Teardrop (song)

According to an article on American Songwriter, "Teardrop" was first developed from a simple harpsichord riff performed by Neil Davidge in the studio in April 1997 with Andrew Vowles listening in. Davidge and Vowles fleshed out the composition and used a sped-up sample from Les McCann’s “Sometimes I Cry” for the beat. Vowles 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 she was disappointed when the two-to-one vote went in Fraser's favour. 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." Fraser wrote the song's lyrics, inspired by the works of French philosopher Gaston Bachelard. While recording the song in 1997, she learned that her former beau, musician Jeff Buckley, 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". ==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." 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." 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". ==Chart performance==

The single peaked at number 16 in Australia. It reached the top 10 in the UK and is the only Massive Attack track to do so. It was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry on 10 May 2019. ==Music video==

The song's music video featured a latex foetus in the womb, singing the song. It was directed by Walter Stern. ==Track listings==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==

Newton Faulkner 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. It was released as an official single on 10 December 2007, and reached number 57 on the chart the following week. 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" and it was voted by Guardian music critic Jude Rogers as one of the best tracks of 2012. 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 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 Gary Barlow and Labrinth, the performers 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. and entered the charts at number 24. Charts Release history Simple Minds Simple Minds recorded a version for their 2009 covers album Searching for the Lost Boys. VOCES8 Voces8 released a choral version on their 2015 album Lux. 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." AURORA Norwegian electro-pop artist AURORA has performed this song several times, most notably at the Verftet festival on 29 March 2020. Hayley Williams American singer Hayley Williams, vocalist of Paramore, uploaded a cover on YouTube and Spotify on 15 January 2021. ==References==