I get the feeling that this is about a war veteran or similar.
"I'm not good in a crowd"
refers to PTSD or flashbacks experienced when in a crowded noisy enviroment.
"I've got skills I can't speak of"
I can kill people but I can't speak about it/it's not acceptable to be a solider. (remember MA are British where, unlike in America, soldiering isn't as glorified profession, at least insofar as I'm aware, I'm in Aus)
"Things that I've seen
Will chase me to the grave"
Pretty obvious
"Led with your hands tied
Fetters and flies"
This lyric is wrong "Led with your hands tied fed to the sandflies" Presumably referring to desert executions or being captured.
The chorus refers to the weight of a weapon, a double meaning of both the guilt of killing and the weight of the 'blade', in this case a gun.
"How does it feel
To kneel at defeat?
To kneel at defeat
At the choices you make"
Again a wrong lyric.
"How does it feel
To kneel at the feet?
To kneel at the feet of the choices you made" Again fairly obvious.
I have no real understanding of Backs to the Wheel or Granite to shove. Only that the latter is obviously a link to hard manual labour.
"I will pilfer my family a bulletproof love" This lyric is wrong, it's build not pilfer, he just puts an odd emphasis on the 'bu' sound.
Your interpretation is spot on IMO. It really fits. It's a very interesting subject to write about. I would have to say this is one of my favorite Massive Attack songs, it's eerie and beautifully unsettling. It really puts you in the shoes of someone who has endured a war. Very moving.
Your interpretation is spot on IMO. It really fits. It's a very interesting subject to write about. I would have to say this is one of my favorite Massive Attack songs, it's eerie and beautifully unsettling. It really puts you in the shoes of someone who has endured a war. Very moving.
I get the feeling that this is about a war veteran or similar.
"I'm not good in a crowd" refers to PTSD or flashbacks experienced when in a crowded noisy enviroment. "I've got skills I can't speak of" I can kill people but I can't speak about it/it's not acceptable to be a solider. (remember MA are British where, unlike in America, soldiering isn't as glorified profession, at least insofar as I'm aware, I'm in Aus)
"Things that I've seen Will chase me to the grave" Pretty obvious
"Led with your hands tied Fetters and flies" This lyric is wrong "Led with your hands tied fed to the sandflies" Presumably referring to desert executions or being captured.
The chorus refers to the weight of a weapon, a double meaning of both the guilt of killing and the weight of the 'blade', in this case a gun.
"How does it feel To kneel at defeat? To kneel at defeat At the choices you make"
Again a wrong lyric.
"How does it feel To kneel at the feet? To kneel at the feet of the choices you made" Again fairly obvious.
I have no real understanding of Backs to the Wheel or Granite to shove. Only that the latter is obviously a link to hard manual labour.
"I will pilfer my family a bulletproof love" This lyric is wrong, it's build not pilfer, he just puts an odd emphasis on the 'bu' sound.
I agree with your observations whole heartedly. They do post that it is "build" not pilfer but I agree it is "build". Nice work.
I agree with your observations whole heartedly. They do post that it is "build" not pilfer but I agree it is "build". Nice work.
Your interpretation is spot on IMO. It really fits. It's a very interesting subject to write about. I would have to say this is one of my favorite Massive Attack songs, it's eerie and beautifully unsettling. It really puts you in the shoes of someone who has endured a war. Very moving.
Your interpretation is spot on IMO. It really fits. It's a very interesting subject to write about. I would have to say this is one of my favorite Massive Attack songs, it's eerie and beautifully unsettling. It really puts you in the shoes of someone who has endured a war. Very moving.