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.
Slow
Tricky Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So I put my best dress on
Boy I was so right
Our eyes connected
Now nothing's how it used to be
No second guesses
Pull focus close up you and me
Nobody's leaving
Got me affected
Spun me 180 degrees
It's so electric
Slow down and dance with me
Yeah, slow (slow)
Skip a beat and move with my body
Yeah, slow (slow)
Come on and dance with me
Yeah, slow
Skip a beat and move with my body
Yeah, slow (slow)
Don't wanna rush it
Let the rhythm pull you in
It's here so touch it
You know what I'm saying
And I haven't said a thing
Keep the record playing
[Chorus]
Slow down and dance with me
Yeah, slow
Skip a beat and move with my body
Yeah, slow
Come on and dance with me
Yeah, slow
Skip a beat and move with my body
Yeah, slow
Dance with me yeah
Read my body language
Slow, slow, slow
Take it down, down
Slow, slow, slow
[Chorus]
Come on and dance with me
Yeah, slow, slow
Come on and dance with me
Yeah, slow, slow, yeah
The lyrics of Tricky's song "Slow" depict a romantic encounter between two individuals as they slow dance together. The singer expresses their anticipation of seeing the person they are interested in by putting on their "best dress" and feeling "so right" when their eyes meet. The connection between the two is strong, and the singer can feel a shift in their relationship as "nothing's how it used to be" and there are "no second guesses". As they dance together, the singer becomes affected and spun "180 degrees" by the intense, electric chemistry they share.
The chorus of the song urges the listener to "slow down and dance" with the singer. The slow, sensual rhythm encourages the listener and the singer to "skip a beat and move with [their] body" as they become lost in the moment. The singer wants to savor the experience and not rush it, allowing the rhythm to pull them both in and enjoy each other's company.
Line by Line Meaning
Knew you'd be here tonight
I was sure you'd show up here tonight.
So I put my best dress on
I dressed up nicely to impress you.
Boy I was so right
And indeed, it seems like you noticed.
Our eyes connected
We shared a meaningful look.
Now nothing's how it used to be
Now that we're connected, everything is different.
No second guesses
We don't have to hesitate anymore, we know what we want.
Track in on this feeling
Let's zoom in on this intense emotion we're sharing.
Pull focus close up you and me
Let's focus solely on each other, forget everything else around us.
Nobody's leaving
We're both in this together, so we're not going anywhere.
Got me affected
You've had a strong impact on me.
Spun me 180 degrees
You've turned my world upside down in the best possible way.
It's so electric
The chemistry between us is electric and exciting.
Slow down and dance with me
Let's take our time and enjoy this special moment - dance with me.
Yeah, slow (slow)
Yeah, we'll take it nice and slow.
Skip a beat and move with my body
Let's move in sync and follow the rhythm of our bodies.
Come on and dance with me
Join me in this dance and let's forget the world around us.
Don't wanna rush it
Let's not rush anything, let's just enjoy this moment.
Let the rhythm pull you in
Let's let the music guide us and take us to a special place.
It's here so touch it
This moment is here and now, let's embrace it with a touch.
You know what I'm saying
I don't even have to verbalize it, we both understand how we feel.
And I haven't said a thing
We don't have to speak to communicate our feelings.
Keep the record playing
Let's keep this moment going, don't stop the music.
Read my body language
You can read how I feel from the way I move and dance.
Take it down, down
Let's slow down and take it easy.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Broma 16, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL DE MUSSENDEN CAREY, KYLIE ANN MINOGUE, EMILIANA TORRINI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind