Moby Grape was an American roots rock and psychedelic rock group of the 196… Read Full Bio ↴Moby Grape was an American roots rock and psychedelic rock group of the 1960s that was known for having all five members contribute to singing and songwriting, and who collectively merged elements of jazz, country, and blues together with rock. Due to the strength of their debut album, several critics consider Moby Grape to be the best rock band to emerge from the San Francisco music scene in the late sixties.

The group was formed in late 1966 in San Francisco. Frontman and rhythm guitarist Alexander "Skip" Spence (the original drummer for the Jefferson Airplane), lead guitarist Jerry Miller and drummer Don Stevenson (both formerly of the Frantics), rhythm guitarist (and son of actress Loretta Young) Peter Lewis (of the Cornells), and bassist Bob Mosley all wrote songs for their debut album Moby Grape (1967). In a marketing stunt, Columbia Records immediately released five singles at once, and the band was perceived as being over-hyped. Nonetheless, the record was critically acclaimed, and fairly successful commercially, with The Move covering its sardonic ode to hippiedom, "Hey Grandma". Spence's "Omaha" reached the lower rungs of the American singles charts in 1967, and Miller-Stevenson's "8:05" became a country rock standard (covered by The Grateful Dead, Robert Plant, Guy Burlage, and others). Moby Grape has today achieved the status of a highly respected rock album.

In addition to the marketing backlash, band members found themselves in legal trouble for charges (later dropped) of consorting with underage females, and the band's relationship with their manager rapidly deteriorated. The second album, Wow, was a critical and commercial failure. During its recording, Spence came to the studio with an axe, intending to kill Stevenson; he was committed, and after being released from Bellevue Hospital traveled to Nashville to record his only solo album, Oar. The band released three more albums: Moby Grape '69, Truly Fine Citizen, and 20 Granite Creek. In 1972 bob mosley released his only solo album, after which he left the group. The remainder soldiered on for two decades, recording and performing to a small but devoted audience.

Moby Grape was an example of a talented band who, through a combination of mismanagement and inexperience, never fully realized their potential. Along with the Flamin' Groovies, they were somewhat of an anomaly in the San Francisco rock scene; their concision and their strong roots in country music and early rock and roll seemed to work against them. In addition, perhaps because they were so versatile, their image was somewhat nebulous; as writer Robert Christgau put it, "All they really lacked was a boss, and what could be more American than that?"

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Moby Grape Lyrics

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They called me a weiner
I called them a nerd
Called her a whore
And she called me a turd
I called her long distance
She said I′s absurd
Not a discouraging word
On the range could be heard

And he asked me
"How does it feel?"
Come a-ti-yi-yippie-yippie-yippie-yay, o-lo-lo-lo-leee
Oh, don't you cry for me

I started playing on somebody′s amp
Lasted me all through the night
Some cowboy grabbed that hay lady's snatch
Said "If you have her stamped, it's all right"

And I′m tired of being treated this way
Been used, abused, I′ll be long gone
Don't try to find me
Just watch for the stage I′ll be on

Ran out of money 'bout six months ago
Been livin′ on cactus and plants
Now I'm thinkin′ 'bout killin' my cow
But I hear that they′re gods and thou shall not kill
And you ask me
"How does it feel
When your best friend is all veal
And you′re hungry?"

They try to tell you on radio show
And on the TV screen
Nothin' these days seems make much sense
So, oh, vo-dee-o-do

I′m tired of being treated this way
Been used, abused, I'll be long gone
Don′t try to find me
Just watch for the stage I'll be on

Along with this record a plan of attack
Ride up to you with a gun at your back
And we invite you to purchase our side
As you watch, on our ass, as we ride

And I′m tired of being treated this way
Been used, abused, I'll be long gone

Don't try to find me
Just watch for the stage I′ll be on

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Moby Grape’s song “Big” seem, on the surface, to be a jumbled-up collection of phrases and anecdotes that don’t necessarily seem to connect. However, on closer inspection, the song appears to be a biting commentary on the exploitation of musicians, as well as a broader critique of America’s consumerist society. The song opens with the singer responding angrily to those who have insulted him, using harsh language and insults of his own to put them in their place. However, the next lines reflect his sense of powerlessness in the face of the music industry, as he notes that nobody is listening to what he has to say.

The next verse is similarly ambivalent. The singer describes the experience of playing music, which brings him some temporary pleasure, but contrasts this with the crude behavior of some of his fellow performers, who harass and abuse women. The central theme of the song becomes clearer in the next verse, where the singer compares himself to a cow which he is thinking of killing to eat. The cow has become an object to be consumed, just like the music and musicians who are bought and sold in the mass media.

The final verse of the song is a direct challenge to the music industry, and to the capitalist system of which it is a part. The singer, seemingly resigned to his fate, proposes a plan to hold up the industry with a gun and demand payment for his work. This reflects the anger and frustration of many musicians who feel that their talents are being exploited by record labels and other industry players.

BigMoby Grape Lyrics

Michael P. Angus

Gary W. Wade

T.J. White

Big
Moby Grape Lyrics