"Teddy Bear" is a song by Melanie Martinez that is featured as the fifteenth track on the deluxe version of her debut album, Cry Baby. It is also featured as the second track on her third extended play (EP), Cry Baby's Extra Clutter.
Background[]
On July 19th, 2014, Melanie posted a tweet with emojis representing some songs intended to appear in the album, with "✨💕🐻" possibly representing this song.[1]
Theme[]
The song tells the story of a child (who may be Cry Baby), presumably a little girl. After the child got a living, talking teddy bear, whom she loved, she was very happy, until the toy begins to act strangely. She begins to lose hope in her bear, and she’s unsure if she should trust him anymore, although she is not scared. As the song goes on, the more dangerous and insane the toy becomes: hiding small knives under her bedsheets, crumpling photographs of her, and threatening her. It takes a turn for the worse after the teddy bear attempts to kill her, even after the child disposed of it. The child becomes terrified after realizing the severity of the situation. The story is likely a metaphor for domestic violence, with the teddy bear representing an abusive partner.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
Stitched you up, put you together
With cotton and feather
Gave you love, put my heart inside you
Oh what could I do
When you started talking in your sleep
Saying things you'd do to me
I didn't care
I wasn't scared
Now I'm finding knives under the sheets
Crumpled photographs of me
I'm in despair
Should I be scared?
[Chorus]
Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
You were comforting and quiet
How did love become so violent?
Oh, teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
Everything was so sweet until you tried to kill me
[Verse 2]
I threw you out, I didn't outgrow you
I just didn't know you
But now you're back
And it's so terrifying how you paralyze me
Now you showing up inside my home
Breathing deep into the phone
I'm so unprepared
I'm fucking scared
[Chorus]
Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
You were comforting and quiet
How did love become so violent?
Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
Everything was so sweet until you tried to kill me
[Bridge]
(Melanie sample)
I'm fucking scared
[Chorus]
Teddy bear, you are my teddy bear
You were comforting and quiet
How did love become so violent?
Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
Everything was so sweet until you tried to kill me
[Verse 1]
Stitched you up, put you together
With cotton and feather
Gave you love, put my heart inside you
Oh what could I do
When you started talking in your sleep
Saying things you'd do to me
I didn't care
I wasn't scared
Now I'm finding knives under the sheets
Crumpled photographs of me
I'm in despair
Should I be scared?
[Chorus]
Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
You were comforting and quiet
How did love become so violent?
Oh, teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
Everything was so sweet until you tried to kill me
[Verse 2]
I threw you out, I didn't outgrow you
I just didn't know you
But now you're back
And it's so terrifying how you paralyze me
Now you showing up inside my home
Breathing deep into the phone
I'm so unprepared
I'm scared
[Chorus]
Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
You were comforting and quiet
How did love become so violent?
Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
Everything was so sweet until you tried to kill me
[Bridge]
(Melanie sample)
I'm scared
[Chorus]
Teddy bear, you are my teddy bear
You were comforting and quiet
How did love become so violent?
Teddy bear, you were my teddy bear
Everything was so sweet until you tried to kill me
Official versions[]
Version | Released on | Release date | Producer(s) | Recording date | Length | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
▶ | Final | Cry Baby (Deluxe) • Cry Baby's Extra Clutter EP | August 14th, 2015 | Felix Snow | May 6th, 2014 | 4:05 |
▶ | Clean version | Cry Baby (Deluxe) | August 14th, 2015 | Felix Snow | May 6th, 2014 | 4:05 |
Instrumental | Unreleased | Leaked: July 31st, 2020 | Felix Snow | - | 4:05 | |
Demos | ||||||
"melaniephoebe arrange 2x teddy bear 5.6.14." (demo), | Unreleased | - | Felix Snow | May 6th, 2014 | 4:05 |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Despite being on the deluxe version of Cry Baby, this song is not officially part of Cry Baby's story, along with the songs "Cake" and "Play Date."
- This song was certified gold by the RIAA on November 24th, 2021, making it the last song to be certified from the album.
- In the song's breakdown, it is possible to hear Melanie sing the lyrics, "Threw you out, I didn't outgrow you", six times reversed.
- Melanie sings "la" a total of 90 times in this song.
- This song was recorded in the same session as "Cooties."
- Melanie collaborated with the company Lime Crime to make a lipstick called Teddy Bear, which was named after the song.
- In the clean version of this song, it only blocks out the line, "I'm fucking scared" once. When it repeats, you can clearly hear Melanie singing it.
- This is the second longest song on the deluxe version of Cry Baby, the longest being "Alphabet Boy."
- It is the longest track on her third extended play, Cry Baby's Extra Clutter.
- This is one of four known songs by Melanie that includes a back-masked message in it, the others being "You Love I", "Eraser" and "Puzzles".
- The song was planned to be on the standard version of Cry Baby but was scrapped from it.
- This track, and "Cry Baby" have the same tempo. (190BPM)
- The track's original file name is "Teddy Bear".
- This song surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify on February 8th, 2024
- This is Melanie's 23rd song to achieve this on Spotify and the final song from Cry Baby to do so.
- This is Melanie's least streamed song from deluxe version on Cry Baby, amassing a total of over 101 million streams on Spotify. On the standard version, "Milk and Cookies" is the least streamed.
References[]
[]
v • e | |
---|---|
Featured Tracks | Play Date • Teddy Bear • Cake • Gingerbread Man |
Producers | Michael Keenan • Jennifer Decilveo • CJ Baran • Felix Snow • Jennifer Decilveo • Arthur McArthur |
Related | Cry Baby • Merchandise |