Better Things

Song Info On Better Things

Primarily Found On:

Protection


Also Found On:

N/A


First Released On:

26th September 1994


Duration:

04:18


Variations/Remixes:

Clean Edit - This version is identical to the original album in every way except that in the lyric “All that's bullshit babe” the word "Bullshit" is muted for apparent censorship issues due to foul language. This is the only Massive Attack song which has ever been edited in such a manner.

Moving Dub - This is another one of the Mad Professor’s reconstructions of the songs off Protection. Included only on No Protection.


Credits:

Written by Andrew Vowles, Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Tracey Thorn, Ben Watt and James Brown

Produced by Andrew Vowles, Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall and Nellee Hooper

Guitar by Chester Kamen

See Protection info section for further credit details by clicking here.


Sampled:

Better Things uses a sample from James Brown’s song Never Can Say Goodbye which is taken from his 1972 album There It Is. It is credited officially be Massive Attack.


Covered:

N/A


Vocalist(s):

Tracey Thorn


Lyrics:

Don't drag me down
Just because you're down
And just cause you're blue
Don't make me too
And though you've found
You need more than me
Don't talk to me
About being free

That's freedom without love
And magic without love
Magic without love

Hear me say
Better things will surely come our way
Hear me say
Better things will surely come our way

You say the magic's gone
Well i'm not a magician
You say the spark's gone
Well get an electrician
And save your line about needing to be free
All that's bullshit babe
You just want rid of me

You want freedom without love
And magic without love
Magic without love
Yeah

Hear me say
Better things will surely come my way
Hear me say
Better things will surely come my way


History:

Much in the same way that Sinead O’Connor would gravitate towards the raw hard-hitting bassline in A Prayer For England, Tracey Thorn also appreciated the hard and raw bassline Massive Attack sent her as a sample to write her own lyrics and melody over, surprising Massive Attack initially over why she would choose such a bass heavy song which could overpower the rest of the song, but in the end turned it into something quite special. The bassline for the song was almost certainly a product of Daddy G’s love of deep rumbling dub basslines.


Additional Info:

Unlike the other two Tracey Thorn sung songs, Protection and The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game, Better Things includes the other half of Tracey Thorn’s band Everything But The Girl’s Ben Watt on song-writing and guitar duties.

Better Things was at one point by looking at early promo shots of Collected, going to be included on Collected in the place of Sly. This was however changed before the release date.


Live Appearances:

Much like its sister track Protection, Better Things has very rarely been played live due to the fact that Tracey Thorn has practically never toured with Massive Attack. There were apparently a handful of dates played during the 1995 tour in England where Tracey Thorn was present and played both Better Things and Protection but this has never happened since. The only confirmed live appearance of Better Things was on the Later With Jools Holland show on the BBC which was broadcast on the 5th May 1995.


Quotes:

3D on matching Tracey Thorn’s voice with the music of Better Things - “We sent Tracey a few tracks so she could pick which ones to sing on. One of her choices was Better Things - the last track we expected her to choose. It's so fucking raw, like a sound-system thing and a simple beat” [DJ Magazine - September 1994]

Mushroom on Better Things - “A raw fucking bassline and Tracey Torn's lonely voice over it” [Q Magazine - January 1995]