Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 27, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Music Box • Music

The Rip

"The Rip" is a 2008 song by the English band Portishead, released as the second single from their third studio album, *Third*.

Updated July 27, 20261 min readCited sources

"The Rip" is a 2008 song by the English band Portishead, released as the second single from their third studio album, *Third*. It is known for its shift from a folk ballad to an electronic arrangement.

What it is

"The Rip" is a song by Portishead, written by Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons, and Adrian Utley. It was released as a single on 9 June 2008 and appears on the album *Third*. The track is notable for its structure: it begins as a folk ballad and transitions into electronic music halfway through.

Key details

The song received an animated music video directed by Nick Uff. It peaked at number 98 on the French chart. The title is also used for a 2026 Netflix action thriller film, so "The Rip" can refer to more than one work depending on context.

Reception

Critically, the song was well received, with attention drawn to its contrasting musical styles. Commercially, it charted modestly in France. Portishead has had an international audience in Canada through alternative and electronic music broadcasting, though no Canada-specific facts are established in the provided sources.

In short

  • Released as a single on 9 June 2008 from the album *Third*.
  • Written by Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons, and Adrian Utley.
  • Begins as a folk ballad and shifts to electronic music.
  • Peaked at number 98 in France.
Canadian angle

Portishead has had an international audience in Canada through alternative and electronic music broadcasting and coverage, but no Canada-specific fact is established in the provided sources.

Quick questions

What is "The Rip"?
"The Rip" is a 2008 song by Portishead and the second single from their album *Third*.
Who wrote "The Rip"?
It was written by Geoff Barrow, Beth Gibbons, and Adrian Utley of Portishead.
What style of song is it?
It is described as a folk ballad that transitions into electronic music halfway through.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rip_(song)
    Supports: Song identity, release date, album, writers, style description, music video, and French chart peak.
  2. Genius — https://genius.com/Portishead-the-rip-lyrics
    Supports: Release date and song identification.