He is noted for an asthmatic whispering lyrical style that is half-rapped, half-sung. As a producer and a musician he is known for having an aversion to perfection preferring to build up a dark, rich and layered sound. Culturally, Tricky bridges white and black Britain particularly in his fusion of rock and hip-hop, high art and pop culture. He drew his influences from rap (Public Enemy) to post-punk (he covered a Siouxsie and the Banshees's song Tattoo).
Throughout his work, Tricky blurs the normally clear sexual definitions found within hip hop. Despite the heavy influence he drew from American hip hop in his debut album, Maxinquaye, he fights against typical sexual representations by, for example, dressing as a woman on the side sleeve of his album cover. Within many of his tracks he blends elements of varying types of music, and use his lyrics to create a much more ambiguous and blurry reality of sexuality.
Maxinquaye remains his most commercially and critically successful album to date. About it, Tricky originally said in an interview with Raygun in October 1996 that he wanted to make an 'out-an-out punk record' and that "I thought it was going be heavier. I thought it was just going to be an out-an-out punk record. But you end up straying. What I wanted to do was a total fast album. Some of the tracks are fast and hard, but they didn't come out like that." He also said that he hated being stuck with the trip-hop tag so "That's why I did Nearly God, and that's why I did Pre-Millennium Tension. You can't see them as trip-hop albums. So I just keep running away from it. But the farther you run, it's still there. They'll find you." Ever since, Tricky' style has evolved away from obscure, sample-based textures to a more contemporary, electronic sound.
Tricky was in Massive Attack and appeared in the movie The Fifth Element as well as the music video for Parabola by Tool. He has collaborated extensively with other artists on tracks on his various releases, including Bjork, Alanis Morissette, Cyndi Lauper, Anthony Kiedis , John Frusciante and Flea (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers), Martina Topley-Bird, and Alison Goldfrapp of Goldfrapp also many others.
After his initial success in the latter 1990's, he started his own label called Durban Poison. Currently he is heading a new imprint called Brown Punk.
MILK
Tricky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Involved singing all the lines, part of a rthyhm track starts then buckles
And diappears.)
I am milk
I am red hot kitchen
And I am cool
Cool as the deep blue ocean
So I am cruel
But I'd be love and sweetness
If I had you
I'm waiting (x2)
For you
(x2)
I am weak
But I am strong
And I will use my tears to bring you home
I'm waiting (x2)
For you
(x3)
I am milk
And I am cool
Cool as the deep blue ocean
I'm waiting
For you
(till fade)
The lyrics of Tricky's song Milk are quite enigmatic and metaphorical. The song begins with the lines, "I am milk, I am red hot kitchen, and I am cool, cool as the deep blue ocean." The opening lines contrast the hot and the cool, implying that the persona of the singer is complex and contradictory. The line "I am lost, so I am cruel" suggests that the persona is aware of their imperfections and shortcomings, and this realization makes them harsh and unforgiving. However, the singer acknowledges that they would be "love and sweetness" if they had the person they are waiting for. The song is, therefore, a lament for a lost lover or a yearning for an idealized romantic relationship.
The chorus of the song, "I'm waiting for you," is repeated several times, emphasizing the singer's longing and anticipation. In the second verse, the singer declares that they are both weak and strong and will use their tears to bring the person they are waiting for home. This line can be interpreted in different ways - it could mean that the singer is vulnerable and emotional, but they want to use their tears as a means of persuasion to bring their lover back. Alternatively, it could imply that the singer is strong enough to face their emotional pain and use it constructively to heal and recover.
Overall, the song Milk is a poignant expression of love and longing, with its insightful lyrics conveying complex emotions and experiences. The metaphorical language and the contrast between the hot and the cool, the strong and the weak, make the song intriguing and open to multiple interpretations. The chorus of the song's repetitive line "I'm waiting for you" is simple yet effective in conveying the singer's sense of hope and anticipation.
Line by Line Meaning
I am milk
I am something simple, pure, and nourishing
I am red hot kitchen
I am passionate, intense, and exciting
And I am cool
Yet, I can also be calm, collected, and in control
Cool as the deep blue ocean
As cool as the vast, mysterious, and tranquil sea
I am lost
I am wandering aimlessly and without direction
So I am cruel
Due to my own confusion and turmoil, I may hurt others
But I'd be love and sweetness
However, if I had you in my life, I would be loving and gentle
If I had you
If only I had your love and companionship
I'm waiting (x2)
I am eagerly anticipating your arrival or response
For you
For the one I desire and long for
I am weak
I may feel powerless, vulnerable, or exposed
But I am strong
Yet, I also possess strength, resilience, and fortitude
And I will use my tears to bring you home
Even if I am sad and emotional, I will do everything in my power to be with you
I am milk
Once again, I am something simple, pure, and nourishing
And I am cool
Yet, I can also be calm, collected, and in control
Cool as the deep blue ocean
As cool as the vast, mysterious, and tranquil sea
I'm waiting
I am still eagerly anticipating your arrival or response
For you
For the one I desire and long for
Contributed by Liam W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
leejt101
The best version! 2021 still Awesome and Shirley's vocals towards the end.. absolute damage!
Marcie
This was by far the best mix of the song. Thanks for uploading.
Be Bois
Don’t know why this always reminds me of Christmas back in the day! Love this mix…
Dial 3ctric
I remember getting their debut album on cd just 13 years old and being disappointed the mix was different. Thankfully the rest of the album didn't live up to its title!
Rachel Leah
I was exactly the same lol the album version is boring
colincd
Un poema de canción. Nostalgia ven a mi.
Vito Corleone
I am glad someone finally posted the "real" tricky wicked mix. I have had the audio track and intended to dub it onto a HD version of the video, but I haven't gotten around to it. Thanks from one Garbage fan to another.
Atmosphere Of Sound
This was the version that MTV & VH1 played on regular rotation back in the day.
Ryder Houston
Drum loop is called "DEM BONES" from the Spectrasonic Distorted Reality 1 CD.
Andi Lambe
this version forever