Protection (Massive Attack song)

"Protection" is a collaboration between Massive Attack and Everything but the Girl singer Tracey Thorn that appears on Massive Attack's second studio album, Protection (1995). Released as a single on 9 January 1995, the song reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, staying in the chart for four weeks, and also peaked at number 27 in New Zealand. The song was also included on Everything but the Girl's compilation The Best of and Like the Deserts Miss the Rain.

"Protection"
Single by Massive Attack with Tracey Thorn
from the album Protection
Released9 January 1995 (1995-01-09)[1]
Genre
Length
  • 7:51 (album version)
  • 4:53 (single edit)
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Andrew Vowles, Tracey Thorn
Producer(s)Massive Attack, Nellee Hooper
Massive Attack singles chronology
"Sly"
(1994)		 "Protection"
(1995)		 "Karmacoma"
(1995)
Music video
"Protection" on YouTube

The song contains samples taken from "The Payback" by James Brown,[2] namely the hi-hat/bass figure that drives the beat and the recurrent wah-wah guitar chord.

Critical reception

Music writer James Masterton noted "the velvet tones" of Tracey Thorn, adding that "the result is an instant Top 20 smash, just one place short of the peak originally reached by their groundbreaking debut hit ["Unfinished Symphathy"]."[3] James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update described it as "an attractive gentle atmospheric R&B swayer".[4]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by French film director, screenwriter, and producer Michel Gondry.[5] It was later published on Massive Attack's official YouTube channel in March 2009. The video has amassed almost 16 million views as of September 2021.[6]

Track listings

Charts
Chart (1995) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[7][8] 91
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 52
Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tipparade)[10] 7
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 27
Scotland (OCC)[12] 18
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 14
UK R&B (OCC)[14] 2

References
  1. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 7 January 1995. p. 13. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  2. http://www.the-breaks.com/search.php?term=The+Payback&type=4
  3. Masterton, James (15 January 1995). "Week Ending January 21st 1995". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  4. Hamilton, James (21 January 1995). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 11. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  5. Iqbal, Nosheen (6 February 2010). "Massive Attack's art of darkness". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  6. "Massive Attack - Protection". YouTube. 6 March 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  7. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 19 Mar 1995". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  8. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  9. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 4. 28 January 1995. p. 19. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
  10. "Massive Attack feat. Tracey Thorn – Protection" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  11. "Massive Attack feat. Tracey Thorn – Protection". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  12. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
  14. "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2019.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.