No Moon in Paris

Album: Negative Capability (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Marianne Faithfull wrote this beautiful but sad song with Ed Harcourt. The English singer-songwriter has also penned tunes for Paloma Faith, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and James Bay, and has played with Beck and Patti Smith.
  • Nick Cave cohort Warren Ellis, who co-produced Negative Capability, recalled to Mojo how Faithfull came down to the studio and announced she wanted to lay down "No Moon in Paris."

    "The way she does it is in the control room, with the backing track coming through the speakers," he said. "She was sitting in the corner on a chair with a microphone. She did that vocal and there was silence. The whole place was in tears. Everybody was hanging onto anything they had their hands on. I was so overcome I had to go up to my room for half an hour. Then I went down and she said, 'Was that alright?' It was quite funny; she'd absolutely destroyed the whole room."
  • Marianne Faithfull - Fleur d'âme, the 2016 documentary film by Sandrine Bonnaire, closes with Faithful listening to Ed Harcourt singing "No Moon in Paris."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Tony Banks of Genesis

Tony Banks of GenesisSongwriter Interviews

Genesis' key-man re-examines his solo career and the early days of music video.

Roger McGuinn of The Byrds

Roger McGuinn of The ByrdsSongwriter Interviews

Roger reveals the songwriting formula Clive Davis told him, and if "Eight Miles High" is really about drugs.

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.

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?

Janet Jackson

Janet JacksonFact or Fiction

Was Janet secretly married at 18? Did she gain 60 pounds for a movie role that went to Mariah Carey? See what you know about Ms. Jackson.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?