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.
Inertia Creeps (State Of Benga
Massive Attack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two undernourished egos, four rotating hips
Hold on to me tightly, I'm a sliding scale
Can't endure, then you can't inhale
Clearly, out of body experience interferes
And dreams of flying I fit nearly
Surrounds me though I get lonely
Slowly, moving up slowly, inertia creeps, moving up slowly
She comes, moving up slowly, she comes, moving up slowly
Inertia creeps, moving up slowly
She comes, moving up slowly, she comes, moving up slowly
In my home no chrome as clear as
See me now where my nearest tear is
Been there when I'm over careering
Room shifting is endearing
Between us is our kitchen
When she found my irritant's itchin'
Been here before, been here forever
Moving up slowly, inertia keeps, moving up slowly
Inertia creeps, moving up slowly, inertia keeps, moving up slowly
She comes, moving up slowly, moving up slowly
She comes, moving up slowly, inertia creeps, moving up slowly
She comes
I make no sound in my Eiderdown
Awake I lie and the morning's blue
Room is still, my antenna in you
Nylon burns the bedspread, we're two
Gravity's zero, see me stall
I bounce off walls, lose my footing and fall
It can be sweet though incomplete though
And the frames will freeze, see me on all fours
It's been a long time
She comes, she comes
I want to X you, she comes
I want to X you, she comes
I want to X you
Caught your radio waves
I caught your radio waves, will you take a string?
Say you string me along, say you string me along
Say inertia creeps. Inertia creeps and she comes
Say she comes, say she comes, say she comes, say she comes
The lyrics to Massive Attack's song Inertia Creeps describe a deeply personal and intimate encounter between two people. The singer speaks of being intimately connected to his partner both physically and emotionally. He asks her to hold him tightly and describes their bodies moving in unison. The use of the term "two undernourished egos" suggests a sense of vulnerability and fragility, indicating that these two people need each other in order to feel complete. The idea of sliding scales and the inability to inhale reinforces this sense of being out of control and overwhelmed by their emotions.
The chorus, "slowly, moving up slowly, inertia creeps, she's moving up slowly" speaks to the idea that despite their fears and insecurities, the couple is making progress together, slowly moving forward in their relationship. The lines "been here before, been here forever" reinforce the idea that although this particular moment may be fleeting, this connection between two people is eternal.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more abstract, at times seeming to describe a dream-like state. "Gravity's zero, see me stall, I bounce off walls, lose my footing and fall" suggests a sense of weightlessness and disorientation, as if the singer is in a state of flux, both mentally and physically. Ultimately, the song speaks to the idea that even in the midst of uncertainty and discomfort, there is beauty and connection to be found.
Line by Line Meaning
Recollect me darling, raise me to your lips
Remember me, my love, bring me close to your mouth.
Two undernourished egos, four rotating hips
We are both insecure and needy, trying to find satisfaction through physical pleasure.
Hold on to me tightly, I'm a sliding scale
Hold me tightly, as I am unpredictable in my emotions and behavior.
Can't endure, then you can't inhale
If you can't handle my intensity, you won't be able to breathe around me.
Clearly, out of body experience interferes
I am experiencing something outside of myself, which affects my being.
And dreams of flying I fit nearly
I almost achieve the exhilarating feeling of flying in my dreams.
Surrounds me though I get lonely
Despite being surrounded by things, I still feel lonely.
Slowly, moving up slowly, inertia keeps, she's moving up slowly
Moving slowly upwards, with the inertia continuing to push forward.
She comes, moving up slowly, she comes, moving up slowly
She is approaching slowly, with a deliberate and measured pace.
Inertia creeps, moving up slowly
The force of inertia is slowly but surely pushing me forward.
In my home no chrome as clear as
In my house, there is no shiny surface as clear as...
See me now where my nearest tear is
You can see me now where I am most vulnerable and likely to cry.
Been there when I'm over careering
You've been with me when I am out of control and taking reckless risks.
Room shifting is endearing
The rearranging of furniture and decorations in the room is charming.
Between us is our kitchen
The kitchen is the space in our home that represents the connection between us.
When she found my irritant's itchin'
When she discovered my pet peeve.
Been here before, been here forever
I have been in this situation before, and it feels like it will never end.
Moving up slowly, inertia keeps, moving up slowly
Continuing to move upwards at a slow pace, with the force of inertia keeping me going.
She comes, moving up slowly, moving up slowly
She is still approaching slowly and steadily.
I make no sound in my Eiderdown
I am silent in my cozy bed made of eiderdown or other materials.
Awake I lie and the morning's blue
I am awake in the morning and feeling sad or blue.
Room is still, my antenna in you
The room is quiet and calm, but I am still attuned to you and your presence.
Nylon burns the bedspread, we're two
The synthetic material of the bedspread creates friction or heat, and we are both present in the bed.
Gravity's zero, see me stall
Gravity has no effect on me, and I am unable to move forward or progress.
I bounce off walls, lose my footing and fall
I am unable to find stability or balance, and I fall down or fail.
It can be sweet though incomplete though
Although it is not perfect, it can still be sweet or enjoyable in some ways.
And the frames will freeze, see me on all fours
The images will stop or pause, and you will see me on my hands and knees.
It's been a long time
It has been a long time since we've been together.
Caught your radio waves
I have picked up on your signals or messages.
Will you take a string?
Will you listen to me and follow me, even if I lead you on?
Say you string me along, say you string me along
Admit that you are leading me on, even if it hurts me in the end.
Say inertia creeps. Inertia creeps and she comes
Acknowledge that the force of inertia is slowly pushing us forward, and we are getting closer to our destination.
Say she comes, say she comes, say she comes, say she comes
Reiterate that she is approaching, with deliberate and measured steps.
Contributed by Skyler G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.