"Protection" is a collaboration between Massive Attack and Everything but the Girl singer Tracey Thorn that appears on Massive Attack's second studio album, Protection (1994). Released as a single on 9 January 1995, the song reached number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, staying in the chart for four weeks, and also peaked at number 27 in New Zealand. The song was also included on Everything but the Girl's compilation The Best of and Like the Deserts Miss the Rain.
"Protection" | ||||
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Single by Massive Attack with Tracey Thorn | ||||
from the album Protection | ||||
Released | 9 January 1995 (1995-01-09)[1] | |||
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Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) | Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Andrew Vowles, Tracey Thorn | |||
Producer(s) | Massive Attack, Nellee Hooper | |||
Massive Attack singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Protection" on YouTube | ||||
The song contains samples taken from "The Payback" by James Brown,[2] namely the hi-hat/bass figure that drives the beat and the recurrent wah-wah guitar chord.
Music writer James Masterton noted "the velvet tones" of Tracey Thorn, adding that "the result is an instant Top 20 smash, just one place short of the peak originally reached by their groundbreaking debut hit Unfinished Sympathy."[3] James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update described it as "an attractive gentle atmospheric R&B swayer".[4]
A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by French film director, screenwriter, and producer Michel Gondry.[5] It was later published on Massive Attack's official YouTube channel in March 2009. The video has amassed almost 16 million views as of September 2021.[6]
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Chart (1995) | Peak position |
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Australia (ARIA)[7][8] | 91 |
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] | 52 |
Europe Dance (Music & Media)[10] | 7 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100 Tipparade)[11] | 7 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] | 27 |
Scotland (OCC)[13] | 18 |
UK Singles (OCC)[14] | 14 |
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[15] | 2 |
MTV Europe Music Award for Best Video | |
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