The debut Massive Attack album Blue Lines was released in 1991, with the single "Unfinished Sympathy" reaching the charts and later being voted the 63rd greatest song of all time in a poll by NME. 1998's Mezzanine (containing the top 10 single "Teardrop") and 2003's 100th Window charted in the UK at number one. Both Blue Lines and Mezzanine feature in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The group has won numerous music awards throughout their career, including a Brit Award—winning Best British Dance Act, two MTV Europe Music Awards and two Q Awards. They have released five studio albums that have sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Throughout their history, Massive Attack have been supporters and activists for political, human rights and environmental causes.
False Flags (UNKLE Surrender Sounds Session
Massive Attack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of clueless blues,
Pays the views,
And no-mans news.
Blades will fade from blood to sport,
The heroin's cut these fuses short,
Smokers rode a colonial pig, [Smoke is rolling colonial pink,]
Drink and frame this pain i think.
You bleed your wings and then disappear.
The moving scenes and pilot lights, [...pyre lights]
Smithereens have got 'em scaling heights.
Modern times come talk me down,
And battle lines are drawn across this town.
Parisian boys without your names, [...with obscure names]
Ghetto stones instead of chains,
Talk 'em down cause it's up in flames, [Talk me down...]
And nothing's changed.
Parisian boys without your names, [...with obscure names]
Riot like 1968 again.
The days of rage yeah nothing's changed,
Well pretty flames.
In school I would just bite my tongue,
And now your words they strike me down. [But now your words have struck me dumb.]
The flags are false and they contradict,
They point and click which wounds to lick,
On avenues this christian breeze,
Turns it's heart to more needles please.
Our eyes roll back and we beg for more,
It frays this skin and then underscore.
The case for war you spin and bleed,
The sales you feel screensavers feed,
The girls you breed the soaps that you write,
The graceless charm of your gutter snipes.
The moving scenes and suburbanites,
And smithereens got 'em scaling heights.
Modern times come talk me down,
The battle lines are drawn across this town.
English boys without your names, [...with obscure names]
Ghetto stones instead of chains,
Hearts and minds and US Planes,
Nothing's changed...
And english boys without your names, [...with obscure names]
Riot like the 1980's again,
The days of rage yeah nothing's changed,
More pretty flames.
The lyrics of False Flags by Massive Attack paint a picture of a society broken down and divided by politics, war, and chaos. The singer sings about being trapped in a world of clueless indifference, where violence is commonplace and people have lost their own identities. The references to heroin, colonialism, and suburban life create a feeling of despair and hopelessness. The singer longs for change, but sees no way out of the cycle of violence and deception.
The chorus refers to Parisian and English boys rioting, suggesting a desire to overthrow the corrupt systems in place. The "days of rage" reference to the 60s and 80s suggests this has been an ongoing issue for decades, but nothing has changed. The final repetition of "pretty flames" reveals the apathy and perhaps even a desire for destruction on the part of the singer.
Overall, the lyrics of False Flags speak to the cyclical nature of systemic issues and the feeling of powerlessness that comes with them. The song critiques the false narratives created by those in power, while simultaneously acknowledging society's role in perpetuating them.
Line by Line Meaning
In city shoes,
Wearing attire of city life,
Of clueless blues,
Unaware of current events,
Pays the views,
Accepts and internalizes the mainstream media's narrative,
And no-mans news.
Does not seek out alternative sources of information, uninformed,
Blades will fade from blood to sport,
Violence will become a form of entertainment,
The heroin's cut these fuses short,
Drug addiction is causing destruction of individuals and communities,
Smoke is rolling colonial pink,
Cigarette smoke is pervasive and indicative of colonialism,
Drink and frame this pain i think.
Alcohol is used to cope with emotional pain, which may result in distorted perceptions,
I'm melting silver poles my dear,
I am dismantling societal structures that are traditionally strong and rigid,
You bleed your wings and then disappear.
You push yourself to the brink and then disappear, seeking escape from society's pressures and expectations,
The moving scenes and pilot lights,
The bustling cityscape and street lights,
Smithereens have got 'em scaling heights.
The destructive and violent chaos is causing people to act out in extreme ways,
Modern times come talk me down,
The present state of society and global events are causing me to feel overwhelmed and in need of reassurance,
And battle lines are drawn across this town.
Divisions and conflicts exist within society,
Parisian boys without your names,
Youthful individuals from Paris who lack identity and recognition,
Ghetto stones instead of chains,
Individuals from poor neighborhoods who lack freedom and opportunity,
Talk 'em down cause it's up in flames,
De-escalate the violence because the situation is reaching a critical point,
And nothing's changed.
Despite societal progress, systemic issues and inequalities remain,
Riot like 1968 again.
Allegiance to revolutionary ideologies and a willingness to protest violently,
The days of rage yeah nothing's changed,
The anger and resentment felt by marginalized groups remains,
Well pretty flames.
The destruction and chaos of the riots are visually striking and alluring,
In school I would just bite my tongue,
I used to stay silent and repress my opinions and beliefs,
And now your words they strike me down.
Now I am more aware and your words hurt me more deeply,
The flags are false and they contradict,
National symbols do not represent the diverse nature of contemporary society and are often hypocritical,
They point and click which wounds to lick,
Media coverage of current events is selective and sensationalist, exacerbating societal divisions,
On avenues this christian breeze,
Amidst the chaos and confusion, religion provides a false sense of security and stability,
Turns it's heart to more needles please.
Individuals turn to drugs as a coping mechanism in the face of societal issues and pressures,
Our eyes roll back and we beg for more,
Despite negative consequences, we continue to engage in destructive behaviors,
It frays this skin and then underscore.
The negative effects of drugs and other destructive behaviors cause visible physical and emotional damage,
The case for war you spin and bleed,
Political propaganda that justifies violent conflict in the name of national interests,
The sales you feel screensavers feed,
The media presents an idealistic version of society that is not attainable or realistic,
The girls you breed the soaps that you write,
Mainstream media perpetuates gender stereotypes and promotes unrealistic social norms,
The graceless charm of your gutter snipes.
The individuals who perpetuate these destructive societal norms lack elegance and refinement,
The moving scenes and suburbanites,
The hustle and bustle of city life and its inhabitants,
And smithereens got 'em scaling heights.
The chaos and destruction caused by violent conflict is inciting people to act in extreme ways,
English boys without your names,
Youthful individuals from England who lack identity and recognition,
Ghetto stones instead of chains,
Individuals from poor neighborhoods who suffer from a lack of economic opportunity and constraint,
Hearts and minds and US Planes,
The power dynamic between countries and its effect on society,
Nothing's changed...
Despite societal progress, systemic issues and inequalities remain,
And english boys without your names,
Youthful individuals from England who lack identity and recognition,
Riot like the 1980's again,
Allegiance to revolutionary ideologies and a willingness to protest violently,
The days of rage yeah nothing's changed,
The anger and resentment felt by marginalized groups remains,
More pretty flames.
The violence and destruction of protests are visually striking and alluring,
Contributed by Sophie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@davidmannukraine
@@youngmurphy7556OCHR estimates the total number of conflict-related casualties in Ukraine from 14 April 2014 to 31 December 2021 to be 51,000–54,000: 14,200-14,400 killed (at least 3,404 civilians, estimated 4,400 Ukrainian forces and estimated 6,500 members of armed groups), and 37-39,000 injured (7,000–9,000 civilians, 13,800–14,200 Ukrainian forces and 15,800-16,200 members of armed groups).
The OSCE of which the Russian Federation is a member have had monitoring teams on the ground in the Donbas, on both sides of the conflict line, since 2014 observing from the ground in the air using drones and from space using satellites. Every team has Russian Federation observers in it. They have not seen any sign of what you are saying?
When Russia invaded the Donbas Region in 2014, 1.5 Million ethnic Russian speaking inhabitants fled into the areas of the region still under government, losing everything that they couldn't carry with them including their homes and businesses, rather than live under proxy Russian control.
I have lived on the eastern side of Ukraine since 2008, in a Russian speaking town, with my Russian wife, speak only Russian until to this day, without criticism from either the government or Ukrainian speakers.
It came as a surprise to the talking heads on Russia 1, last week when one of their guests said that the Russian forces were surprised to find that 90% of the Ukrainian forces that are fighting against them in the Donbas are Russian speakers and many were actually ethnic Russians from Donbas.
Wonder where all of the Nazis you are talking about are?
I am not complaining but you seem to be fixated on a country that you have never visited and I doubt that you even speak one of the two languages spoken here and so you rely on the likes of the RT shill to tell you what is being said and done? Go away, nasty little man, this is a music channel not a soapbox for you to stand and shout from.
@laurence.MusicAndSights
Hi from France...been absolutely hooked on MA since their genesis...For the first time ever, I prefer this version to "the basic one"..The second half is out of this world...Can't get enough of them and their videos !!! OMG... If God exists , he might whisper to MA
@MrDavorsan
It's a hypnotic mantra
@IronRaven11666
You said it right
@frillgood
same here
@myratunity1310
🇨🇵🇨🇵🇨🇵
@laurence.MusicAndSights
I wish MA would reunite to compose another gem 🔹of theirs despite the tragic death 💀 within their collaboration. Likewise Portishead has vanished into thin air. Unkle too.😮💨
Memories remain untainted thanks to complete discographies at home and rareties on playlists...😇
Miss MA so...Saw them more than 10 years ago at the Eurockéennes site 17 km from home. Wow. Eargasmic 🔊💎🎼🎹🎸
Take care please
@g3nnag3nna72
Я просто обожаю эту песню, такое чувство, словно в кровь ввбрасываются гормоны удовольствия при прослушивании
@davidmannukraine
I am 73 in 18 days time, live in Ukraine and Massive Attack, among other fantastic artists are helping drown out the sound of the air raid sirens; listening with headphones on, wound up to full to drown out the bloody noise they make. :)
@youngmurphy7556
Had you been living in the Donetsk/Lugansk part of former Ukraine, you'd have been drowning out the noise of the Ukraine army's massive attacks with Massive Attack for 8 years already. You've got it lucky. You also escaped being burned alive by Banderites too. Stop complaining and start voting against your corrupt regime and the interests it serves.
@davidmannukraine
@@youngmurphy7556OCHR estimates the total number of conflict-related casualties in Ukraine from 14 April 2014 to 31 December 2021 to be 51,000–54,000: 14,200-14,400 killed (at least 3,404 civilians, estimated 4,400 Ukrainian forces and estimated 6,500 members of armed groups), and 37-39,000 injured (7,000–9,000 civilians, 13,800–14,200 Ukrainian forces and 15,800-16,200 members of armed groups).
The OSCE of which the Russian Federation is a member have had monitoring teams on the ground in the Donbas, on both sides of the conflict line, since 2014 observing from the ground in the air using drones and from space using satellites. Every team has Russian Federation observers in it. They have not seen any sign of what you are saying?
When Russia invaded the Donbas Region in 2014, 1.5 Million ethnic Russian speaking inhabitants fled into the areas of the region still under government, losing everything that they couldn't carry with them including their homes and businesses, rather than live under proxy Russian control.
I have lived on the eastern side of Ukraine since 2008, in a Russian speaking town, with my Russian wife, speak only Russian until to this day, without criticism from either the government or Ukrainian speakers.
It came as a surprise to the talking heads on Russia 1, last week when one of their guests said that the Russian forces were surprised to find that 90% of the Ukrainian forces that are fighting against them in the Donbas are Russian speakers and many were actually ethnic Russians from Donbas.
Wonder where all of the Nazis you are talking about are?
I am not complaining but you seem to be fixated on a country that you have never visited and I doubt that you even speak one of the two languages spoken here and so you rely on the likes of the RT shill to tell you what is being said and done? Go away, nasty little man, this is a music channel not a soapbox for you to stand and shout from.