In February 2005, newspaper writer Tammy LaGorce described Moore as a "lo-fi legend" in the New York Times.
Moore, born in Nashville, Tennessee, made his commercial recording debut at age seven, singing a duet with Jim Reeves entitled "But You Love Me, Daddy" on the RCA Victor album Songs to Warm the Heart.
Moore was gifted with intuitive proficiency for guitar, bass, keyboards, percussion, and songwriting. In 1966, he began pursuing what would become his lifelong passion, home recording, using a reel-to-reel tape deck set up in his basement. In 1967, he formed his first band, The Marlborough (a rock combo). He also began working for his father as a studio musician, and as an assistant at Mimosa Music, his father's music publishing company.
After dropping out of Vanderbilt University in 1971 to pursue a career as a professional artist, performer and entertainer Moore issued his home-recorded 1976 debut album Phonography on his uncle Harry "H.P." Palmer's HP Music label. The initial run was limited to 100 copies. Trouser Press gave the album rave reviews, calling it "an outrageous collection of musical brain spewage" and "a true slash of genius". Moore moved from Nashville to New Jersey shortly afterwards, his uncle releasing two further collections, The Stance EP, and Delicate Tension in 1978 (Moore's home tape releases continuing at the same time).
In 1996, in a gesture far overdue, "Phonography" was listed among "the fifty most significant indie records" in Rolling Stone's Alt-Rock-A-Rama.
1980 saw an important tape release, Clack!, this time recorded professionally. In 1981, Moore set up the RSM Cassette Club as an outlet for his home-recorded work, making available all tapes recorded by Moore stretching back to 1968, each listed with a 'listenability quotient' rating from 1 to 10.
The next LP release was 1984's What's The Point?!! and in the same year Paris' New Rose Records issued a double album compilation, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About R Stevie Moore But Were Afraid To Ask. The label described Moore as "one of the best songwriters of all time".Everything proved particularly popular in France, with a single "Chantilly Lace" from the album becoming a minor sleeper hit there, and prompting Moore to undertake a promotional visit to the country, where he was welcomed with not insignificant adulation and press-buzz. Further albums followed in the 80s, including Verve, Glad Music (this time recorded in a professional studio), (1952-19??), and Teenage Spectacular (described by Moore then as "the most enjoyable project of my career".)
During the 1980s Moore appeared sporadically on the Uncle Floyd TV show, a tongue-in-cheek, public-access style clown, puppet and variety show that broadcast out of New Jersey.
Moore was an early on-air personality at WFMU, an independent free-form radio station out of New Jersey.
Around 1988, Moore started working in home video, and he is now active on YouTube and MySpace.
The advent of CD-R as a medium for self-issued music brought Moore and his fans new enthusiasm for his home recording, and in 1999 the cassette club became the "R. Stevie Moore CDR Club" (CDRSMCLUB).
In 2002 Moore recorded an album with Half Japanese frontman Jad Fair, titled FairMoore, described as "a lovely, heartfelt effort that shows both in top form" by Dave Mandl, who stated that it "brings together two fiercely original figures in the American music underground", the album consisting of Fair reciting his poetry over Moore's instrumental backing.
Throughout the 2000s Moore, has continued to issue more official CD's released on various independent labels around the world. He also worked on several mail collaborations with Terry Burrows (aka Yukio Yung), Ariel Pink, Lane Steinberg and others.
Moore contributed a track to the 2007 Worried Noodles compilation on Tomlab, alongside David Byrne, Deerhoof and Liars, compiled by British artist David Shrigley. Shrigley also interviewed Moore for BOMB Magazine magazine that year.
The Voice
R. Stevie Moore Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't wanna fake enough
I don't wanna fiction that's enough
I don't wanna fake enough
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Hey, how you feel? (yeah)
俺 was bad (bad)
産み出す plan (plan)
Only one (one) lonely love (love)
等身大 (uh) blondy girl (yeah)
何を求めて君は
地球に夢中になってる? (uh-uh)
足跡残し宇宙に飛び立ってた aliens と
交信かむ共振 'cause 同志が集い出す
そんな未来 (そんな未来) yeah, yeah
果てまで we don't stop
彼の人生 like a movie star (movie star)
Are gives me a lot of freedom
And also the possibility to be myself
マジで respect
交差する story
覚めない夢は夢じゃないと思うの
VOiCE in da sky falling ice's on my neck
Dragon riders in da sky falling ice's on my neck
VOiCE in da sky falling ice's on my neck
Dragon ride in OAM
Dragon, dragon ride in OAM
I don't wanna fiction that's enough (VOiCE in da sky falling ice's on my neck)
I don't wanna fake enough
I don't wanna fiction that's enough (VOiCE in da sky falling ice's on my neck)
I don't wanna fake enough
向かうもっと向こう
足元ナイキ (hey)
進んでく毎日 (hey)
横には my team (hey)
燃えたぎってるなのに
なんか凍えてる首元 ice on me
人生は何通り
でも寄り道とかはさ もういい
Yeah 何度でも上がってく上
俺は
自分を信じてるからね
Yeah 毎日が楽しい (しい)
ノリで買う LouisV (V)
Nobu で食う sushi (eh-eh)
ダラダラする暇とか今俺らにちょっと無い (yeah)
濡れてる首指腕見てこの意志ならガチ
昔よりは上がった収入 けど変わんない仲間
下がる hater の口角そのまま
いっぺんに増える devil
VOiCE in da sky falling ice's on my neck
Dragon riders in da sky falling ice's on my neck
VOiCE in da sky falling ice's on my neck
Dragon ride in OAM
Dragon, dragon ride in OAM
I don't wanna fiction that's enough
I don't wanna fake enough
I don't wanna fiction that's enough
I don't wanna fake enough
VOiCE in da sky falling ice's on my neck
Dragon riders in da sky falling ice's on my neck
VOiCE in da sky falling ice's on my neck
Dragon ride in OAM
Dragon, dragon ride in OAM
The lyrics to R. Stevie Moore's song "The Voice" seem to convey a message of authenticity and a rejection of artificiality. The repeated lines "I don't wanna fiction that's enough, I don't wanna fake enough" suggest a desire to be true to oneself and not engage in pretense or falsehood. The use of the word "fiction" implies a rejection of the fabricated or imagined aspects of life, while the word "fake" denotes a rejection of insincerity or inauthenticity.
The lyrics also touch on themes of self-belief and the pursuit of one's dreams. The lines "向かうもっと向こう" (heading further and further), "自分を信じてるからね" (because I believe in myself), and "覚めない夢は夢じゃないと思うの" (I believe that dreams that don't fade away are not just dreams) all speak to the idea of having confidence in oneself and chasing after aspirations. There is a sense of determination and resilience in the face of challenges or critics, as mentioned in lines like "いっぺんに増える devil" (haters multiplying all at once) and "下がる hater の口角そのまま" (haters with downturned mouths).
The inclusion of the Japanese lyrics adds an interesting dimension to the song, offering a glimpse into Japanese culture and language. The mixture of English and Japanese lyrics may also symbolize the fusion of different influences and perspectives in the artist's life and artistic expression.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna fiction that's enough
I don't want to pretend or create false stories anymore, it's become tiresome
I don't wanna fake enough
I don't want to be fake or deceive anymore
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Expressing agreement and enthusiasm
Hey, how you feel? (yeah)
Asking how someone feels and expressing affirmation
俺 was bad (bad)
Referring to oneself as being cool or exceptional
どん don't fuck (fuck)
Emphasizing the determination to avoid getting involved in unnecessary conflicts
産み出す plan (plan)
Creating and implementing a plan
Only one (one) lonely love (love)
Feeling lonely from having only one love interest
等身大 (uh) blondy girl (yeah)
Describing a real-life blonde girl
何を求めて君は
地球に夢中になってる? (uh-uh)
What are you seeking and obsessing about on this earth?
足跡残し宇宙に飛び立ってた aliens と
交信かむ共振 'cause 同志が集い出す
そんな未来 (そんな未来) yeah, yeah
Communicating and resonating with aliens who leave footprints and have aspirations of exploring the universe, as like-minded people come together, such future is possible
果てまで we don't stop
We won't stop until the end
彼の人生 like a movie star (movie star)
One's life being like that of a movie star
Are gives me a lot of freedom
The 'are' (art) provides me with a great deal of freedom
And also the possibility to be myself
It also allows me the opportunity to be true to myself
マジで respect
Sincerely respecting something or someone
交差する story
Stories intersecting or crossing paths
覚めない夢は夢じゃないと思うの
I believe that dreams that never fade are not just dreams
VOiCE in da sky falling ice's on my neck
The voice in the sky, with falling ice on my neck
Dragon riders in da sky falling ice's on my neck
Riders on dragons in the sky, with falling ice on my neck
Dragon ride in OAM
Riding a dragon in the world of OAM
向かうもっと向こう
足元ナイキ (hey)
Heading towards the further beyond, stepping with Nike footwear
進んでく毎日 (hey)
Advancing through each day
横には my team (hey)
By my side is my team
燃えたぎってるなのに
なんか凍えてる首元 ice on me
Even though I'm burning with passion, there's some ice chilling on my neck
人生は何通り
でも寄り道とかはさ もういい
There are many paths in life, but I'm tired of detours or distractions
Yeah 何度でも上がってく上
俺は
自分を信じてるからね
Yeah, no matter how many times I fall, I believe in myself
Yeah 毎日が楽しい (しい)
Yeah, every day is enjoyable
ノリで買う LouisV (V)
Buying Louis Vuitton items spontaneously
Nobu で食う sushi (eh-eh)
Eating sushi at Nobu restaurant
ダラダラする暇とか今俺らにちょっと無い (yeah)
We don't have time to waste idly right now
濡れてる首指腕見てこの意志ならガチ
Looking at the wet neck and wrists, this determination is genuine
昔よりは上がった収入 けど変わんない仲間
Income has increased compared to the past, but the friends remain unchanged
下がる hater の口角そのまま
The mouths of the haters remain downturned
いっぺんに増える devil
Devils multiplying at once
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: OZworld, Jp the Wavy, Ryosuke "Dr.R" Sakai
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind