Ten Ft Tall

Album: Feeler (2003)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is inspired by a couple who Pete knew in Australia. He says that tragically the woman contracted terminal cancer and on the night of her funeral her partner was sitting on the bed staring out of the window when a butterfly flew through it and landed on his hand. The reason why this was so poignant was because "butterfly" was the nickname the man used to give his partner. Even stranger was that it was in the middle of winter, a time when you do not expect to see a butterfly. The song is about coping with a loss such as this. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Ally - Liverpool, England

Comments: 1

  • Stevo from Queensland - AustraliaIt's a touching song Ally. Pete Murray introduced this song with a story one of the times we saw him in concert. That night he said the song was inspired by a friends wife/girlfriend who had passed from cancer. He also shared with the crowd that the mourners ended up at RG's (Royal George Hotel, Fortitude Valley) after the funeral & when last drinks were called (presumably midnight/1am in those days) a butterfly flew in and landed on the guy who's partner had passed. They were sure the butterfly was connected to the spirit of the woman as butterflies don't fly at night.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

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.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Tony Banks of Genesis

Tony Banks of GenesisSongwriter Interviews

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

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Songs About Movies

Songs About MoviesSong Writing

Iron Maiden, Adele, Toto, Eminem and Earth, Wind & Fire are just some of the artists with songs directly inspired by movies - and not always good ones.

Yacht Rock!

Yacht Rock!Song Writing

A scholarly analysis of yacht rock favorites ("Steal Away," "Baker Street"...) with a member of the leading YR cover band.