Say Her Name [Thoughts of You]

Her name is Shara Nelson.

She’s been called the Aretha of trip-hop. Her name is Shara Nelson.

Fuck, I shouldn’t have got so high & then listened to "Thoughts of You" while typing this shit-storm. I’m sitting here at the ole PC with major wood. (ha...ha...he said "wood"). Then "How Close" comes on: "How close is too close?..there must be a reason for this tension...I’m giving you time to blow your mind...How close is too close, baby?" Now I've gotta head to the bathroom to clean up, then I’ll hit this sucka again.

Shara was only eighteen when she hooked up with those scoundrels at On-U Sound & made her debut in 1983 as the vocalist with The Circuit on Aiming At Your Heart. She made numerous On-U guest appearances with Voice of Authority, Singers & Players, Missing Brazilians, & Dub Syndicate throughout the 80s.

Shara Nelson & the Circuit - Aiming at Your Heart 12" 45, On-U Sound MIX 2, 1983.

all decryption codes in comments

Side A -
Aiming at Your Heart (Part 1)
Aiming at Your Heart (Part 2)

Side B -
Just as Long as We Have Love (Part 1)
Just as Long as We Have Love (Part 2)

However it is her work with Massive Attack on their 1991 debut album Blue Lines for which Shara remains most associated, in particular the highly acclaimed "Unfinished Sympathy".

"Unfinished Sympathy" was first released under the temporary group name Massive. It was written by the three band members Robert "3D" Del Naja, Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall, as well as vocalist Shara Nelson, & the group's co-producer Jonathan "Jonny Dollar" Sharp. The song was released as the second single from Blue Lines, on the band's Wild Bunch label distributed through Circa Records on 11 February 1991.

Massive Attack - Shara tracks from Blue Lines, Wild Bunch Records WBRCD 1, 1991.

Safe from Harm
Unfinished Sympathy
Daydreaming
Lately


In total, Nelson co-wrote & provided vocals on four tracks on the Blue Lines album, including another hit single "Safe from Harm". Nelson also recorded & appears on another track with Massive Attack entitled "Just a Matter of Time", which was exclusively included on a short film the group made of the same name. It was shot on Super 8mm film on location in Bristol, 7 minutes of greatness & quite rare.







After Blue Lines, Shara launched a successful major label solo career. Her debut was What Silence Knows (co-writing & singing all tracks) on the Cooltempo/Chrysalis label.

Shara Nelson - What Silence Knows, Cooltempo ctcd35, 1993.

Nobody
Pain Revisited
One Goodbye in Ten
Inside Out
Uptight
Down the Road
Chance
Thoughts of You
How Close
What Silence Knows


She also released singles such as "Uptight" produced by Mike Peden. The one I’m posting (7243 8 81184 2 2) contains the supremely superior Adrian Sherwood & Style Scott unreleased version of the song "What Silence Knows" (Style plain rips it up!).

Shara Nelson - Uptight CD single, Cooltempo cdcool 286, 1994.

Uptight (Uno Perfecto edit)
Uptight (Uno Perfecto mix)
Uptight (Dirty Lowdown vocal mix)
What Silence Knows (Adrian Sherwood / Style Scott unreleased version)


Then life took its toll & Shara stepped away from the limelight.

In 2003, after more than 10 years away, she returned to On-U's spin-off imprint of the time, Soundboy & recorded a vocal version of Sherwood's "Hari Up Hari" from Never Trust a Hippy.

Adrian Sherwood - "Hari Up Hari  (Shara Nelson vocal version)" 

from promo 12" on Real World Records RWAS DJ 1, 2003.

She also released a self-credited track "Nobody Else" featuring a rhythm by Jazzwad [Rhythm 214].

Shara Nelson - Nobody Else 10'', Sound Boy SB012, 2004.

Side A -
Nobody Else

Side B -
Nobody Else (version)

Also in 2003, Nelson collaborated with Futurasound on the track "Right Now".

She co-wrote & sang "Say My Name" with Little Axe. When Shara begs you to "Say My Name", you'll truly know what longing is all about.

Little Axe - "Say My Name" from Champagne & Grits, 

Real World Records, 7243 5 76746 2 1, 2004.

Since then she has worked with 10th Planet ("Push Me Away"), NUfrequency ("Go That Deep" & "Promised"), Doug Wimbish ("I Wanna Know" - co-writer & vocalist).

Several new tracks have been posted on Nelson's official website, including "Promise to You", "Different" & "If".

In September 2012 Shara performed live for the first time in many years, performing her hit "Unfinished Sympathy" at the concert in aid of Cool Earth produced by Angelica Campion-Armstrong.

Since then she has contributed vocals to the tracks "Badger Swagger" by The Artful Badger, "All Together Now" on The Peace Collective single. Nelson, Simon Britton, & John Power wrote & recorded the title track "Looking" for the motion picture "ANTI-SOCIAL". Nelson is currently continuing work in the studio with Simon Britton & various collaborators for her next solo album purportedly due sometime this year.

& if you are still drooling for more, here’s a baby bonus...

Presence featuring Shara Nelson - Sense of Danger (Part 1) 12'' EP, Pagan PAGAN 024, 1998.

Side A -
Sense of Danger (original Presence mix)

Side B -
Sense of Danger (Pepe Bradock remix)
Sense of Danger (Furry Phreaks Dub)

bonus bonus:
Presence - Matter of Fact featuring Shara Nelson from All Systems Gone, Pagan PAGAN CD1010, 1999.

Enjoy,
NØ