Travelling Without Moving

Album: Travelling Without Moving (1996)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Written by lead singer Jay Kay, this song starts with him accelerating up until fifth gear in a 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE30. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Eric - Vancouver, Canada
  • Jay Kay was branded a hypocrite by some critics for using the Ferrari-inspired logo that adorned the Travelling Without Moving album cover (with the group's Buffalo Man mascot standing in for the familiar black horse), undermining the environmentally conscious Emergency on Planet Earth album.

    But the frontman is unapologetic about his addiction to sports cars. "People say, 'Jay you've got fourteen cars, how unenviromentally friendly.' But you can't drive them all at once. Even if I'm driving one, there's thirteen that somebody else can't because they're mine," he reasoned in a 2001 Esquire interview. At the time, his collection included numerous Ferraris, an Aston Martin DB5, two Mercedes 4×4s, a 1960s Mercedes convertible and an Audi RS4.
  • If your spell-checker flagged the song and album title, you're probably American; most English-speaking countries spell "Traveling" with two Ls ("Travelling").

Comments: 3

  • Maria from BarcelonaI think this song is about the fact of the Earth rotating about it self and spinning around the Universe. We travel in this planet so fast but we can't feel the speed.
  • Simon from Atlanta, GaThe about is about being high.
  • Joshua from Twin Cities, MnThe title may be referring to Frank Herbert's sci-fi epic Dune. In the Dune universe, the preferred method of interstellar space travel is "folding space", which is described by one of the characters as "traveling without moving".
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Album Cover Inspirations

Album Cover InspirationsSong Writing

Some album art was at least "inspired" by others. A look at some very similar covers.

Chris Rea

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.

Julian Lennon

Julian LennonSongwriter Interviews

Julian tells the stories behind his hits "Valotte" and "Too Late for Goodbyes," and fills us in on his many non-musical pursuits. Also: what MTV meant to his career.

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went Mainstream

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went MainstreamSong Writing

These overtly religious songs crossed over to the pop charts, despite resistance from fans, and in many cases, churches.

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?

Danny Clinch: The Art of Rock Photography

Danny Clinch: The Art of Rock PhotographySong Writing

One of rock's top photographers talks about artistry in photography, raising funds for a documentary, and enjoying a County Fair with Tom Waits.