Info → Daydreaming
The Front Cover Of The Daydreaming Single Release.
UK Release: 15th October 1990
UK Highest Chart: #81
Track Duration: 05:14
Formats: CD, Vinyl, Cassette, VHS, Digital. View Discography Entry.
Written By: Grant Marshall, Andrew Vowles, Robert Del Naja, Wally Badarou and Adrian Thaws
Produced By: Grant Marshall, Andrew Vowles, Robert Del Naja and Jonathan Sharp
Mixed By: Jeremy Allom
Promo Video Directed By: Baillie Walsh
Filming Location: London, UK
Date Of Filming: September 1990
Video Duration: 05:17
Quite probably the the first song produced for Blue Lines, Daydreaming was a product mostly of 3D and Tricky coalescing their lyrical ideas together on such things as house parties, drugs, the 1980’s under Margaret Thatcher and urban decay in Britain.
Wally Badarou, whose 1983 track "Mambo" was sampled heavily by Massive attack on Daydreaming.
It was on the strength of a demo of Daydreaming that got Massive Attack signed to Circa Records back in 1990, which ultimately led the way to multi-million selling album career they possess now.
This was the first single off what would become Blue Lines and also be Massive Attack first ever commercial released single. Their first technical single of Any Love back in 1988 does not really count as it was produced in very limited quantities.
Maybe indicative of the productions values surrounding the recording of Blue Lines or not, but at the 02:58 – 03:03 duration mark in the song, the faint but distinct noise of a telephone ringing is heard, which doesn’t seem to have any real place with the rest of the recording, perhaps being caught on tape at the studio while Daydreaming was being recorded.
Willy Wee who featured in the promo video for Daydreaming, had previously been a founding member of The Wild Bunch soundsystem. Here he is with 3D in a picture from the one of their parties from the 1980's.
Daydreaming was played on all dates throughout the 1995 – 1999 touring period. It was typically the fourth or fifth song on the setlist. The live arrangement of the song benefits from a more upbeat melodic guitar riff in the chorus. Along with 3D, Tricky’s vocals are supplied by Daddy G and Shara Nelson’s by Deborah Miller, as neither of the original vocalists of the song have toured with Massive Attack. You can listen to a Soundcloud stream of a recording of Daydreaming from the 1998 tour by clicking here. Since the end of the Mezzanine tour, Daydreaming has failed to make any of the live setlists.
Luv It Mix – A mix of Daydreaming by Blacksmith, a UK urban/R&B producer from Brixton, London. Daydreaming would be the only song of Massive Attack’s he would ultimately end up remixing. Included on the 12″ vinyl single release, until the arrival of the Singles 90/98 Box Set where this remix was included on CD for the first time.
Luv It Dub – Much like the above mix, Blacksmith offers a more dub style alternative to the Luv It mix. Included on the 12″ vinyl single release, until the arrival of the Singles 90/98 Box Set where this remix was included on CD for the first time.
Brixton Bass Mix – Once more another remix from Blacksmith. Included on the 12″ vinyl single release, until the arrival of the Singles 90/98 Box Set where this remix was included on CD for the first time (even though it had appeared under the slightly altered name of the “Blacksmith/Daydreaming” remix on the Karmacoma E.P single release).
Instrumental – Unlike many other instrumental versions of Massive Attack songs, this instrumental substantially changes the production and arrangement of the original Daydreaming, while of course removing the vocals as well. Included only on the Daydreaming single release, making this remix one of the notable exclusions from the Singles 90/98 boxset.
Daydreaming uses a sample from the song “Mambo” by keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Wally Badarou. It appears primarily on his 1983 release “Echoes”. It is credited officially by Massive Attack.
Tricky on the lyrical content of Daydreaming – “Daydreaming perfectly describes who we are. If me and G went out talking about beating and shooting people it wouldn’t be us. I love that sort of stuff. I’ve even tried writing hard aggressive raps. But, at the end of day, that’s not me. Rapping is about putting your personality across” [Rage Magazine – May 1991]
3D on how Massive Attack got signed to a major record label on the strength of Daydreaming – “VIRGIN/CIRCA WERE THE MOST INTERESTED AT THIS TIME-BUT THERE WAS A GENERAL SENSE OF CAUTION FROM THE INDUSTRY.I PLAYED EVERYONE A ROUGH VOCAL IDEA THAT I’D DONE WITH TRICKY-THIS BECAME DAYDREAMING-WE DEMO’D IT AND EVERYONE WNT CRAZY-EVERY ONE WANTED US -WE WENT WITH CIRCA-RELEASED DAYDREAMING AND FINISHED THE ALBUM” [The Raft Message Board – February 2002]
Rare colour still from the promo video for Daydraming that was directed by Baillie Walsh in September 1990.
Shara Nelson:
I quietly observe standing in my space
Daydreaming
I quietly observe standing in my space
Daydreaming
3D:
Way that we say ’em in style that we write ’em in
Massive attack we keep it strong just like a vitamin
Going for the positive wiping out the negative songs
‘Cause brother it’s relative
The pass is picking up all the lyrics on the dance floor
That raise your spirit level ’cause it demands for
Tricky:
Attitude is cool degrees below zero
Up against the wall behaving like De Niro
Tricky’s performing taking his phono
Making a stand with a tan touch it like cocoa
Smooth to keep you moving at the back now
Free is the needle it’s moving through the track now
3D:
Dance to the drummer’s beats we need new sticks
Bounce around the vibes like acoustics
No drugs or pharmaceuticals for the body ain’t suitable
Stick with liquid me and trick we’ve drop
A paper which you use my tongue to lick with
Tricky:
Trouble and strife ain’t no sunshine in my life
Wiseguys get protection when they carry a knife
They shouldn’t have been born they’re making me yawn
But I just take it easy it’s a sunday morn’
3D:
So you come on light my fire and
Together we’ll grow forever watch my eight k rig go
Daddy G
Because my eight k rig goes boom boom
My eight k rig goes boom
3D:
Yeah rhymin’ the jam and uh we got the stamina
In case you never know us if we don’t give a damn and uh
And it’s hard to handle keep your distance
Resist and the posse gets the pleasure of this dance
The cool breeze that you welcome in the heat
You don’t see it but you feel it when it’s blowing on the street
Tricky:
If I was a rich man
Daddy G:
Da da dada
Tricky:
I quietly observe standing in my space
It’s the devious days they call the rat race
It’s a concrete jungle, evil in the town
Weebles, wobble, occasional squabble
But what happen when the bomb drops
Down
3D:
Don’t make sound
‘Cause the dancefloor’s a desert
And the dancers are parched
Do a rain dance and your brain’s still marsh
My heavy my brother get lighter than helium
Float above the world to break the tedium
Living in my headphones sony’s what I say to ’em
The surreal boom of the budokan stadium
Shara Nelson:
Well I’m floating on air when i’m daydreaming
I quietly observe standing in my space
Tricky:
Well I’m tricky kid don’t deal with sadness
Can’t be with the one i love i love the one that i miss
I’m very down to earth but brain sits on top floor
Don’t need another lover just need, I’m insecure
3D:
The weather is a-changin’ the storms be shakin
The love that you take is equal to the love you’re makin
Here comes the sun little darlin here comes the sun
It’s alright
Tricky:
Yes tricky kid I check my situation
Maggie this Maggie that Maggie means inflation
Hip-hop you don’t stop cause i’m not sloppy
I like the beat so we need another copy
3D:
We’re natives of the massive territory and we’re proud
Get peaceful in the dance, adapt the glory and the crowd
The problem ain’t a different kind of skin tricks
I love my neighbor I don’t wait for the olympics
See you go hooligan you’re trying to play the fool again
Tricky:
Caught you in the lost and found
3D:
When your posse weren’t around
Tricky:
No crowd
3D:
So you’re going for your tool again
Shara Nelson:
Daydreaming
I quietly observe standing in my space
Daydreaming
Well I’m floating on air when I’m daydreaming
This and the promo video for Just A Matter Of Time are the only Massive Attack promo videos to feature former Wild Bunch member Willee Wee.
This is the first video Walter Stern would direct for Massive Attack. His other two which he would direct in the future would be Teardrop and Angel.
3D on the fortunate pairing of director Baillie Walsh with the song Daydreaming – “You know, I can’t hear Daydreaming without seeing the video anymore. Fortunately in Bailey we found a director who could perfectly visualise our sounds” [NME Magazine – February 1992]