Black Steel

It covers Public Enemy's 1988 song from It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. The single came out in March 1995 and reached 28 in the UK; whether it was the first single is unclear in our sources. Topley-Bird, then 19, sang it in one take without hearing the backing, per Cover Me; Tuonela says she ad-libbed melodies after being given the lyrics, and she said in 2021 that she has no written credit for the vocal melodies. Tricky said he wanted a woman to sing it to show his appreciation. The rock parts came from the band FTV, whom he met at a gig; Cover Me names drummer Samuel Briant and says FTV thought they had created an original piece of music. Saunders added a backwards guitar riff and called the sessions a complete un-learning experience.

Stereogum's Tom Breihan called it a damaged postpunk dirge, and Medialoper says a chattering drum program replaces the original's piano sample and that the prison break is left out. The source of the drum loop is contested: Cover Me says it is A.R. Rahman's "Rukkumani Rukkumani" from Roja, while Songfacts says it came from a cassette of 1980s Indian music. Whether Chuck D has commented is also contested. Setlist.fm shows 170 Tricky setlists with the song. Others have covered Public Enemy's original, among them Sepultura.