Musical career
Growing up in Tumbler Ridge and later Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, The Moffatts learned singing early in their lives and singing country music with their mother, Darlana and father, Frank Moffatt, first appearing on-stage in 1990. In 1992, after performing at large-scale country music festivals, the group was nominated for five awards by the British Columbia Country Music Association.
In 1992, the Moffatt family moved to Branson, Missouri where they performed at the Osmonds theatre. In March 1993 they moved to Nashville, Tennessee were they became regulars on TNN's Nashville Now with Ralph Emery. In October, they joined the cast of the Country Tonite show at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. In 1994 Country Tonite opened a new theatre in Branson and the Moffatts became a part of that cast. In June 1995 they released their first country album, titled The Moffatts. In 1996, the brothers' parents divorced and the boys lived primarily with their father, who also managed the group until their 2001 break up.
In their teens, the group dropped out of the country music genre and recorded a new album, Chapter One: A New Beginning, and began singing pop/rock music. Prior to their teens the band would only sparingly perform their own instruments and had a back-up band, but now chose to go it alone with Scott on lead guitar, Clint on bass guitar, Dave on keyboards and Bob on drums. Lead vocals on the album were shared between Scott and Dave, however live they all took their turns. Chapter One sold more than two million copies worldwide and almost went double platinum in their native Canada. It was produced in part by the Berman Brothers (who also worked for Hanson and Real McCoy) in New York and Toronto. One single on the US version, the Glen Ballard-produced "Until You Loved Me," appeared in the Drew Barrymore film, Never Been Kissed. "Misery" in Chapter 1: A New Beginning (US Version) is on the soundtrack of the movie Teaching Mrs. Tingle starring Katie Holmes. Chapter One was also very popular in Europe, which allowed the group to write and record a song with German teen idol Gil Ofarim.
Following the success of Chapter One, the group stated publicly that they would be working with Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters on their next album, in an attempt to break away from their boy-band image. Grohl, however, was quoted on MuchMusic.com as saying that he had never heard of the band and did not intend to work with them. Truth be told Dave spoke with the band at a Juno aftershow party and stated he was interested in producing the band. However, later, his manager felt it wasn't the right mix.
The follow-up album Submodalities was released in October 2000, and contained a more classic/harder edged rock flavor than typical "boy band" fare. The transition between the bubblegum pop of their prior album and the harder edge of the new was captured in the 2001 documentary, Moffatts: Closing of Chapter One. The Moffatts wrote or co-wrote almost all of the album songs. Bob Rock, who has produced albums for such superstars as Metallica and Bon Jovi, produced Submodalities. The album was also certified platinum by the CRIA selling over 100,000 copies. The first single, "Bang Bang Boom" at that time was the fastest rising single to #1 in Canadian music history and topped the retail singles chart in Canada.
[edit] TV appearances
Throughout the nineties, The Moffatts made hundreds of live performances and hundreds of television appearances worldwide. In addition to these performances and interviews, the band also appeared as themselves on the NBC TV show Hang Time in 1999, performing the song "Girl of My Dreams" for the school. In 2000, they again played themselves on the Disney Channel show So Weird in the episode "Destiny". Fiona Phillips, the lead character in the show, was an obsessed fan on the show, while her mom Molly Phillips, played by Mackenzie Phillips, was performing with The Moffatts. During the same year, the group appeared in the documentary, The Closing of Chapter One, detailing their move from pop to rock.
They performed "Guns of Love" on Good Morning America in July 1995.
In 1999, the Moffats also did an episode of TV show Campbell Scramble, a show that Calgary's CTV sports newscaster Glenn Campbell made. His three daughters, Kate, Madeline, and Amy appeared on this episode as well.
Break-up
In August 2001, the group broke up following their concert in London, Ontario. Scott Moffatt had enough of the comparisons to boy-bands and felt that the band wasn't receiving the credit they deserved as both musicians and entertainers, and now that he had completed his five year commitment to the band, chose to quit. Dave Moffatt recently appeared on Canadian TV program, Entertainment Tonight Canada, where it was stated that the band broke up because his father was not able to accept his sexuality. It was also stated that "The Moffatts" was his father's dream, and that he had pushed himself and his brothers into it.
Frank's take on these comments were - "The Moffatts break up had nothing to do with Dave's sexuality, but it does make for good press." As for The Moffatts being Frank's dream, he stated that the dream originally was Scott's, however he does admit to pushing the band once the ball was in motion. "You can't be the best young band (Backstreet Boys & NSYNC were also vocal boy-band groups) in the world without consistency and hard work, but granted there may have been a better way of me doing things." He then commented, "I'll be the first one to admit I wasn't the perfect father, but we all have good relationships now and I'm working on improving my parenting skills daily." Frank also commented, "I think the fact that they are all still active in music answers a lot of questions in itself."
After the break-up, two of the triplets, Bob and Clint Moffatt, briefly joined a group called Pusch and performed at the 2002 Winter Olympics. The band was later renamed Hidell [1], and lasted slightly over a year and released one album. Bob relocated to Ban Phe, Thailand, where he began working on an English singing contest with an educational organization called TEFL International. Bob convinced Clint to join him in Thailand and start a band called Same Same under the Thailand label. Same Same had chart-topping hits in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Scott Moffatt resurfaced in an Ontario-based band The Boston Post, named after the old New England newspaper. The original lineup included Shawn Everett on drums, Jon Gant on guitar and Neal Gupta on bass. They released an EP titled It's 99PM in 2003. A video interview with Scott Moffatt from the Holiday Train show in Sparwood, BC on December 13, 2005 confirmed that he planned to go solo and was recording in LA. On April 10, 2006, song previews from the upcoming independent release The Allegory of the City were put up on his music page along with the promise of a limited edition version soon being available for pre order. The new songs are all acoustic and reveal a folk rock/pop vibe. He played all instruments and did all vocals on the record, as well as produced it. The CD will be available worldwide but tour dates have not been determined. The album is available at www.myspace.com/scottmoffattmusic. Scott is currently in Thailand producing a rock band called Slot Machine.
Dave Moffatt eventually relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, at first with aspirations of attending the University of Winnipeg and then deciding to launch an acting and modeling career. In addition to hosting karaoke nights at a local gay bar (including Calgary's Twisted Element), Dave also appeared in a 2005 Winnipeg production of Miss Saigon and was a contestant on Canadian Idol, making it into the top 32 before being eliminated.
In 2004, the Canadian Pacific Railway announced in a press release that Bob and Clint were "reunited" and appeared under the name "The Moffatts" for the railway's Holiday Train program, a mobile fundraiser for community food banks. In 2005, Scott also joined the tour (see this photograph (Clint to the far left, Scott and Bob to the far right).
Although the group has shut down its main website, the Moffatts remain popular in Europe; its German fansite, linked below, is quite active.
Scott Moffatt is currently in Bangkok, Thailand working with rock bands for record company Sony BMG. Clint and Bob Moffatt moved to Thailand in 2006 and formed Same Same. They now reside in Nashville, Tennessee and perform country music under the name Two Bullet Parade. They also participated in the Task Force Afghanistan Show Tour in December 2008 to entertain the Canadian troops. Dave Moffatt was in a Toronto-based band called Lights Out Love. He still lives in Canada and eventually started a career as a yoga instructor.
Reunions
The Moffatts reunited for the first time in over ten years for an online Christmas show on Stageit on December 22, 2012. The set list included Christmas carols and songs picked by fans from the entire Moffatts' catalog, including solo records and Like Strangers/Same Same.
In 2016, Clint, Scott, and Bob reformed The Moffats without Dave to embark on a farewell tour. The tour kicked off in February 2017 and hit stops in Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines. In May 2017, Dave came out of retirement to hold a farewell concert of his own in Manila. By the end of 2017, the Moffats' farewell turned into a complete reunion, as Dave rejoined the band to work on new music. A 6 track EP "Chapter II" was released in November 2018 and was followed by The Reunion Tour 2018.
Full names
* Scott Andrew Moffatt (Scott Moffatt) - Lead vocals, Guitars
* Clinton Thomas John Moffatt (Clint Moffatt) - Lead vocals, Bass, Percussion
* Robert Franklin Peter Moffatt (Bob Moffatt) - Lead vocals, Drums
* David William Michael Moffatt (Dave Moffatt) - Lead vocals, Keyboards
Walking Behind
The Moffatts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's trying but he's last in her line
His love's dying but he keeps on tryin'
He lives in fear with a love that's clear
(He's walking behind)
He's got love that he needs to give but she's afraid to let him in
To her world with no together
She wants love but her heart won't let her let him in
He's walking behind, he's walking behind
The phone's ringin', is it her on the line?
Does he answer or is he wasting his time?
Her love's dying but she keeps on trying
She lives in fear of a love that's clear
(She's walking behind)
She's got love that she needs to give but he's afraid to let her in
To her world with no together
She can't see him in her picture
She wants love but her heart won't let her let him in
He's walking behind, he's walking behind
To his world with no together
He can't see her in his picture
He wants love but his heart won't let him let her in
She's walkin' behind, yeah
They've got a love to give but they're afraid to let it in
She's got a love to give and he's got a love to give
So let 'em in, yeah
In a world with no together
She can't see him in her picture
She wants love, so let him in
To his world with no together
He can't see her in his picture
He wants love but his heart won't let him let her in
He's walking behind, she's walking behind
The Moffatts's song Walking Behind tells the story of a couple struggling to find their way in love. The lyrics describe a situation where the woman is running away while the man is walking behind her. It's clear from the song that they both love each other, but they are afraid to be vulnerable and let each other in. The man's love seems to be dying, but he keeps trying to make it work. He lives in fear with a love that's clear. The woman, on the other hand, wants love but her heart won't let her let him in. The chorus repeats this phrase of them both having love to give each other, but they are too scared to let it in.
The song is driven by guitar riffs and a steady drumbeat that creates a melancholy atmosphere. The lyrics are poignant and relateable to anyone who's been in an unbalanced or complicated relationship. In Walking Behind, the couple is described as being in different worlds with no together. They are both trying to hold on to each other, but they feel like they are walking behind the other. The song expresses the frustration and sadness that comes with not being able to connect with the person you love.
Line by Line Meaning
She's running and he's walking behind
She is moving ahead quickly while he is trailing behind, showing a distance and a separation between them.
He's trying but he's last in her line
He is making an effort, but he is at the end of her priorities, as she is not reciprocating the effort.
His love's dying but he keeps on tryin'
His love is weakening, but he is persistent in his attempts to make things work and keep the connection alive.
He lives in fear with a love that's clear
He is afraid of the outcome of expressing his feelings, despite his love being obvious and evident to him.
(He's walking behind)
Reiterating the distance and separation between them, highlighting the fact that he is still trailing behind.
He's got love that he needs to give but she's afraid to let him in
He has a lot of love to offer, but she is hesitant to allow him to share that with her, showing a lack of trust and vulnerability.
To her world with no together
She lives in a world with no sense of unity or togetherness, where they are not on the same page and are drifting apart.
She can't see him in her picture
She cannot envision him being a part of her future or in her life anymore, further highlighting the distance between them.
She wants love but her heart won't let her let him in
Despite her desire for love, she is not able to open up her heart and trust him, preventing them from getting any closer.
The phone's ringin', is it her on the line?
There is a sense of anticipation and hope that she may be reaching out to him, indicating that there is still some connection between them.
Does he answer or is he wasting his time?
He is unsure whether his efforts are worthwhile or if he should continue trying to pursue her when she seems distant and unresponsive.
Her love's dying but she keeps on trying
Her feelings for him are slowly fading, but she is still making an effort to maintain the relationship or salvage what is left of it.
She lives in fear of a love that's clear
Despite her love being apparent, she is afraid of what it entails or the consequences that may come with it, leading to a reluctance to fully commit or trust.
(She's walking behind)
Reiterating the distance and separation between them, highlighting the fact that she is still trailing behind.
She's got love that she needs to give but he's afraid to let her in
She has a lot of love to offer, but he is hesitant and unwilling to allow her to share that with him, showing a lack of trust and vulnerability.
They've got a love to give but they're afraid to let it in
Both of them have a lot of love to offer, but they are hesitant to open up and allow the other person to fully enter their lives.
To his world with no together
He is living in a world where there is no sense of unity or togetherness, feeling disconnected and distant from her.
He can't see her in his picture
She does not fit into his vision or plans for the future, adding to the distance between them and a lack of common ground.
He wants love but his heart won't let him let her in
Despite his desire for love, he is not able to open up his heart to her and trust her, preventing them from getting any closer.
She's walking behind, he's walking behind
The repetition of this line once again emphasizes the distance between them and their inability to come together, despite their mutual desire for love.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOB MOFFATT, CLINT MOFFATT, DAVE MOFFATT, FRANK MOFFATT, ROBERT JENS ROCK, SCOTT MOFFATT, SHEILA MOFFATT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Arief Widodo
She's running and he's walking behind
He's trying but he's last in her line
His love's dying but he keeps on tryin'
He lives in fear with a love that's clear
(He's walking behind)
He's got love that he needs to give but she's afraid to let him in
To her world with no together
She can't see him in her picture
She wants love but her heart won't let her let him in
He's walking behind, he's walking behind
The phone's ringin', is it her on the line?
Does he answer or is he wasting his time?
Her love's dying but she keeps on trying
She lives in fear of a love that's clear
(She's walking behind)
She's got love that she needs to give but he's afraid to let her in
To her world with no together
She can't see him in her picture
She wants love but her heart won't let her let him in
He's walking behind, he's walking behind
To his world with no together
He can't see her in his picture
He wants love but his heart won't let him let her in
She's walkin' behind, yeah
They've got a love to give but they're afraid to let it in
She's got a love to give and he's got a love to give
So let 'em in, yeah
In a world with no together
She can't see him in her picture
She wants love, so let him in
To his world with no together
He can't see her in his picture
He wants love but his heart won't let him let her in
He's walking behind, she's walking behind
Liz H.
This whole cd is perfection. Please, please upload Spy!
Liz H.
Found it! Any chance of the whole cd being uploaded to Spotify? Love you guys! Thanks for all the memories and amazing music. Love the new song!
The Moffatts
Spy is in the videos :-)
Mung Cha Cha
So sad that I didn't give Submodalities a better shot when I was younger. It's such an edgy album! And now I can't even get hold of it on Spotify. :'(
Hanna Hanna
I did, I even owned the casette & I honestly like the album. But all I remember back then was how these adults 'critics' gave them bad reviews. This one review even said that they look like monkeys.(for Submodalities era)
Anyways, this track is my fave from the album!
Andreas Jukic
It's on there now!
Tanya Evangelista
How come this song only has a hundred likes? Like come on, they are literally better than the other singers nowadays ...Hope I'm not too young for this, love the Moffatts
Hanna Hanna
How old are you, honey? Yass this is my fave in Submodalities but yeah, it's so underrated.
Parker Hatcher
This album is insanely rad. Crazy well written, maybe a bit too “polished” but it worked somehow. I can hear all of the work that went into the background instruments. And I’m especially keen on the song “Spy” and how it moved fluidly through genres. Would love to work with these guys one day if they ever decide to release more music. Also, yes I’d LOVE to find the entire record on iTunes sometime soon. I’ve got the CD somewhere. But it’s probably all scratched up. Take care!
Meghan
It used to be up on iTunes ages ago under a mislabeled name, “The Moffats”. Last I checked, it was removed from iTunes. Not sure what is going on behind the scenes, but I’m assuming that agreements have lapsed and need to be renewed.