influenced by the tensions within Massive Attack. Robert Del Naja has described the dark atmosphere within the group: "There was always this tension between control and collaboration. Always... We were just trying to get the job finished... Everything became thinner and smaller. All that warmth being spun into a tiny little thread, then that thread just being cut." [cite web | title = Sydney Morning Herald review | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/14/1044927795994.html | accessmonthday = June 14 | accessyear = 2006]

Track List

# Unfinished Sympathy (Radio Edit)
# Unfinished Sympathy (Nellee Hooper 12" Mix)
# Unfinished Sympathy (Nellee Hooper 7" Mix)
# Unfinished Sympathy (Perfecto Mix)
# Unfinished Sympathy (Instrumental)

Critical acclaim

In European media "Unfinished Sympathy" has frequently been placed at the top or near the top of lists of the best song of all time. Among the citations for this single by various UK and European magazines, reviewers and TV channels:

*The TV Channel MTV2 in the UK ranked it #1 in a poll of the best songs of all time
*Face Magazine (UK) - Singles of the Year, ranking #1
*Melody Maker (UK) - Singles of the Year, ranking #1
*New Musical Express (UK) - Singles of the Year, ranking #8
*Iguana (Spain) - Singles of the Year, ranking #2
*A BBC Radio 2 poll ranked it #44 in the best songs of all time
*Reviewer Julie Burchill has described as her favourite song of all time.
*Dance music producer Darren Tate has described as his favourite record ever
*Mixmag (UK) - The 100 Best Dance Singles of All Time (1996) 10
*New Musical Express (UK) - The Top 100 Singles of All Time (2002) 10
*Q (UK) - The 1001 Best Songs Ever (2003), ranking #37
*Q (UK) - Top 20 Singles from 1980-2004 (2004), ranking #8
*RDL (Spain) - The 100 Best Songs from 1990 to 1998 (1999), ranking #1
*Rock de Lux (Spain) - The Top 100 Songs from 1984-1993 (1993), ranking #4
*BBC Radio 1 (1998), ranking #1
*Q Magazine (1998) - ranking #15
*EveryHit.com poll of poll - ranking #21

Trivia

*The percussion loop is the "belly break" sampled from a Bob James' cover of Paul Simon's "Take Me To The Mardi Gras" which was also used by Run DMC on "Peter Piper" [cite web | title = Discogs | url = http://www.discogs.com/release/56753 | accessmonthday = September 30 | accessyear = 2006]
*The group was forced to change its name due to the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991. They were briefly known as "Massive", and it is that name which features on the cover of this single [cite web | title = Discogs | url = http://www.discogs.com/release/56753 | accessmonthday = September 30 | accessyear = 2006]
*The voice at the beginning of the song is a sample of John McLaughlin, whose voice was sampled without clearance. [cite web | title = Sydney Morning Herald review | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/02/14/1044927795994.html | accessmonthday = June 14 | accessyear = 2006]
*The song has also been remixed by Paul Oakenfold and Nellee Hooper
*The song has been covered by Tina Turner for her 1996 Wildest Dreams album and reached #9 in France.
*The song features in the movie "Sliver". It features during a sex scene between actors Sharon Stone and William Baldwin.

Video

The video for Unfinished Sympathy was directed by Baillie Walsh and recorded in January 1991 on West Pico Boulevard between S. New Hampshire Avenue and Dewey Avenue in Los Angeles, CA. It features Nelson walking along the sidewalk, unaware or uncaring of her surroundings, which include drunks, gangs, bikers and the three members of Massive Attack (Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall and Andrew Vowles). It was one of the earliest music videos to use a continuous shot. The video was later paid homage to in the video for The Verve's song "Bitter Sweet Symphony". [ (2005, 8 February)"100 Greatest Pop Videos", London, 4 Ventures Limited] Additionally, the Art Director for the video was Leigh Bowery.

amples

*audio|MassiveAttack-UnfinishedSympathy.ogg|"Unfinished Sympathy"

See also

*Culture of Bristol

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/unfinishedsympathy.shtml BBC Review of song]
* [http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=40556 Full lyrics]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/profiles/massiveattack.shtml BBC site on Massive Attack including sample of the song]
* [http://www.discogs.com/release/56753 Discogs tracklisting for UK CD5"]
* [http://www.massiveattack.ie/info/songs/unfinishedsympathy.php MASSIVEATTACK.IE song info entry on Unfinished Sympathy]

Notes