Moving On

Album: La Petite Morte (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The lead single from James' La Petite Morte album, this was inspired by the death of lead singer Tim Booth's mother in 2012 as well as the loss of his best friend, Gabrielle.
  • The video was animated by Ainslie Henderson, who uses something as simple as ball of yellow wool to great effect. The animator was inspired by a phone conversation with Booth, when the singer described his mother's death as a birth. The animator recalled: "Some days later this conversation echoes around my mind while I'm listening to 'Moving On' I walk past a typical Scottish woollen knitwear shop. My eyes flit over a ball of wool in the window while the word 'unwinding' is sung."
  • Asked by HMV.com where the album title came from, Tim Booth replied: "My mum had died, who was one of the people I was closest to in the world, and a close friend had died in a short space of time, so the lyrical theme is around death and rebirth. Although the record is very uplifting, but death is the defining theme."

    "We wanted a title that reflected that but didn't sound too depressing," he continued. "We went through everything from 'Die!' to 'Death!', none of them sounded very appetising. I think this title was my suggestion, just because it had the pun on sexuality (La Petite Mort is also a French euphemism for an orgasm), so it sounded a bit more fun and not so depressing."

Comments: 1

  • Jimmy from ScotlandSongs a work of art well done
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Lip-Synch Rebels

Lip-Synch RebelsSong Writing

What happens when Kurt Cobain, Iron Maiden and Johnny Lydon are told to lip-synch? Some hilarious "performances."

Penny Ford of Snap!

Penny Ford of Snap!Songwriter Interviews

The original voice of Snap! this story is filled with angry drag queens, video impersonators and Chaka Khan.

Crystal Waters

Crystal WatersSongwriter Interviews

Waters tells the "Gypsy Woman" story, shares some of her songwriting insights, and explains how Dennis Rodman ended up on one of her songs.

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.

Mick Jones of Foreigner

Mick Jones of ForeignerSongwriter Interviews

Foreigner's songwriter/guitarist tells the stories behind the songs "Juke Box Hero," "I Want To Know What Love Is," and many more.

Women Who Rock

Women Who RockSong Writing

Evelyn McDonnell, editor of the book Women Who Rock, on why the Supremes are just as important as Bob Dylan.