THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

733-Massive-Unfinished Sympathy.

1991-Number 13 single.

Best Bit-At 2.25. The songs title is a pun on Schubert’s 1822 ‘Unfinished Symphony,’ who says Classical Music never gets a mention in this countdown.

Massive Attack were formed in Bristol, England, in 1988, by Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja, Adrian ‘Tricky’ Thaws, Andrew ‘Mushroom’ Vowles, and Grant ‘Daddy G’ Marshall. In total there have been nine different members come and go, with ‘3D,’ ‘Tricky,’ and ‘Daddy G,’ making up the current line up at the time of writing, Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja is the groups one constant. The four who formed Massive Attack had all previously been members of the Bristol based ‘The Wild Bunch (sound system,’) (see also best songs 839) who were a collective of musicians, who performed as a ‘sound system’ (see also best songs 734) in the Bristol area between 1985-1989. Massive Attack had originally started out as a ‘spin-off’ of ‘The Wild Bunch,’ but things got serious in 1990 when they signed to ‘Circa Records,’ committing to deliver six studio Albums, and a ‘best of’ compilation.

The discography of Massive Attack includes five studio Albums released between 1991-2010, and 18 singles issued between 1988-2016, there are also three official compilation Albums, six extended plays, and five remix Albums available. Massive Attack who have sold in excess of 13 million Albums worldwide have had two UK Number 1 Albums, ‘Mezzanine,’ (1998) and ‘100th Window,’ (2003) with there other three Albums all reaching the top 20, In America their Albums have failed to make a commercial breakthrough, with ‘Heliogoland,’ (2010) charting the highest at Number 46. In the UK, 10 of their singles have reached the top 40, with ‘Teardrop’ from 1998 peaking the highest at Number 10, while in America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, they are yet to chart, with ‘Teardrop’ being their best placing when stalling at Number 10, on the ‘Bubbling Under Hot 100’ chart.

Massive Attack play ‘Electronic Music,’ and they have been filed in the genre of ‘Trip Hop,’ which is a musical genre that originated in the early 1990’s in the UK, especially Bristol. ‘Trip Hop’ has been described as a Psychedelic fusion of Hip-Hop and Electronica, with slow tempos and an atmospheric sound, often incorporating elements of Jazz, Soul, Funk, Reggae, Dub, R&B, and other forms of Electronic music, as well as sampling from movie soundtracks, and other eclectic sources.

‘Unfinished Sympathy’ was the second of four singles released from ‘Blue Lines,’ the critically acclaimed debut studio Album from Massive Attack, from April 1991. The song was co-written by Robert Del Naja, Grantley Marshal, Shara Nelson, Jonathan Sharp, and Andrew Vowles, with the production credited to Massive Attack, and Jonny Dollar (1964-2009.) As well as co-writing ‘Unfinished Sympathy,’ Shara Nelson also sang the lead vocals on the track. Shara Nelson who was born in London, England, in 1965, has also had a successful solo career, releasing three studio Albums between 1991-1995, and 19 singles between 1983-2008. Five of those solo singles have reached the UK top 40, with ‘Down That Road,’ (1993) and ‘Uptight,’ (1994) both peaking the highest at Number 19, she also provided the lead vocals on ‘Safe From Harm,’ with Massive Attack, that reached Number 25 in 1991.

‘Unfinished Sympathy’s’ release coincided with the outbreak of the ‘Gulf War,’ so as to avoid a potential radio ban, the group were advised to drop the word ‘Attack’ from their name, so the song is actually credited to just ‘Massive.’ ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ has been critically acclaimed for it’s string orchestration, it’s arrangement, drum programming, and samples. The samples include a percussion break from the 1974 instrumental track ‘Parade Strut,’ by J. J. Johnson, (1924-2001) while the vocal sample of a man singing “hey, hey, hey, hey,’ was lifted from the John McLaughlin and the Mahavishnu Orchestra’s 1976 track ‘Planetary Citizen.’

‘Unfinished Sympathy’ has a very memorable promotional video of one continuous shot filmed on West Pico Boulevard, between South New Hampshire Avenue, and Dewey Avenue, in Los Angeles, California. It features Shara Nelson walking along the sidewalk, taking no notice of her surroundings, which include drunks, gangs, and bikers. The video is reminiscent in many ways to the one recorded by the ‘Verve,’ for ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ (see also best songs 1047) some six years later, which shows Richard Ashcroft also walking downtown. Many people have joked that when watching Shara Nelson, they half expect to see Richard Ashcroft passing her from the other direction.

‘I know that I’ve imagined love before, 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.’