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".

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

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." 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." 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?" 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." 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." Jonathan Bernstein from Spin described it as a "creepy" track.

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