Teardrop (song)

For other songs, see Teardrop (disambiguation) § Songs.

"Teardrop" (also formatted as "Tear Drop") is a song by English trip hop group Massive Attack. Vocals are performed by Elizabeth Fraser, former lead singer of Cocteau Twins, who also wrote the lyrics. It was released on 27 April 1998 by Circa and Virgin as the second single from the group's third studio album, Mezzanine (1998). A harpsichord-driven track, "Teardrop" was originally set to feature vocals from Madonna, whom Massive Attack turned down in favour of Fraser.

"Teardrop"
Single by Massive Attack
from the album Mezzanine
B-side	"Euro Zero Zero"
Released	27 April 1998 (1998-04-27)
Recorded	1997
Studio	Massive Attack, Christchurch (Bristol, UK)
Genre	Trip hop
Length	5:31
Label	Circa Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Robert Del Naja Elizabeth Fraser Grantley Marshall Andrew Vowles
Producer(s)	Neil Davidge Massive Attack
Massive Attack singles chronology
"Risingson" (1997) "Teardrop" (1998) "Angel" (1998)
Music video
"Teardrop" on YouTube

In the United Kingdom, "Teardrop" peaked at number 10, becoming the group's highest-charting single and only top-10 hit in their native country. It reached number one in Iceland and became a top-20 hit in Australia, Denmark, Ireland, and New Zealand. The music video, directed by Walter Stern, features a foetus singing in the womb, and the song has been featured in various television programmes, including as the opening theme for the US television programme House and the Australian show The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.

Development

"Teardrop" was first developed from a simple harpsichord riff picked out in the studio in April 1997. Andrew Vowles, the main songwriter of this song, originally sent the demo to Madonna as he wanted her to record the vocals (the band had previously worked with her on their 1995 reworking of the song "I Want You"). However, the two other band members Robert Del Naja and Grantley Marshall wanted Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins to record the vocals, feeling her ethereal style suited the mournful melody and feel of the piece. Madonna was very keen to record the vocals, and was disappointed when the two-to-one vote went in Fraser's favour.^[1] In 2023, Andrew Unterberger of Billboard wrote: "How ['Teardrop'] might've sounded with Madonna instead of Liz Fraser on vocals remains one of '90s pop's great what-ifs."^[2]

Fraser wrote the song's lyrics, inspired by the works of French philosopher Gaston Bachelard.^[3] While recording the song in 1997, she found out that Jeff Buckley, with whom she had formerly been involved in a relationship, had disappeared—later discovered to have drowned. In 2009, she said, "That was so weird ... I'd got letters out and I was thinking about him. That song's kind of about him—that's how it feels to me anyway".^[4]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "If there were ever a time for this clique of progressive groovemeisters to solidly connect with the stateside mainstream, it's now. The world has finally caught up with its experimental methods of blending dance rhythms with alterna-pop melodies. On this preview of the album Mezzanine, the band injects a bit of modern rock flavor into the mix - thus, widening the potential for airplay. Added programming incentive is provided by Brendan Lynch and Primal Scream, who add an aggressive bite to a track that bubbles with light electronic instrumentation."^[5] A reviewer from Music Week felt that Fraser's "sublime, folky vocals provide the perfect foil to the Massive Attack's trio's metronome-like backing on this haunting first single [...]. An inspired choice of guest singer, she more than measures up to the standards set by Shara Nelson and Tracey Thorn on Massive's previous albums, her undecipherable lyrics adding an intriguing edge."^[6] James Hyman from the Record Mirror Dance Update gave "Teardrop" five out of five, declaring it as "predictably dark-edged yet compelling", with Fraser's "uplifting vocals shining over a pendulum-ticking beat".^[7]

Chart performance

The single peaked at number 16 in Australia.^[8] It placed number 22 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time in 2009.^[9] It reached the top 10 in the UK and is the only Massive Attack track to do so.^[10] It was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry on 10 May 2019.^[11]

Music video

The song's music video featured a latex foetus in the womb, singing the song. It was directed by Walter Stern.^[12]

Track listings

UK, European, and Australian CD single^[13][14][15]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Teardrop" (LP version)	5:31
2.	"Euro Zero Zero"	4:22
3.	"Teardrop" (Scream Team remix)	6:43
4.	"Teardrop" (Mad Professor Mazaruni instrumental mix)	6:06

UK 12-inch single^[16]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Teardrop" (Scream Team mix)	6:43
2.	"Teardrop" (LP version)	5:29
3.	"Teardrop" (Mad Professor Mazaruni vocal mix)	6:06
4.	"Euro Zero Zero"	4:22

UK cassette single^[17]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Teardrop" (edit)	4:40
2.	"Teardrop" (Scream Team remix)	6:43
3.	"Euro Zero Zero"	4:22

Japanese CD single^[18]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Teardrop" (LP version)	5:30
2.	"Euro Zero Zero"	4:23
3.	"Teardrop" (Scream Team remix)	6:43
4.	"Teardrop" (Mad Professor Mazaruni instrumental mix)	6:22
5.	"Superpredators" (the Mad Professor remix)	5:12

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1998–2016) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[8] 16 Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[19] 17 Denmark (Tracklisten)^[20] 12 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[21] 35 France (SNEP)^[22] 115 Germany (Official German Charts)^[23] 52 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[24] 1 Ireland (IRMA)^[25] 18 Italy (Musica e dischi)^[26] 34 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[27] 64 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[28] 19 Scotland (OCC)^[29] 13 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[30] 75 UK Singles (OCC)^[10] 10

Year-end charts Chart (1998) Position Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[31] 15

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)^[32]	Gold	45,000^‡
Italy (FIMI)^[33] sales since 2009	Gold	15,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)^[11]	Platinum	600,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref(s).
United Kingdom	27 April 1998	12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Circa Virgin	^[34]^[35]
United States	28 April 1998	Alternative radio	Virgin	^[36]

Notable cover versions

Newton Faulkner

"Teardrop"
Single by Newton Faulkner
from the album Hand Built by Robots
Released	30 July 2007
Length	3:09
Label	Ugly Truth
Songwriter(s)	Robert Del Naja Elizabeth Fraser Grantley Marshall Andrew Vowles
Producer(s)	Mike Spencer
Newton Faulkner singles chronology
"Dream Catch Me" (2007) "Teardrop" (2007) "All I Got" (2007)

Newton Faulkner covered the song on his album Hand Built by Robots, which was produced by Mike Spencer. On downloads alone, Faulkner's version reached number 60 on the UK Singles Chart in August 2007.^[37] It was released as an official single on 10 December 2007, and reached number 57 on the chart the following week.^[37] The version of the album available from the Australian iTunes Music Store also incorporates an acoustic version.^[38]

O'Hooley & Tidow

English folk music duo O'Hooley & Tidow covered the song on their album The Fragile. The Guardian described their version of "Teardrop" as "an exquisite reworking"^[39] and it was voted by Guardian music critic Jude Rogers as one of the best tracks of 2012.^[40]

José González

José González covered "Teardrop" for his second album In Our Nature. The single was released across Europe on 12 November 2007. The single features the non-album instrumental B-side "Four Forks Ache." This version was also featured in the medical drama House M.D. in the episode "Wilson's Heart" as well as in the eighth episode of The Last Dance, ESPN's 10-part documentary series on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s.

Civil Twilight

South African band Civil Twilight released a cover version on 13 April 2010, included in the record "Live from SoHo", available only in iTunes. The band signed with Wind-Up Records, and released the studio version of the song as a single on 10 August 2010.

The Collective

"Teardrop"
Single by the Collective
from the album We Are the Collective
Released	18 November 2011
Recorded	2011
Length	4:04
Label	Polydor
Songwriter(s)	Robert Del Naja Elizabeth Fraser Grantley Marshall Andrew Vowles
Producer(s)	Gary Barlow Labrinth^[41]
Children in Need singles chronology
"Love You More" (2010) "Teardrop" (2011) "Something New" (2012)

The song was covered by English singer Gary Barlow's assembled supergroup named "the Collective" and released as the official single for Children in Need 2011. Produced by Labrinth, the performers^[42] consist of Chipmunk, Dot Rotten, Ed Sheeran, Ms. Dynamite, Mz. Bratt, Tulisa, Rizzle Kicks, Tinchy Stryder and Wretch 32.

The song was released in the United Kingdom on 13 November 2011 on the Polydor label.^{[43][44][45][46][47][48]} and entered the charts at number 24.^[49]

Charts

Chart (2011)	Peak position
Scotland (OCC)^[50]	30
UK Singles (OCC)^[51]	24
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[52]	7

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United Kingdom	13 November 2011^[53]	Digital download	Polydor

Simple Minds

Simple Minds recorded a version for their 2009 covers album Searching for the Lost Boys.

The Naked and Famous

New Zealand indie electronic band The Naked and Famous recorded a version for their 2018 stripped album A Still Heart. When asked why they decided to record a cover, Thom Powers explained, "It is one of those songs that is an amazing piece of music. It comes from the era that our name comes from. Our name comes from a line in a Tricky song."^[54]

AURORA

Norwegian electro-pop artist AURORA has performed this song several times, most notably at the Verftet festival on 29 March 2020.^[55]

Hayley Williams

"Teardrop"
Single by Hayley Williams
Released	15 January 2021
Length	3:27
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Robert Del Naja Elizabeth Fraser Grantley Marshall Andrew Vowles
Producer(s)	Hayley Williams
Hayley Williams singles chronology
"Dead Horse" (2020) "Teardrop" (2021) "Colour Me In" (2021)

American singer Hayley Williams, vocalist of Paramore, uploaded a cover on YouTube and Spotify on 15 January 2021.^[56][57]

References

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2. Lynch, Joe; Unterberger, Andrew; Gracie, Bianca; Feeney, Nolan; Atkinson, Katie (8 March 2023). "Madonna's 100 Greatest Songs (Critics' Picks)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
3. Snapes, Laura (30 October 2018). "Massive Attack to embark on Mezzanine tour with Cocteau Twins' Liz Fraser". The Guardian.
4. Simpson, Dave (29 November 2009). "Elizabeth Fraser: the Cocteau Twins and me". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
5. Flick, Larry (2 May 1998). "Reviews & Previews: Singles - New & Noteworthy" (PDF). Billboard. p. 22. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
6. "Reviews singles" (PDF). Music Week. 18 April 1998. p. 8. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
7. James Hyman (11 April 1998). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 4. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
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40. Rogers, Jude; et al. (17 December 2012). "The best albums of 2012: our critics' individual choices". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
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54. Nunn, Jerry (4 November 2018). "Electronic band The Naked and Famous talk backstage about their music". GoPride.com. Chicago. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
55. . www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020.
56. Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (22 December 2020). "Watch Hayley Williams Cover Massive Attack's "Teardrop"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
57. Kennzie, Jada (16 January 2021). "Hayley Williams Just Released a Beautiful Cover of Massive Attack's 'Teardrop'". Glitter Magazine. Retrieved 21 May 2021.