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)
If Things Where Perfect
Moby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[sample: "give me summer"] x2
Broken darkness my cold end
I look for places I've never seen
Nothing moves but the quiet on the street
Isolated walking long hard hours
Winter cold just brings me winter showers
It's so brutal with the cold sky
Wrapped in cold late at night
[sample: "give me summer"] x2
Come clean there's no sun yet
The only lights here are made
I can't speak, I can't hear, but I know I'm real
There's no warm here anyway
The darkest lights before the dawn
You remember the sun but it sank
In the water that eats the light
Wrapped in cold late at night
[sample: "give me summer"] x2
I open my eyes, it's cold
The only souls go by
Lift the bridge out of the water
The stone black light
Living is easy when it's night
The cold has covered the rain
I can see forever, to the deep
Wrapped in cold, late at night
[sample: "give me summer"] x4
Moby's song "If Things Were Perfect" contains lyrics that expresses a feeling of loneliness, numbness, and yearning for a change of season. The first verse describes a sense of isolation and lack of movement in the cold winter streets, with the singer's eyes opening to this bleak reality. The winter is portrayed as harsh and brutal, bringing nothing but continuous snow showers. The sample "give me summer" repeated twice acts as a contrasting call to the summer season, which can often evoke a sense of freedom, energy, and warmth.
The second verse reflects on the absence of sun and warmness, with the only light emanating from man-made sources. The singer is unable to communicate or hear, but still has an awareness of their own existence. The lyrics then shift to a moment of reminiscence, with the memory of the sun sinking into the sea. The final verse continues the theme of loneliness, with the only figures passing by being other isolated souls. The bridge being lifted out of the water alludes to a sense of separation, perhaps symbolizing a disconnection from others or even society. The song ends with the singer still wrapped in the coldness of the night, but with a final plea for summer.
Overall, the lyrics reflect a sense of disconnect from others and a longing for a change in season or circumstance. The use of winter imagery and the sample of "give me summer" creates a stark contrast between the cold, dark season and the hope and warmth of summer.
Line by Line Meaning
Broken darkness my cold end
I'm feeling lost and alone in the darkness, and my current situation seems hopeless.
I look for places I've never seen
Despite feeling hopeless, I'm searching for a new path or opportunity to help me escape my current situation.
Nothing moves but the quiet on the street
Everything around me is still and silent, leaving me feeling even more isolated.
Now I open my eyes to this
Suddenly, I'm faced with reality and see the cold and harsh truth of my situation.
Isolated walking long hard hours
I'm walking alone through life, enduring tough times and facing obstacles on my own.
Winter cold just brings me winter showers
The cold and dreary winter season only adds to my misery and brings more hardships.
It's so brutal with the cold sky
The frigid winter sky feels oppressive and harsh, adding to my struggles.
Wrapped in cold late at night
I'm left to face my struggles alone, feeling cold both physically and emotionally.
Come clean there's no sun yet
It's time to face the reality that things are not going to get better anytime soon.
The only lights here are made
The only sources of light in my life are artificial and not truly fulfilling.
I can't speak, I can't hear, but I know I'm real
I feel disconnected and unheard, but I know I exist and my struggles are valid.
There's no warm here anyway
Even if there was light or hope, it wouldn't bring true warmth to my life right now.
The darkest lights before the dawn
I'm trying to hold onto the hope that things will improve, but right now it feels like things will only get darker before they get better.
You remember the sun but it sank
I remember happier times, but those memories are fading and it feels like they're slipping away.
In the water that eats the light
Even the memories of better days are being swallowed by the darkness and struggle of my current situation.
I open my eyes, it's cold
I can't escape the cold and harsh reality around me, even when I try to close my eyes to it.
The only souls go by
I feel isolated and alone, with no human connection or support around me.
Lift the bridge out of the water
I'm searching for a way out of my current struggles and challenges.
The stone black light
Even the light around me feels cold and lifeless, with no hope or joy to be found.
Living is easy when it's night
It's easier to ignore the struggles and focus on the temporary escapes of darkness or distractions.
The cold has covered the rain
Even the rain, a symbol of cleansing and renewal, feels cold and bleak in my current situation.
I can see forever, to the deep
In my isolation and struggle, it feels like there is nothing but emptiness and darkness stretching ahead of me.
Wrapped in cold, late at night
I'm left feeling helpless and alone in my struggles, trapped in the darkness and cold of my current reality.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RICHARD MELVILLE HALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Daianna
Broken darkness my cold end
I look for places I've never seen
Nothing moves but the quiet on the street
Now I open my eyes to this
Isolated walking long hard hours
Winter cold just brings me winter showers
It's so brutal with the cold sky
Wrapped in cold late at night
x2
Come clean there's no sun yet
The only lights here are made
I can't speak, I can't hear, but I know I'm real
There's no warm here anyway
The darkest lights before the dawn
You remember the sun but it sank
In the water that eats the light
Wrapped in cold late at night
x2
I open my eyes, it's cold
The only souls go by
Lift the bridge out of the water
The stone black light
Living is easy when it's night
The cold has covered the rain
I can see forever, to the deep
Wrapped in cold, late at night
Matt Michaels
this song repairs the soul. moby is the man
Mandarin Geass
время от времени к этому альбому возвращаюсь! столько эмоций, потрясающая атмосфера.это не способно надоесть.
Ivana Petković
Jedini pravi umetnik, svestrani Moby 💗
MINARAE
This remember me a lot of things and feels when I was a child. I lo this song it makes me feel nostalgic in diferents ways, thanks you Moby for produce this kind of music, my mother plays a CD in her stereo in the early days of my existence.
matthew taylor
This remember me ???
Different.
Daianna
Broken darkness my cold end
I look for places I've never seen
Nothing moves but the quiet on the street
Now I open my eyes to this
Isolated walking long hard hours
Winter cold just brings me winter showers
It's so brutal with the cold sky
Wrapped in cold late at night
x2
Come clean there's no sun yet
The only lights here are made
I can't speak, I can't hear, but I know I'm real
There's no warm here anyway
The darkest lights before the dawn
You remember the sun but it sank
In the water that eats the light
Wrapped in cold late at night
x2
I open my eyes, it's cold
The only souls go by
Lift the bridge out of the water
The stone black light
Living is easy when it's night
The cold has covered the rain
I can see forever, to the deep
Wrapped in cold, late at night
MINARAE
Thanks you very much!✨
typeOhh
Love your playlist ;)
PHAX
Unreal, moby the king of sick production, love the vibes! Need more music like this
rlywhocares
i usually catch myself wanting to listen to this one or "down slow" & then i continue with second part of album cuz it fits my melancholic mood at he moment. just love all of your tracks with this personal intimate naked-soul sad melancholic minor touch. not only but few of few things that i love in my life