"Drops of Jupiter", initially released and sometimes still listed as "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)", is a song written and recorded by American rock bandTrain. It was released on January 29, 2001, as thelead single from their second studio album,Drops of Jupiter (2001). The song entered the top five of the USBillboard Hot 100 chart and also became an international hit, reaching the top 10 in eight other countries. The European single has tracks "It's Love", "This Is Not Your Life", and "Sharks" as itsB-sides.
The recording features the signature strings of arrangerPaul Buckmaster, who won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for "Drops of Jupiter".
Lead singerPat Monahan stated that the song was inspired by his late mother, who had died after a struggle with cancer, and that the opening lines "came to [him] in a dream". He toldVH1'sBehind the Music: "The process of creation wasn't easy. I just couldn't figure out what to write, but then I woke up from a dream about a year after my mother passed away with the words 'back in the atmosphere'...It was just her way of saying what it was like – she was swimming through the planets and came to me with drops of Jupiter in her hair."[3][4]
The song is written in thekey ofC major and plays at a moderate tempo incut time.[5]
Chuck Taylor ofBillboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, saying that it "demonstrates a truly artistic lyrical bent that merits instant acceptance of this credible rock-edged song". He sums up the review saying "add piano, a splendid orchestral backdrop, and a vocal shimmering with passion and personality, and this is a runaway track for Train".[4]
"Drops of Jupiter" peaked at number five on the USBillboardHot 100 in June 2001.[6] On theBillboardAdult Contemporary chart, the song ascended to the top 10 during its 49th week, marking the longest climb to the top 10 on that tally by any act, and spent 54 weeks on the ranking.[7][8] The song has sold and streamed over 10,000,000 units since its digital release in 2003, earning a diamondcertification from theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[9]
On theUK Singles Chart, "Drops of Jupiter" debuted and peaked at number 10 on August 5, 2001.[10] The track re-entered the UK Singles Chart for the week ending on April 7, 2012, at number 53 following a performance from contestant Phil Poole onThe Voice UK. On the week ending April 28, 2012, "Drops of Jupiter" climbed to number 34.[11] The song has received a triple platinum certification from theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI) for sales and streams exceeding 1,800,000 units.[12]
There are two music videos for this song. The first one shows the band performing it on a stage, with a large banner reading "TRAIN" in the green-lit background. Clips of a woman performing various actions in various backgrounds related to the lyrics (e.g., Jupiter, holding her hands out in the rain) are inserted into various parts of the song.
The second, more famous video shows the band performing the song on a stage backed by a string ensemble. As the video progresses, people come in to watch the song being performed. The video was shot atUnion Station in Los Angeles, and was directed byNigel Dick. It was released in July.[13] The first version of this particular video also featured the story of a girl who ran away from home and, upon arriving at the station where the band was playing, was so moved that she decided to return home. However, this storyline was dropped during the editing process.
^Rolling Stone Staff (October 8, 2025)."The 250 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century So Far".Rolling Stone. RetrievedOctober 9, 2025.Every era gets the lighters-up, power-ballad, arena-rock anthem it deserves, and for the early 2000s, Train delivered with "Drops of Jupiter
