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?"
Seeing
Moby Grape Lyrics
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I had of you
Would you care
And come through
Take me far away
My wiles and mind can't beat a dream of death today
Hard to get by
In my dream you are around the stars
I watched your walls all fall away
You were [bare] of thoughts, we were to part
And [we] stayed that way
Some try to hide
Because they lied
They were not true
And they were afraid
They refuse to see
Or be free, be one with me
And to gods, they prayed
Cryin', "Save me, save me!"
Save me, save me, save me!
I'll save you, can I spend you?
And now this naked dream
I had of you
Will you care
And come through
Take me far away
My wiles and mind can't beat a dream of death today
Hard to get by
When what greets my eye takes my breath away
Cryin', "Save me, save me, save me!"
The lyrics of Moby Grape's song "Seeing" are thought-provoking and emotional, leaving room for interpretation. The song is a mix of love and anguish, disillusionment and hope. The main theme is best described as the yearning for a deeper, more meaningful connection with someone.
The song opens with a narrator posing a question to someone - "If you'd seen the naked dream I had of you, would you care and come through?" The lyricist is attempting to connect with someone on a deeper level by sharing a dream they had about them. The dream is used to express a desire to be understood and loved unconditionally. The imagery of the dream is vivid, describing a world where the subject of the dream is surrounded by stars and the walls fall away. The dreamer is essentially asking the subject of their dream to join them in this world, to take them far away from the present reality that they are struggling to get by in.
The singer seems to be expressing the loneliness and struggles of daily life when they state "Hard to get by, when what greets my eye takes my breath away." The difficulties of living in a world that feels indifferent or is full of chaos are overwhelming. The singer is trying to communicate their need for spiritual guidance by crying out "Save me!" repeatedly. The song ends with the singer asking if the person who they had the dream about would come to assist them to escape this world of turmoil.
Overall the song urges the listener to consider the deeper aspects of human nature which are generally unseen such as emotions, dreams and hopes, and seeks to connect with others in a truthful way. Despite the idea of the dream or the person in it acting as salvation, the song conveys a sense that true peace and salvation comes from within.
Line by Line Meaning
If you'd seen the naked dream
If you had experienced the raw and vulnerable vision
I had of you
That I had involving you
Would you care
Would you feel concerned
And come through
And follow through with support or assistance
Take me far away
Help me escape from reality
My wiles and mind can't beat a dream of death today
I'm struggling to cope with the grim thoughts in my head
Hard to get by
Difficult to survive
When what greets my eye takes my breath away
When I'm struck with awe or fear by what I see
In my dream you are around the stars
In this dream, you are amongst celestial bodies
I watched your walls all fall away
I observed your emotional barriers crumble
You were [bare] of thoughts, we were to part
You were without preconceptions, and we were supposed to go our separate ways
And [we] stayed that way
And we remained separated
Some try to hide
Some people attempt to conceal
Because they lied
Due to their dishonesty
They were not true
They were insincere
And they were afraid
And they experienced fear
They refuse to see
They decline to perceive or comprehend
Or be free, be one with me
Or break free, become intimately connected with me
And to gods, they prayed
And they begged deities for salvation
Cryin', "Save me, save me!"
Exclaiming for assistance
Save me, save me, save me!
Resoundingly begging for help
I'll save you, can I spend you?
I'll rescue you, can I have you in exchange?
And now this naked dream
And now this raw and vulnerable vision
I had of you
That I had involving you
Will you care
Will you be concerned
And come through
And follow through with support or assistance
Cryin', "Save me, save me, save me!"
Exclaiming for assistance
Contributed by Madelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@roybobcarrousers1093
Brilliant song by Skip. BOB MOSELY one of the Greatest American Rock n Roll vocalists of all time.
@Bioniking
What happened to Grape is a tragedy of music. Why they are virtually forgotten today is mind boggling
@larrymiller4
Indescribably extraordinary. Subjectively, imo, perhaps the best rock band. Others may have their favorites, but Bob Mosley was the very best rock vocalist of the era. Listen to what he puts into this. "Seeing" in all its ethereal power still haunts me today, from the day I bought this album. Thanks, Moby Grape, and God bless Skip Spence, wherever you are. While here, you were one of those rare people who were so far "out there" that you were pure "mad" genius.
@MrPiper321
The best band to never crack the Billion! It is all production and sound. They are clearly a magnificent band. I get one vote! #1
@rogermurray8553
Collectively, five guys whose force of talent, emotion and passion was unequalled in all of modern American music. Sure, they had a short run of intense creativity. So did Rimbaud.
@zenpaganwarrior
Funny you mention Rimbaud because I think of him when I think of Skip and see pics of his elusive bright-burning soul candle.
@victoralexism
Brilliant song, a great album for a spectacular band. Acid and psychedelic rock raised to maximum power with the class and feeling of Moby Grape.
@davidzimmerli489
Their 1st album was hyped before it was released. I bought it when it was released, and it turned out to be no hype. It still sounds great, more than a half century later. Great and unique group.
@professormacdeezy
I think this is the best version by Moby Grape. and i think they did a great job taking spences work and making it a finished final product. they really were a team/collaborative effort. prettt damn cool.
@toti4
an unbelievable group. i loved all five of these guys, 'specially skip spence and bob mosley-- and THEY ended up homeless. but we have their music, thank the stars. WOW. the late 'sixties were really sumpn great, man o man. the words skip wrote for this are abstract but the dream he's describing is so appealing, eh?