Massive Attack performed “Teardrop,” the song used as House M.D.’s opening theme in many countries.
“Teardrop” was released by the English electronic group Massive Attack in 1998. The song appeared on the group’s album Mezzanine and features vocals by Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins. Its distinctive arrangement and Fraser’s airy vocal became strongly associated with the opening titles of House M.D.
The program’s title sequence used medical imagery, including anatomical and diagnostic visuals, to introduce the cast. International broadcasts did not all use exactly the same music. Rights and regional broadcast decisions led some versions to use alternative music or different arrangements, so viewers may remember a different opening depending on where they watched the series.
The song is often identified with House M.D., but it was not originally written for the show. It predates the series by several years. Massive Attack formed in Bristol and became an influential act in trip-hop and electronic music.