Porcelain (song)
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"Porcelain" was written and produced by Moby for his fifth studio album Play (1999) and recorded in his Little Italy, Manhattan apartment. He found the inspiration to compose the song from his experiences with an unidentified woman; speaking to Billboard, he explained: "I was involved with this really, really wonderful woman, and I loved her very much. But I knew deep in my heart of hearts that we had no business being romantically involved. So, it's sort of about being in love with someone but knowing you shouldn't be with them." Moby initially disliked the track, criticizing his production as "mushy" and his vocals as "really weak". He had dismissed "Porcelain" 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.

Featuring vocals performed by Moby, "Porcelain" is a mid-tempo, downtempo and electronica song. The song's introspective, wistful lyrics describe "loving someone, but having to break up with them anyway." 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.Its instrumentation incorporates reversed string samples and piano rhythms. "Porcelain" also makes use of the drum machine and includes several layered elements, including vocal samples, synthesizer chords and a cello line. Pilar Basso performs additional vocals on the song.

Track listing

1. "Honey" 3:27
2. "Find My Baby" 3:58
3. "Porcelain" 4:01
4. "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?" 4:23
5. "South Side" 3:48
6. "Rushing" 2:58
7. "Bodyrock" 3:34
8. "Natural Blues" 4:12
9. "Machete" 3:36
10. "7" 1:00
11. "Run On" 3:44
12. "Down Slow" 1:32
13. "If Things Were Perfect" 4:16
14. "Everloving" 3:24
15. "Inside" 4:46
16. "Guitar Flute & String" 2:07
17. "The Sky Is Broken" 4:16
18. "My Weakness" 3:37

Personnel
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Credits for Play adapted from album liner notes.

Moby – engineering, mixing, production, writing, instruments, vocals on "Porcelain", "South Side", "Machete", "If Things Were Perfect", and "The Sky Is Broken"
Pilar Basso – additional vocals on "Porcelain"
Mario Caldato Jr. – mixing on "Honey"
Nikki D – additional vocals on "Bodyrock"
Corinne Day – photography
Graeme Durham – mastering
I Monster – mixing on "Natural Blues"
Reggie Matthews – additional vocals on "If Things Were Perfect"
The Shining Light Gospel Choir – additional vocals on "Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?"
Ysabel Zu Innhausen Und Knyphausen – artwork design