Moby found commercial and critical success with his fifth album Play (1999), which, after receiving little recognition, became an unexpected global hit in 2000 after each track was licensed to films, television shows, and commercials. It remains his highest selling album with 12 million copies sold. Its seventh single, "South Side", featuring Gwen Stefani, remains his only one to appear on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 14. Moby followed Play with albums of varied styles including electronic, dance, rock, and downtempo music, starting with 18 (2002), Hotel (2005), and Last Night (2008). His later albums saw him explore ambient music, including the almost four-hour release Long Ambients 1: Calm. Sleep. (2016). Moby continues to record and release albums; his twenty-first studio album, Resound NYC, was released in May 2023.
In addition to his music career, Moby is known for his veganism and support for animal rights and humanitarian aid. He was the owner of TeaNY, a vegan cafe in Manhattan, and Little Pine, a vegan restaurant in Los Angeles, and organized the vegan music and food festival Circle V. He is the author of four books, including a collection of his photography and two memoirs: Porcelain: A Memoir (2016) and Then It Fell Apart (2019).
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby
Discography
Moby (1992)
Ambient (1993)
Everything Is Wrong (1995)
Animal Rights (1996)
Play (1999)
18 (2002)
Hotel (2005)
Last Night (2008)
Wait for Me (2009)
Destroyed (2011)
Innocents (2013)
Long Ambients 1: Calm. Sleep. (2016)
These Systems Are Failing (2016)
More Fast Songs About the Apocalypse (2017)
Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt (2018)
Long Ambients 2 (2019)
All Visible Objects (2020)
Live Ambient Improvised Recordings Vol. 1 (2020)
Reprise (2021)
Ambient 23 (2023)
Resound NYC (2023)
A Case For Shame
Moby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To spite your face
Slowly send your palms away
Draw fire crawl out
And seek the shade
Slowly send your palms away
Swallow my name, swallow it down
Sing me a song
Shoot the breeze
Shake my hand
Across the fire, I caught your stare
Sing me a song
You today
You today
You today
You today
A beacon will send you home
A beacon will send you home
A fine line will set you apart
Swallow my name, swallow it down
Sing me a song.
Shoot the breeze
Shake my hand
Across the fire, I caught your stare
Sing me a song
You today
You today
You today
You today
A fine line will set you apart
Swallow my name, swallow it down
Sing me a song.
Shoot the breeze
Shake my hand
Across the fire, I caught your stare
Sing me a song
You today
You today
You today
You today
Cut off your nose
To spite your face
Slowly send your palms away
I heard you say
I will not shame
You today
You today
You today
You today
You today
You today
You today
In Moby's song A Case For Shame, the lyrics depict a conversation between two people who seem to be going through a difficult time. The first verse talks about cutting off your own nose to spite your face, which is an idiom used to describe someone who is so stubborn that they would rather harm themselves than give in to another person. The second line speaks of slowly sending your palms away, which could mean distancing oneself from the situation or making a conscious effort to not react impulsively.
The second verse describes drawing fire and seeking shade, which could mean going through a struggle and looking for comfort. The repetition of "slowly send your palms away" in both verses could signify the importance of taking things one step at a time and not rushing into anything. The chorus talks about how a fine line will set you apart, which could mean that a small decision or action could have a big impact on one's life.
The song seems to be about someone who is going through a tough time and may be making decisions impulsively. The repetition of "sing me a song" throughout the song could be interpreted as a plea for comfort or a desire to be distracted from their troubles. The final line of the song, "I will not shame you today" could be a message of support or reassurance to someone who is feeling judged or criticized.
Line by Line Meaning
Cut off your nose
Sacrifice something important to spite yourself or someone else
To spite your face
Taking vengeful actions that will ultimately harm oneself
Slowly send your palms away
Retreat from a situation or someone slowly and reluctantly
Draw fire crawl out
Attracting negative attention from someone or something, and subsequently leaving
And seek the shade
Find protection or safety from the negativity
A fine line will set you apart
A subtle difference or detail can differentiate you from others
Swallow my name, swallow it down
Conceal or forget my identity
Sing me a song
Entertain me or distract me from reality
Shoot the breeze
Engage in casual conversation
Shake my hand
Make a formal agreement or promise
Across the fire, I caught your stare
Through the chaos and conflict, I see that you're watching me
You today
The person or people who are present right now
A beacon will send you home
A guiding light or symbol will lead you back to where you belong
I heard you say
I overheard you mention or confess
I will not shame
I will not reveal or embarrass
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jim Anderson, Ladan Hussein, Richard Melville Hall, Thomas Stuart Green
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kevinwalsh
she sang sweetly
about not shaming him today.
and though she sings about
taking his nose away,
he swallows her name
as he goes down.
but still no bubbles leave his nose....
perhaps because its gone
and in swimming pools
everyone appears to be whole
nose and all.
I love this song.......
it burns me when I swim :)
@Vivley93
Just when I thought I couldn’t love Moby’s music anymore than I already do…. His songs are cherished treasures. 🤍 Thank you, Moby. We love you!
@TheBigBadWolf1100
I swear Moby has something no other artist does. I guess he puts himself, his soul, into the music he makes, which is why it's always amazing. He's almost completely kept the original style he began with back in the early 80's.
@robertyoung5061
Very well said...
@MsWest-tf6xu
TheBigBadWolf true.
@sisterspooky
@thebigbadwolf - Yeah, because I’m sure no other artist in the entire world cares about making music the way you described. There could only be that one person in all of music history and future who could possibly be that dedicated to their art. 😂
SMH
@moderne-ist1612
@Sister Spooky Your comment is pedestrian --- not funny, not clever and downright mean.
@sisterspooky
@Moderne-ist - Awww… I hurt your delicate sensibilities, precious?? 🤣😂🤣😂
Moron, I truly don’t give a flying fig what you think. So thanks for wasting your time replying. That was worth a laugh. I only respond now because I wanted you to know that the only person who is interested in your derivative comment is yourself. 😆😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
@moby
this is my very first video as director and cameraman, i hope you like it! watch below & let me know what you think in the comments...
@derkyarik_7298
Any way, is started with a first step.
@michael-rommel
I like this style - ties right into the music...