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?"

Changes Circles Spinning
Moby Grape Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Changes, circles spinning
Can't tell the finish from the beginning
Crying, tears of fire
Can't tell the honest man from a liar

Building, private prisons
Keeps crazy heads from changing decisions
Walking, string of wire

To tell the living man from a dyer

Changes, circles spinning
Can't tell the finish from the beginning

Crying, tears of fire
Can't tell the honest man from a liar

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Moby Grape's "Changes, Circles Spinning" touch upon the idea of confusion, uncertainty, and deception that exist in the world. The "changes, circles spinning" motif suggests that life moves on in a continuous cycle of ups and downs, twists and turns, leaving us bewildered and unable to distinguish between beginnings and endings. The image of "crying, tears of fire" further underscores this sense of emotional turmoil and pain caused by living in such a world. The line "can't tell the honest man from a liar" could be interpreted as a broader commentary on the moral ambiguity of society, where individuals struggle to maintain their own integrity and discern right from wrong amidst an endless stream of lies and deceit.

The next verse expands on this theme, discussing the creation of private prisons to keep "crazy heads" in check and prevent them from altering established systems or norms. The "walking, string of wire" line alludes to the idea of living under constant surveillance, where one's every move and action is scrutinized to differentiate between reality and falsehood. The repeated chorus only reinforces the overarching sense of confusion and uncertainty, encapsulating the feeling of being trapped in an endless cycle of change and repetition.

Line by Line Meaning

Changes, circles spinning
The constant shifts and cycles of life are overwhelming and confusing

Can't tell the finish from the beginning
It's difficult to discern the outcome of a situation from the very start

Crying, tears of fire
The pain and sorrow being felt is intense and unrelenting

Can't tell the honest man from a liar
It's hard to differentiate between people who speak truthfully and those who deceive

Building, private prisons
Creating personal mental barriers prevents individuals from altering their views

Keeps crazy heads from changing decisions
The limitations placed on someone's mentality stops them from making alternative choices

Walking, string of wire
People use subtle means to distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are not

To tell the living man from a dyer
To determine the difference between someone who is alive and someone who is not

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PETER CHARLES LEWIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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