Burning The Ground Exclusive
For today’s entry in Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition, we are pulling over for a title track that has spent far too many years hidden in the slow lane.
“Moving Violations” was recorded by Nona Hendryx for the 1985 comedy of the same name. The film was directed by Neal Israel, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Pat Proft. Released on April 19, 1985, it starred John Murray, Jennifer Tilly, James Keach, Brian Backer, Wendie Jo Sperber, Fred Willard, and Sally Kellerman.
The movie follows a group of unlucky motorists who are sentenced to traffic school. What they do not know is that the school is part of a crooked plan to fail the students and sell their impounded cars. Naturally, the students do not quietly accept the situation, and the result is a very silly collection of car chases, sight gags, crashes, and the sort of broad comedy that filled movie theaters during the mid-1980s.
The film may not be remembered as one of the decade’s major comedies, but its title song deserves another listen.
“Moving Violations” was written by Bruce Roberts and produced by Bernard Edwards, the bass player, songwriter, and producer best known as one-half of the team behind Chic. Edwards and Nile Rodgers created classics such as “Le Freak,” “Good Times,” “I Want Your Love,” and “Everybody Dance,” while also writing and producing hits for Sister Sledge and other artists.
That connection becomes clear as soon as “Moving Violations” gets underway.
Edwards gives the track a tight, fast-moving dance groove that feels built for both a movie chase and a crowded dance floor. The rhythm never lets up, and Nona Hendryx attacks the song with the power, humor, and confidence needed to keep up with it.
A lesser singer might have disappeared inside such a busy production. Nona sounds completely at home.
She growls, shouts, and pushes the title phrase as though she is personally daring the police to catch her. Her performance brings a little danger to what could have been a simple novelty theme. The movie is a comedy, but Nona sings as though every traffic ticket has become a personal challenge.
Nona Hendryx first gained fame as a member of Labelle alongside Patti LaBelle and Sarah Dash. She was also one of the group’s main songwriters and helped move their music beyond traditional soul into funk, rock, glam, and more experimental territory. Her solo career continued that refusal to remain in one musical lane.
By the middle of the 1980s, Hendryx had developed a sound that mixed rock, funk, electronic music, R&B, and dance music. She could be soulful one moment and sound like the leader of a futuristic rock band the next.
That made her a perfect choice for a soundtrack title that needed personality.
“Moving Violations” arrived during a busy soundtrack period for Nona. She also recorded “I Sweat (Going Through The Motions)” for the Jamie Lee Curtis film Perfect, another 1985 release. Both songs placed her commanding voice over polished dance-rock productions made for the movies.
The music used in Moving Violations reflected the anything-goes nature of the decade. Alongside Nona’s title song, the film featured Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t Drive 55,” Julie Brown’s “Every Boy’s Got One,” a version of James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good),” and Peaches & Herb’s “Reunited.” It is an odd combination on paper, but that was often part of the fun of an 80s movie soundtrack.
However, Moving Violations never received an official standalone soundtrack album on either vinyl or CD. The songs remained scattered across individual releases and the artists’ own catalogs, making it impossible for fans to purchase the complete soundtrack in one place.
Nona Hendryx’s title song was only issued in the United States on 7-inch and 12-inch vinyl. There was no commercial release in other major territories, and no music video was produced to help promote the single.
Those missing pieces may help explain why the song became so difficult to remember and rediscover. Without a soundtrack album, a widely distributed international release, or a video receiving airplay on MTV, “Moving Violations” had very little chance to develop a life beyond the movie itself.
The title song still gives the film its own musical identity.
The regular single version runs just over four minutes, while the 12-inch version expands the track to nearly seven. The longer version gives Bernard Edwards’ production more space, letting the groove run longer while Nona’s vocal phrases move in and out of the arrangement. The extended version was later added to an expanded edition of Hendryx’s 1985 album The Heat.
“Moving Violations” does not carry the name recognition of “Lady Marmalade,” “Transformation,” or “Why Should I Cry?” It was also not attached to a blockbuster movie like Footloose.
That is exactly what makes it such a fun choice for this series.
Not every great soundtrack single became a major hit. Some records appeared, did their job inside the movie, and then slowly vanished from view. Years later, they are waiting in old record bins for someone to pull them out and give them another spin.
“Moving Violations” is one of those records.
It has a great vocalist, a respected songwriter, one of the finest bass players and producers of the era behind the controls, and enough energy to earn several tickets for reckless driving.
Buckle up.
Nona Hendryx is behind the wheel.
SIDE A:
Moving Violations (Extended Version) 6:56
Producer – Bernard Edwards
Written-By – B. Roberts*
SIDE B:
Soft Targets 4:24
Producer – Material, Nona Hendryx
Written-By – Nona Hendryx
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA – PD-14057
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Rhythm & Blues
NOTES:
Side A: From the Movie “MOVING VIOLATIONS”
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
Vinyl Transfer & Audio Restoration:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
Phono Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
Audio Interface: MOTU M4
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Cleaning Solution: Turgikleen Record Cleaning Solution
Scanner: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
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