Porcelain (song)

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"Porcelain"
Single by Moby
from the album Play
Released June 12, 2000
Format CD, 12-inch
Genre Ambient
Length 4:01 (album version)
3:32 (single version)
Label Mute
Writer(s) Moby
Producer Moby
Moby singles chronology
"Natural Blues"
(2000)		 "Porcelain"
(2000)		 "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?" / "Honey" (Remix)
(2001)

"Porcelain" is a song by American electronica musician Moby. It was released as the sixth single from his fifth studio album Play on June 12, 2000. "Porcelain" features Moby on lead vocals and includes melancholy lyrics describing a break-up. An ambient song, it also incorporates reversed string samples and piano rhythms into its instrumentation. While Moby initially expressed disdain over the song and its production, he was eventually talked into including it on Play.

The song was well received by music critics, who praised its arrangement and named it a standout track on Play. It became one of the most successful singles from the album upon release, becoming a top five hit in the United Kingdom and managing to chart highly in several other countries. Moby later licensed "Porcelain", along with the remainder of Play, for use in several forms of media. Two separate music videos were produced for the song, directed by Jonas Åkerlund and Nick Brandt.

Contents

Background and composition [edit]

"Porcelain" was written and produced by Moby for his fifth studio album Play (1999). Moby initially disliked "Porcelain", criticizing his production as "mushy" and his vocals as "really weak".[1] He had dismissed the song as "average" and later recalled that he "couldn't imagine anyone else wanting to listen to it" – however, he was eventually talked into including it on Play.[1]
"Porcelain"
A 24-second sample of the song
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Featuring vocals performed by Moby,[2] "Porcelain" is a mid-tempo, ambient song.[3] Its introspective, wistful lyrics describe "loving someone, but having to break up with them anyway."[4] Composed in the key of E-flat major and running at a tempo of 96 beats per minute, "Porcelain" follows a constant four-chord progression (Gm−B♭−Fm−A♭) in the B♭ mixolydian mode, with the exception of a bridge midway through the song.[5] Its instrumentation incorporates reversed string samples and piano rhythms.[6] "Porcelain" also makes use of the drum machine and includes several layered elements, including vocal samples, synthesizer chords and a cello line.[7] Pilar Basso performs additional vocals on the song.[8]

Critical reception [edit]

"Porcelain" received generally positive reviews from music critics. Alexandra Marshall of MTV called the song a "lush little snippet which sounds like a basement tape from a Magnetic Fields EP."[9] A writer for the Birmingham Evening Mail wrote that its "sweeping melody and atmospheric vocals" create a "distinctive soundscape".[10] Brent DiCrescenzo of Pitchfork Media remarked that the song "tenderly glides down throats like lithium."[11] While commenting that Play "need[s] of a bit of pruning", David Browne of Entertainment Weekly cited "Porcelain" as an exception and praised it as "gorgeous".[2] In their "Chartslot" feature, the Daily Record described the song as "ideal for chilling out to on a summer's evening."[12] Jim DeRogatis of the Chicago Sun-Times characterized the Play songs "Honey" and "Porcelain" as "emotional and gripping" and wrote that if "[they] didn't move you (in every sense of the word), then you probably had no pulse."[13] Playlouder named "Porcelain" the twenty-sixth best single of 2000, calling it the album's "most crushingly heavenly track" and praising its combination of piano melodies with Moby's "hauntingly haunted" vocals.[14] The song ranked at number fifty-six on The Village Voice's annual Pazz & Jop critics' poll.[15] Q placed "Porcelain" at number 253 on their list of the 1,001 Best Songs Ever.[16]

Release and promotion [edit]

Like all other songs from its parent album, "Porcelain" was licensed for use in several commercials, television programs and films.[17] English film director Danny Boyle featured the song on his 2000 film The Beach, with Moby crediting its inclusion in the film for raising awareness of the record.[1] Other notable uses of the song include commercials for the Volkswagen Polo, Bosch and France Télécom.[18]

Music videos [edit]

There are two different music videos for this song.

The Jonas Åkerlund-directed version features a close-up of a person's eye and images within it resembling a reflection. This reflection is mostly of Moby singing the song but also includes a variety of people, both adults and children smiling, a baby, and a close-up of a hand playing some of the piano parts of the song.

The Nick Brandt-directed version features Moby sitting in the back seat of a moving car but no one in the driving seat; the car travels through a town, a long open road, off the road into a forest then finally through hilly fields containing cows. The car narrowly misses crashing at times along the way.

Charts [edit]

Chart (2000) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[19] 56
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[20] 6
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[21] 2
Canada (RPM)[22] 50
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[23] 46
France (SNEP)[24] 99
Germany (Media Control AG)[25] 63
Ireland (IRMA)[26] 26
New Zealand (RIANZ)[27] 17
Poland (ZPAV)[28] 14
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[29] 68
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[30] 79
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[31] 5
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[32] 18
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[33] 14

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c Weingarten, Christopher R. (July 2, 2009). "'Play' 10 Years Later: Moby's Track by Track Guide to 1999's Global Smash". Rolling Stone (New York). Archived from the original on May 10, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013. 
  2. ^ a b Browne, David (June 11, 1999). "Music Review: Moby – Play". Entertainment Weekly (New York). Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013. 
  3. ^ Flick, Larry (February 26, 2000). "V2 Album Reveals Moby at 'Play'". Billboard (New York): 18. Retrieved May 15, 2013. 
  4. ^ "Moby The Very Best Of Interview". Shakenstir. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013. 
  5. ^ Hall, Richard. "Moby – Porcelain Sheet Music". Kobalt Music Publishing America. MN0039682. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. 
  6. ^ Bush, John. "Moby – Play". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2013. 
  7. ^ Jonas, Liana. "Porcelain – Moby". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013. 
  8. ^ Play (liner notes). Moby. V2 Records. 1999. 63881-27049-2.
  9. ^ Marshall, Alexandra (February 23, 2001). "Play". MTV. Archived from the original on February 3, 2002. Retrieved May 13, 2013. 
  10. ^ "Music Power: Singles: Pick Of The Week". Birmingham Evening Mail. June 13, 2000. Retrieved May 18, 2013 (subscription required). 
  11. ^ DiCrescenzo, Brent (June 1, 1999). "Moby: Play". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013. 
  12. ^ "Chartslot". Daily Record. Scotland. June 23, 2000. Retrieved May 18, 2013 (subscription required). 
  13. ^ DeRogatis, Jim (December 26, 1999). "Best music off the beaten path; It was a bad year for pop-rock music". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 18, 2013 (subscription required). 
  14. ^ "Top 50 Singles". Playlouder. Archived from the original on April 20, 2001. Retrieved May 16, 2013. 
  15. ^ "The 2000 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice (New York). February 22, 2000. 
  16. ^ "1,001 Best Songs Ever". Q (London). November 2003. 
  17. ^ Grundy, Gareth (June 15, 2011). "Moby licenses every track on Play. Ker-ching!". The Guardian (London). Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013. 
  18. ^ Simpson, Dave (May 5, 2000). "Plug and play". The Guardian (London). Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013. 
  19. ^ "The ARIA Report: Issue 566 (Week Commencing 1 January 2001)" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. p. 4. Retrieved March 25, 2012. 
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – Moby – Porcelain" (in Dutch). Ultratip. ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  21. ^ "Ultratop.be – Moby – Porcelain" (in French). Ultratip. ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  22. ^ "Top Singles – Volume 71, No. 21, September 25, 2000". RPM (Toronto). Retrieved May 14, 2013. 
  23. ^ "Adult Contemporary – Volume 71, No. 14, August 07, 2000". RPM (Toronto). Retrieved May 14, 2013. 
  24. ^ "Lescharts.com – Moby – Porcelain" (in French). Les classement single. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  25. ^ "Moby – Porcelain". Charts.de. Media Control. Retrieved May 14, 2013. 
  26. ^ "Chart Track". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  27. ^ "Charts.org.nz – Moby – Porcelain". Top 40 Singles. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  28. ^ "Notowanie nr 967 z dnia 11.08.2000". Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 14, 2013. 
  29. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Moby – Porcelain" (in Dutch). Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  30. ^ "Moby – Porcelain – swisscharts.com". Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  31. ^ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  32. ^ "Moby Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Alternative Songs for Moby. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  33. ^ "Moby Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play for Moby. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 10, 2013.

External links [edit]

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