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.
Unfinished Sympathy
Massive Attack Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And how it could be with you
Really hurt me, baby, really cut me, baby
How can you have a day without a night?
You're the book that I have opened
And now I've got to know much more
Has got my mind and body aching
Really hurt me, baby, really cut me, baby
How can you have a day without a night?
You're the book that I have opened
And now I've got to know much more
Like a soul without a mind
In a body without a heart
I'm missing every part, hey
I, I, I
Like a soul without a mind
In a body without a heart
I'm missing every part
Like a soul without a mind
In a body without a heart
I'm missing every part
Like a soul without a mind
In a body without a heart
I'm missing every part
I don't know where this one came from
I don't know where this one came from
I don't know where this one came from
The lyrics of Massive Attack's song "Unfinished Sympathy" describe the emotions of the singer, who is deeply in love with someone but unsure of their feelings in return. The first stanza describes how the singer has imagined love in the past, but now that they are pursuing it with this particular person, it is hurting them deeply. They question how it is possible to have a day without a night, indicating that this relationship is incomplete without reciprocated feelings of love.
The second stanza continues the theme of curiosity and longing, with the singer describing their body and mind as aching for the potential kiss of their love interest. Again, they express how much the unrequited love is hurting them. The following lines repeat the metaphor of the love interest as an open book that the singer is trying to read and understand more.
The final lines of the song repeat a metaphor used throughout the song - the singer compares themselves to a soul without a mind in a body without a heart, meaning that they feel incomplete and missing an essential part of themselves without their love interest. The repetition of this phrase highlights the intensity of the singer's emotions and the depth of their desire for reciprocated love.
Line by Line Meaning
I know that I've imagined love before
I have experienced feelings of love previously
And how it could be with you
I have imagined what our love could be like
Really hurt me, baby, really cut me, baby
Your absence or lack of reciprocation has affected me deeply
How can you have a day without a night?
How can life be complete without experiencing the full spectrum of emotions?
You're the book that I have opened
You are the person I have allowed myself to get to know intimately
And now I've got to know much more
But I want to know even more about you
The curiousness of your potential kiss
I am captivated by the idea of kissing you
Has got my mind and body aching
I am consumed with desire for you
Like a soul without a mind
I feel lost and directionless without you
In a body without a heart
I feel empty and incomplete without your love
I'm missing every part, hey
My life is incomplete without your love
I, I, I
I feel extremely strongly about this
I don't know where this one came from
I don't know the origin or reason behind this feeling I have for you
I don't know where this one came from
I don't know the origin or reason behind this feeling I have for you
I don't know where this one came from
I don't know the origin or reason behind this feeling I have for you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Robert Del Naja, Grantley Marshall, Andrew Lee Isaac Vowles, Shara Nelson, Jonathan Peter Sharp
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RogueBoyScout
This filmclip always will remind me of my only holiday in the USA.
To be fair, I was a kid. From a naive Aussie family in '98. Now that I realise some of the areas we went to because, why not?. Didn't even have Travellors insurance. Really hope it was some Crips who "found" my Duty Free Winfield Blues.
LA and Mexico. Had a blast, us crazy Aussies. And everyone was chill in the US and Mexico. NO ONE gave us hustle.
Drank Jungle Juice with my brother in Tijuana.... And the worm turned us both....
Stay Safe.
@user-qm6wc2ek9y
Thank you for reminding me of how lucky I am for getting to be a young adult during this time
I was a struggling young clothing designer
And maybe at the time,
I did not appreciate how unique it was ...
I miss the lack of cell phones
And remember refusing to get one until 2006😂
When a friend bought one for me
@p3run
MTV, no cell phones, no internet, only passion, joy and love for music. Oh, how I miss the 90s... greetings to everyone from Poland, wherever you are, my thoughts are with you, thanks to this masterpiece created by Massive Attack. God bless You all.
@magorzatakoscielak7624
Rowniez pozdrawiam😊😊
@Kunfrugt
100% agree (from Denmark) 🤘🏼
@user-xw7bz6sq8k
Love this song
@peruka69
Pzdr. 😎
@annaagnieszka4889
Pozdrawiam z Wielkopolski 😊
@robertjohnson1602
Unfinished Sympathy has the distinction of being a handful of songs that never age. Brilliantly original and forever memorable. Excellence on another level from Massive Attack.
@ggg.ph.7789
True!
Bought maxi cd after Release of this Genius Track!
Timeless!
@unfinishedsympathy245
Thank you very much 😊
@reasonableguy9090
This song has heart, soul, but most of all Integrity.