Massive Attack: "Tear Drop" (1998)

"Teardrop" is a song by Massive Attack, which was first released on their 1998 album Mezzanine. It was released as a single on 27 April 1998. The song became another UK hit for the group, peaking at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. The song features vocals by Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins and contains a sample of Les McCann's song "Sometimes I Cry".

In the United States, the song is best known for its use as the theme song of the medical television series House MD. The instrumental portions of the song at the beginning and the end which feature a bass drum beat reminiscent of a heartbeat are used in the opening theme. This same music was used early in the CSI: Miami episode MIA/NYC Nonstop (2004), a crossover episode centering on both CSI: Miami and CSI: New York.

The song's music video featured a plastic fetus in the womb, lip-synching the song. It was directed by Walter Stern. The single peaked at #16 in Australia. It placed number 22 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of All Time in 2009, and number 23 in the Triple J Hottest 100 of 1998, the year of its release.

Robert Del Naja stated in a 2010 interview on The Hour that Elizabeth Fraser wrote the song about Jeff Buckley, of whom she had been a great friend.


- Lyrics:

Love ,love is a verb
love is a doing word
fearless on my breath
gentle impulsion
shakes me ,makes me lighter
fearless on my breath
teardrop on the fire
fearless on my breath

Night ,night of matter
black flowers blossom
fearless on my breath
black flowers blossom
fearless on my breath
teardrop on the fire
fearless on my

Water is my eye
most faithful mirror
fearless on my breath
teardrop on the fire
of a confession
fearless on my breath
most faithful mirror
fearless on my breath
teardrop on the fire
fearless on my breath

It's tumbling down (as in love falling apart)
It's tumbling down (as in love falling apart)