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.
Flat of the Blade
Massive Attack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got skills I can't speak of
Things I've seen will chase me
To the grave
I'm not good in a crowd
I got skills I can't speak of
Over there
Things that I've seen
Will chase me to the grave
Led with your hands tied
Fetters and flies
You stumble the dunes
Complain to the moon
Backs to the wheel
There's granite to shove
Take it
They give it
So rivet for rivet
I will pilfer my family a bulletproof love
How does it feel
The weight of the steel?
The weight of the steel
The flat of the blade
How does it feel
To kneel at defeat?
To kneel at defeat
At the choices you make
I'm not good in a crowd
I got skills I can't speak of
Things I've seen will chase me
To the grave
Backs to the wheel
There's granite to shove
Take it
They give it
And rivet for rivet
I will build for my family a bulletproof love
The opening lines of the song "Flat of the Blade" sung by Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja speaks of his inability to fit in a crowd because of skills that he can't speak of. He seems to be haunted by the things he has seen in his life and says that it will follow him to his grave. The repetition of the opening line might suggest that this is a recurring experience for the singer: he has always felt out of place in a crowd because of his particular set of skills, and the things he has seen will continue to plague him.
The second verse talks about someone who is in difficult circumstances - led with their hands tied, stumbling through the dunes, and complaining to the moon. They have to work hard, with their backs to the wheel, and push granite. Despite their struggles, the song suggests that they are making a choice to take what is given to them, "rivet for rivet," and they will "pilfer" bulletproof love for their family. The chorus repeats twice, asking how it feels to carry the weight of steel and to kneel in defeat, perhaps suggesting the difficulty of the struggle and the need to make difficult choices.
Overall, the song seems to be about hardship, survival, and the choices people make in order to protect their loved ones. The imagery is vivid and suggests that the singer is reflecting on his past experiences as well as others around him. The urgency of the song is conveyed by the repetition of the opening line and the chorus, as if the singer is trying to make sense of his emotions in real-time.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm not good in a crowd
Being around many people is not something I am comfortable with
I got skills I can't speak of
I have particular abilities and talents that I cannot disclose
Things I've seen will chase me to the grave
The traumatic experiences I have gone through will haunt me until the end of my life
Led with your hands tied, fetters and flies
Being trapped and helpless while being carried along, overwhelmed by flies
You stumble the dunes, complain to the moon
Walking through sand dunes, feeling exhausted and hopeless while asking the moon for guidance
Backs to the wheel, there's granite to shove
Putting all of your effort into pushing forward despite facing immense obstacles
Take it, they give it, so rivet for rivet, I will pilfer my family a bulletproof love
I will do whatever it takes and work tirelessly to provide my family with an unbreakable love
How does it feel, the weight of the steel? The weight of the steel, the flat of the blade
What is the sensation like when you hold onto something as heavy as steel? The heaviness and sharpness of the blade
How does it feel to kneel at defeat? To kneel at defeat at the choices you make
What is the feeling of surrendering and admitting defeat? Admitting your faults and take responsibility for your actions
I'm not good in a crowd, I got skills I can't speak of
Once again, being in a crowded place is not something I am comfortable with and I have abilities that I cannot share
Things I've seen will chase me to the grave, backs to the wheel, there's granite to shove
The traumatic experiences I have gone through will always haunt me, but I will push forward despite facing great obstacles
Take it, they give it, and rivet for rivet, I will build for my family a bulletproof love
Once more, I will work hard to provide my family with a love that is unbreakable
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robert Del Naja, Guy Edward John Garvey, Neil Davidge, Grantley Evan Marshall, Damon Albarn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@4cre
I'm not good in a crowd
I've got skills I can't speak of
Things I've seen will chase me to the grave
I'm not good in a crowd
I've got skills I can't speak of over there
Things that I've seen will chase me to the grave
Led with your hands tied, fed to the sand flies
Stumble the dunes, complain to the moon
Backs to the wheel, there's granite to shove
Take it, they give it, so rivet for rivet
I will build for my family a bulletproof roof
How does it feel, the weight of the steel
The weight of the steel of the flat of the blade
How does it feel to kneel at the feet
To kneel at the feet of the choices you've made
I'm not good in a crowd
I've got skills I can't speak of
Things I've seen will chase me to the grave
Backs to the wheel, there's granite to shove
Take it, they give it, and rivet for rivet
I will build for my family a bulletproof roof
@LordZebra
I'm not good in a crowd
I got skills I can't speak of
Things I've seen will chase me
To the grave
I'm not good in a crowd
I got skills I can't speak of
Over there
Things that I've seen
Will chase me to the grave
Led with your hands tied
Fetters and flies
You stumble the dunes
Complain to the moon
Backs to the wheel
There's granite to shove
Take it
They give it
So rivet for rivet
I will pilfer my family a bulletproof love
How does it feel
The weight of the steel?
The weight of the steel
The flat of the blade
How does it feel
To kneel at defeat?
To kneel at defeat
At the choices you make
Hey, hey, hey
I'm not good in a crowd
I got skills I can't speak of
Things I've seen will chase me
To the grave
Backs to the wheel
There's granite to shove
Take it
They give it
And rivet for rivet
I will build for my family a bulletproof love
@dimitristsekeris1821
This song was love at first listening in a period when I was not yet into Massive Attack. This moaning synth is so pleasuring.
@banonKING
I heard this song over a decade ago... and I'm just now learning they made a music video.
@joelstockmeier7784
A large group of my close friends and family gained an appreciation for massive attack many years ago. Lived under a roof with my brother and a bunch of our friends. We had a handful of massive attack albums between us and each night one would borrow albums from one another to listen to while sleeping. I can’t express what massive attack has done for us and I know I speak for them when saying so. God speed
@ahmetkahya16
Massive Attack is not just a music group it's a society. They take attention to the darkness of this world. If you have seen them live, you know what i mean.
@gloryficccc
I just saw them live in France, and I just know what you mean, + they are magnetic
@uluhru4evoh
I'm not saying Rob's Bansky... but have u ever seen Bansky and Rob in the same room together? Lol
@kristinar8149
Even if you dont.
It so obvious. 😃
@slyarte
We listen to a society.
@yevgeniyaleshchenko849
I love MA BUT many great musicians ''take attention to the darkness of the world'', MA did not invent this... Brilliance often goes hand in hand with darkness, at least partially.
@MikeLoux
This song was responsible for me going down the Elbow rabbit-hole. Guy Garvey's voice is very compelling.