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.
Karmacoma (U.N.K.L.E Situatio
Massive Attack Lyrics
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Won't lie and say this lovin's best
Leave us in emotional peace, take a walk, taste the rest
Now take a rest
I see you digging a hole in your neighbourhood
You're crazy, but you're lazy
No need to live in a lean to your troubles must be seen to
See through money like it's paper with faces I remember
It never cools my temper
Walking through the suburbs, though not exactly lovers
You're a couple, especially when your body's doubled
Duplicate, and then you wait for the next Kuwait
Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma
Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma
Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma
Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma
You sure you want to be with me, I've nothing to give
Now take a walk, take a rest, taste the rest
You sure you want to be with me, I've nothing to give
Now take a walk, take a rest, taste the rest
Don't wanna be on top of your list, monopoly and properly kissed
We overcome in sixty seconds with the strength we have to together
But for now, emotional ties, they stay severed
When there's trust there'll be treats
And when we funk, we'll hear beats
Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma
Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma
Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma
Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma
Deflowering my baby, are you my baby mate?
I must be crazy, see I'm swazy
You're digging a hole in your neighborhood
You're crazy but you're lazy, must be lazy
Don't wanna be on top of your list, monopoly and properly kissed
Deflowering my baby, are you my baby mate, my baby
Delowering my baby, are you my baby mate?
I must be crazy, you must be lazy
Karmacoma, what? Jamaica and Roma
Karmacoma, what? Jamaica and Roma
Karmacoma, what? Jamaica and Roma
Karmacoma, what? Jamaica and Roma
The lyrics of "Karmacoma" by Massive Attack explore themes of relationships, self-discovery, and escapism. The singer questinons why anyone would want to be with them when they have nothing to offer ("You sure you want to be with me, I've nothing to give"). They encourage their partner to take a break from their emotional turmoil ("Leave us in emotional peace, take a walk, taste the rest"), suggesting that their troubles must be addressed in order to heal. The singer then acknowledges their own flaws and habits ("I drink on a daily basis though it's seldom, cools my temper/ It never cools my temper") and observes their surroundings ("See through money like it's paper with faces I remember").
Later in the song, the singer and their partner are described as a couple, but not exactly lovers ("Walking through the suburbs, though not exactly lovers/ You're a couple, especially when your body's doubled"). The repetition of "Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma" serves as a rhythmic reminder of the song's title, while also adding a sense of exoticism and wanderlust to the lyrics.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes more introspective and self-critical. They question their own sanity and motivation ("I must be crazy, see I'm swazy/ You're crazy but you're lazy, must be lazy"), and again address their partner's struggles ("Deflowering my baby, are you my baby mate?/ I must be crazy, you must be lazy"). The final repetition of "Karmacoma, what? Jamaica and Roma" reinforces the sense of repetition and cyclical patterns found throughout the song, and perhaps hints at a desire for escape from these patterns.
Line by Line Meaning
You sure you want to be with me, I've nothing to give
I have nothing to offer you, so be sure that you really want to be with me
Won't lie and say this lovin's best
I won't pretend that our love is perfect
Leave us in emotional peace, take a walk, taste the rest
Let's take a break and find some emotional peace by walking away from our problems for a while
Now take a rest
Take a break and relax
I see you digging a hole in your neighbourhood
I see you making choices or taking actions that will cause problems for you in the future
You're crazy, but you're lazy
You're making poor choices even though you know better, and you're not taking any action to change
No need to live in a lean to your troubles must be seen to
You don't have to settle for a subpar life, you need to address your problems to improve your situation
See through money like it's paper with faces I remember
Money is only a temporary object and shouldn't be valued too highly
I drink on a daily basis though it's seldom, cools my temper
I drink to calm myself, but not everyday
It never cools my temper
Drinking doesn't always help me calm down completely
Walking through the suburbs, though not exactly lovers
We're not in a typical romantic love relationship, but we're still together
You're a couple, especially when your body's doubled
We feel most connected when we're physically close
Duplicate, and then you wait for the next Kuwait
We keep repeating the same patterns of behavior or relationship troubles and hope for a different outcome, but it never happens
Karmacoma, Jamaica and Roma
A reference to different places and sounds, possibly symbolizing the variety of experiences and emotions involved in the relationship
Don't wanna be on top of your list, monopoly and properly kissed
I don't want to be just another item on your agenda, and I don't want you to have total control in our relationship
We overcome in sixty seconds with the strength we have to together
We can overcome any obstacle quickly if we work together and use our strength as a couple
But for now, emotional ties, they stay severed
We're not ready to fully reconcile our emotional connection yet
When there's trust there'll be treats
As trust develops between us, there will be good things that come out of our relationship
And when we funk, we'll hear beats
When we overcome a difficult situation, we'll feel a sense of accomplishment
Deflowering my baby, are you my baby mate?
A metaphor for losing one's innocence or purity, and questioning if the partner is committed to the relationship
I must be crazy, see I'm swazy
I must be out of my mind or losing my grip on reality
Must be lazy
Ascribing our relationship troubles to a lack of effort or motivation
Karmacoma, what? Jamaica and Roma
A repetition of the earlier reference to different places and sounds
Contributed by Declan M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Martin Kjær
Yiaaaasssss! Heard this on an MTV extreme compilation called Alpine Chills
Conic Psy-Fiction
Aproved