On Melancholy Hill

A high-seas adventure featuring Noodle, submarines, and a swarm of Superfast Jellyfish leading to Plastic Beach.

On Melancholy Hill stands as the third single from British virtual band Gorillaz's third studio album, Plastic Beach. Released on 12 June 2010, this track quickly became a certified Platinum hit in the UK. The song was originally penned by Damon Albarn during the production of The Good, the Bad & the Queen's self-titled album before finding its home on Plastic Beach. Murdoc Niccals described the title as a specific feeling or place one reaches in their soul when things feel deflated, like someone letting your tyres down. He emphasized that the track was designed to break up the heavier album with something lighter, serving as a genuine pop moment that every Gorillaz album needs.

Quick Facts

Artist

Gorillaz

Album

Plastic Beach

Released

12 June 2010

Studio

Studio 13 (London, UK)

Genre

Synth-pop
new wave
bubblegum pop

Length

3:53 (album version); 3:28 (radio edit)

Label

Parlophone

Writer

Damon Albarn

Lore & Background

The narrative behind the single is deeply rooted in Murdoc Niccals' explanation of the song's emotional core. He described Melancholy Hill not just as a location, but as that sinking feeling you get when your spirit is drained. Yet, the track was deliberately crafted to provide a necessary contrast within the album's darker themes, offering a lightness amidst the storm. This sentiment is visually realized in the music video released worldwide on 14 June 2010. The story opens with Noodle aboard the massive ocean liner M. Harriet as it comes under attack by two Vought F4U Corsair fighter planes. A ship attendant attempts to escort her to safety, but Noodle ignores the offer, instead retrieving a Thompson submachine gun from a briefcase. She single-handedly engages the enemy, shooting down one plane before the other drops a bomb that sinks the vessel.

Reader's Guide

Fans seeking to experience On Melancholy Hill can explore its extensive promotional history and multiple versions. The single was supported by an internet scavenger hunt where finding various images of the band unlocked an exclusive Josh Wink remix. The music video, originally an iTunes exclusive on 14 June 2010, was uploaded to YouTube days later, following a teaser released on 9 June and stills published on writteninmusic.com on 11 June. Musically, the track has been performed in almost every Gorillaz concert since the Escape to Plastic Beach Tour. In recent years, it appeared in the third episode of the video game Life Is Strange 2 in 2019 and featured prominently in British supermarket Tesco's Christmas adverts in 2024. For collectors, various editions exist: a Digital download includes remixes by The Japanese Popstars (7:35) and She Is Danger (4:21), plus the Labrinth SNES Remix of "Stylo". Promotional CDs feature radio edits as short as 2:58 in the UK, while the 2011 scavenger hunt release offered a Baby Monster Remix lasting 4:02.

Did You Know?

A gigantic Russel Hobbs appliance rises from the ocean to lift Noodle's lifeboat after her ship sinks.
The submarines in the video are crewed by real-life collaborators including Lou Reed, Snoop Dogg, and De La Soul.