Friday Afternoon Videos: Protection

It’s rare to find music videos as complex and interesting to watch as Massive Attack’s 1995 clip “Protection.” The small screen that YouTube provides really doesn’t do it justice.

Created by veteran film/video director Michel Gondry, the video was shot in one-take. You’ll want to watch it over and over to try to figure out how they did it (here’s a great explanation to read after you watch the video). The story takes place in an urban apartment building, where the camera floats from window-to-window, examining the different lives of tenants.

Massive Attack is a trip-hop band from England. They formed in 1988 and have only released four studio albums in their 19 year career. Their most popular tracks have been collaborations with vocalists, including “Protection” which features the vocals of Tracey Thorn. Thorn recorded this song with the band just as her band Everything But the Girl were finally having their first international hit “Missing.” Thorn recently released her second solo album after a seven year hiatus raising her kids with her husband and Everything But the Girl partner Ben Watt.