Numb (Portishead song)

"Numb" is a song by English trip hop group Portishead, released on 13 June 1994 by Go! Discs as the lead single from the band's debut album, Dummy (1994). NME magazine ranked the song number 43 on their list of the "Best Albums and Tracks of 1994".^[2]

"Numb"
Single by Portishead
from the album Dummy
Released	13 June 1994 (1994-06-13)
Genre	Trip hop
Length	3:58
Label	Go! Discs[1]
Songwriter(s)	Portishead
Producer(s)	Portishead
Portishead singles chronology
"Numb" (1994) "Sour Times" (1994)

Release

The single was released on 13 June 1994 in the United Kingdom and on 17 October 1994 in Australia.^[3][4] It did not chart in Europe, reaching the top 300 only in Australia at number 213.^[5]

Critical reception

Andrew Smith from Melody Maker wrote, "Eerie, slow-burning and cinematic: the spiritual love child of Billie Holiday and Jazzie B. Scary stuff. The rumours about Portishead are obviously true."^[6] Another editor, Sarah Kestle, named it Single of the Week, adding, "The film of the record should be made in black and white. Grainy black and white. And it will be genius. Pure genius."^[7] Pan-European magazine Music & Media said, "Not to be confused with U2's number, although they share the love for cinema. Will their short film To Kill a Dead Man bear as much suspense as this song in a Fever spirit?"^[8] Andy Beevers from Music Week's RM Dance Update declared it as "a gem of a debut with its moody spaced-out beats and haunting melancholy female vocal."^[9] Dele Fadele from NME viewed it as a "oddly compelling debut that goes as far out on a limb as some of their more celebrated scene-mates."^[10] Jonathan Bernstein from Spin described it as a "creepy" track.^[11]

Track listings

All tracks are remixes of "Numb" except "A Tribute to Monk & Canatella", which is a seven-minute instrumental track followed by 14 seconds of silence and yet another remix of "Numb".

• UK CD and 12-inch single, Australian CD single^[12][13]

1. "Numb" – 3:57
2. "Numb (Numbed in Moscow)" – 3:56
3. "Numb (Revenge of the Number)" – 3:23
4. "Numb" (Earth - Linger) – 4:14
5. "A Tribute to Monk & Canatella" – 11:01

• European CD single^[14]

1. "Numb" – 3:55
2. "Sour Times" (live) – 5:52
3. "Wandering Star" (live) – 4:48
4. "Interlude" (live) – 2:26

Charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[15]	88

References

1. "Portishead Numb UK 12". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
2. "NME's Best Albums and Tracks of 1994". NME. Retrieved 3 May 2021. Misspelled as "Dumb" on source.
3. "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. 11 June 1994. p. 25. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
4. "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 17/10/94 > Singles (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 244)". ARIA. Retrieved 18 January 2017 – via Imgur.
5. "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 17 February 2016". Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via Imgur.
6. Smith, Andrew (11 June 1994). "Stone free". Melody Maker. p. 42. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
7. Kestle, Sarah (11 June 1994). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 32. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
8. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 11 June 1994. p. 9. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
9. Beevers, Andy (4 June 1994). "Hot Vinyl" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 6. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
10. Fadele, Dele (25 June 1994). "Singles". NME. p. 42. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
11. Bernstein, Jonathan (November 1994). "Heavy Rotation". Spin. p. 24. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
12. Numb (UK & Australian CD single liner notes). Portishead. Go! Beat. 1994. GODCD 114, 857 561-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
13. Numb (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Portishead. Go! Beat. 1994. GODX 114, 857 561-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
14. Numb (European CD single liner notes). Portishead. Go! Beat. 1994. 850 267-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
15. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 18 June 1994. p. 4. Retrieved 17 May 2023.