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Development

Sara Jay, the vocalist of Dissolved Girl as pictured in 2012.

Sara Jay, the vocalist of Dissolved Girl was a unknown singer from Sheffield who was a discovery of Massive Attack’s manager Marc Picken, who believed she would be an ideal addition to the Mezzanine recording sessions. Dissolved Girl was originally conceived and recorded as a early demo version (which would eventually be heard on The Jackal soundtrack) just before the beginning of the 1997 tour. Massive Attack would then proceed to take Sara Jay on tour with them and perform this early demo version of Dissolved Girl as a preview to the forthcoming album Mezzanine which would not be released for nearly another year.

Additional Info

Matt Schwarz who was a guest writer (the only such one on Mezzanine) on Dissolved Girl, went on to become one half of the electronic music duo Deepest Blue who would score many club hits in the UK and abroad in the years to come. It is the only collaboration he has done with Massive Attack.

One of three songs recorded with vocalist Sara Jay, the other two being Wire and an unknown, unreleased song.

The working title for Dissolved Girl was “Damaged Goods”, which was also the preliminarily title for the album Mezzanine as well.

Live Appearances

The early demo version of Dissolved Girl was played live throughout the duration of the 1997 tour, which was a tour where several other Mezzanine-bound tracks were first debuted live. Sara Jay herself provided vocals for the track on this tour. Sara Jay along with Dissolved Girl have never appeared on a subsequent tour, meaning that the regular version of Dissolved Girl found on Mezzanine has never been played live in that form.

Despite the above fact, it could be argued that part of Dissolved Girl was played continuously throughout the 1998/1999 tour as part of Euro Zero Zero, an alternative version of Eurochild. At the end of the live version of Eurochild played on the 1998/1999 tour, Angelo Bruschini, Massive Attack’s guitarist would play a rocking guitar solo that lasted about a minute that is the exact same as the one found on the midpoint of Dissolved Girl.

Variations/Remixes

Endtrack – This is an early demo version of Dissolved Girl which differs significantly in it’s arrangement compared to the finished product on Mezzanine. It is also probable that Sara Jay’s vocals on this version is from a different vocal take to the regular version. It is featured only during the end credits sequence of the film “The Jackal”, a movie which debuted in US cinemas on the 14th November 1997 a full six months before the final version of Dissolved Girl would be released on Mezzanine.

Notable Quotes

Dissolved Girl was featured in the 1999 sci-fi film “The Matrix”. Inexplicably it was not featured on the accompanying soundtrack album for the film.

3D on the meaning behind Dissolved Girl – “This was us being with Sara at that particular point. Again, I don’t want to dwell on these same dysfunctional relationships, but thats what its about and I think she was going through a similar thing to what we had been going through herself and that’s what the song is about really. It’s about how you relate to another person what they expect of you and what you expect of them – the same as Angel really – the idea of what you expect from a woman and the power she might have over you” [Mezzanine Interview Disc - March 1998]

Lyrics

Shame, such a shame. I think I kind of lost myself again. Day, yesterday. Really should be leaving but I stay. Say, say my name. I need a little love to ease the pain. I need a little love to ease the pain. It’s easy to remember when it came. ‘Cause it feels like I’ve been. I’ve been here before. You are not my savior. But I still don’t go. Feels like something. That I’ve done before. I could fake it. But I still want more. Fade, made to fade. Passion’s overrated anyway. Say, say my name. I need a little love to ease the pain. I need a little love to ease the pain. It’s easy to remember when it came. ‘Cause it feels like I’ve been. I’ve been here before. You are not my savior. But I still don’t go. Feels like something. That I’ve done before. I could fake it. But I still want more, oh

External Links

2012 News Story About Sara Jay Working With Music Students At Doncaster College
Interpretations From SongMeanings.com
Berlin Arena 1997 Live Performance
Clip From The 1999 Movie “The Matrix” Featuring Dissolved Girl On The Soundtrack