Wow/Grape Jam is the second album by the rock band Moby Grape, released in … Read Full Bio ↴Wow/Grape Jam is the second album by the rock band Moby Grape, released in 1968. It is different from most double album releases in that it was released as two different albums in separate covers, but packaged together and sold for only one dollar more than price of a single LP.
Each album was later released as an individual CD with bonus tracks. Wow originally had a color gatefold sleeve, while Grape Jam had a color non-gatefold cover. This was Moby Grape's highest charting release in the U.S., peaking at #20 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
The albums
Wow has a more heavily produced sound than the first Moby Grape album. String and horn arrangements were added to many of the songs by producer David Rubinson. Recording started in Los Angeles in late 1967, but most of the album was recorded in New York City in late 1967 and early 1968.
"Murder in My Heart for the Judge" is a blues rock tune written by drummer Don Stevenson that was later recorded by other rock musicians such as Lee Michaels, Three Dog Night and Chrissie Hynde. "Bitter Wind", written and sung by Bob Mosley, has remained one of the group's most popular songs. The acoustic version here contains an ending that includes harsh wind noises and backward vocals. Other stand-out tracks include Jerry Miller's rocking shuffle "Can't Be So Bad", Skip Spence's darkly comedic roots rocker "Motorcycle Irene" and Peter Lewis's lush ballad "He". The album also includes an electrified re-arranged version of "Naked, If I Want To", which was on the first album as an acoustic track. "Just Like Gene Autry: A Foxtrot" is the most unusual song on the album, a 1930s style tune written and sung by Spence. It was given a spoken introduction from Arthur Godfrey and cut onto the LP record at 78 RPM with added scratchy sound effects to give it an authentic period effect. (Early copies of 'Wow' omit the band's name from the record label, for unknown reasons.)
Grape Jam has been criticized for its rather loose and mostly improvised performances which contrast sharply with the heavily produced material on Wow. However Grape Jam is also notable in that it features guest appearances on piano by Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield. This studio album was recorded in New York City in January and February 1968. Skip Spence plays guitar on "Never" and piano on "Boysenberry Jam". Peter Lewis does not appear on this album. "The Lake" is a strange combination of poetry submitted by a fan (Michael Hayworth, the winner of a KFRC San Francisco songwriting contest) and avant-garde psychedelic Musique concrète sound effects somewhat like side four of Freak Out! or "Revolution 9". The opening track "Never" is the best known song and has often been cited as the source for Led Zeppelin's song "Since I've Been Loving You", the opening lyrics, bluesy arrangement and some melodic elements are virtually identical. The album was the inspiration for a number of other studio "jam" albums during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Later examples of this trend included Al Kooper's Super Session and the 3rd LP of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass.
Artwork
Artwork of the Wow album (design and illustration) was done by Bob Cato. Cato proposed a surreal image without any input from the band. Cato was influenced by various Victorian woodcuts. According to Peter Lewis the title was left off the cover because "What was in the box was more important than the box." It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package in 1969.
Each album was later released as an individual CD with bonus tracks. Wow originally had a color gatefold sleeve, while Grape Jam had a color non-gatefold cover. This was Moby Grape's highest charting release in the U.S., peaking at #20 on the Billboard 200 album chart.
The albums
Wow has a more heavily produced sound than the first Moby Grape album. String and horn arrangements were added to many of the songs by producer David Rubinson. Recording started in Los Angeles in late 1967, but most of the album was recorded in New York City in late 1967 and early 1968.
"Murder in My Heart for the Judge" is a blues rock tune written by drummer Don Stevenson that was later recorded by other rock musicians such as Lee Michaels, Three Dog Night and Chrissie Hynde. "Bitter Wind", written and sung by Bob Mosley, has remained one of the group's most popular songs. The acoustic version here contains an ending that includes harsh wind noises and backward vocals. Other stand-out tracks include Jerry Miller's rocking shuffle "Can't Be So Bad", Skip Spence's darkly comedic roots rocker "Motorcycle Irene" and Peter Lewis's lush ballad "He". The album also includes an electrified re-arranged version of "Naked, If I Want To", which was on the first album as an acoustic track. "Just Like Gene Autry: A Foxtrot" is the most unusual song on the album, a 1930s style tune written and sung by Spence. It was given a spoken introduction from Arthur Godfrey and cut onto the LP record at 78 RPM with added scratchy sound effects to give it an authentic period effect. (Early copies of 'Wow' omit the band's name from the record label, for unknown reasons.)
Grape Jam has been criticized for its rather loose and mostly improvised performances which contrast sharply with the heavily produced material on Wow. However Grape Jam is also notable in that it features guest appearances on piano by Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield. This studio album was recorded in New York City in January and February 1968. Skip Spence plays guitar on "Never" and piano on "Boysenberry Jam". Peter Lewis does not appear on this album. "The Lake" is a strange combination of poetry submitted by a fan (Michael Hayworth, the winner of a KFRC San Francisco songwriting contest) and avant-garde psychedelic Musique concrète sound effects somewhat like side four of Freak Out! or "Revolution 9". The opening track "Never" is the best known song and has often been cited as the source for Led Zeppelin's song "Since I've Been Loving You", the opening lyrics, bluesy arrangement and some melodic elements are virtually identical. The album was the inspiration for a number of other studio "jam" albums during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Later examples of this trend included Al Kooper's Super Session and the 3rd LP of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass.
Artwork
Artwork of the Wow album (design and illustration) was done by Bob Cato. Cato proposed a surreal image without any input from the band. Cato was influenced by various Victorian woodcuts. According to Peter Lewis the title was left off the cover because "What was in the box was more important than the box." It was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package in 1969.
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Wow
Moby Grape Lyrics
Bitter Wind The tree of life is a burdensome thing To those who…
Can't Be So Bad From across the room, I went to ask her why She…
FUNKY-TUNK Oh my dove Where are you goin'? Where you goin' down the…
He He said he found himself and gave away the things…
Miller's Blues I've got these blues and I'm left all alone I've got…
Motorcycle Irene Motorcycle Irene There she sits a smokin, reefer in her mout…
Murder In My Heart For The Judge I've got murder in my heart for the judge I've got…
Rose Colored Eyes Star's eyes once gazed upon me here Now fallen deep, oh,…
The Place and the Time Here to sing our words and song Finger chimes and wonder…
Three-Four Please don't worry about me And I'll take care of thee Just…