The band's first record, Fatboy (1992), established the band as a favorite of the same 1990s scene that became popular through bands such as the Dave Matthews Band, Phish, and Widespread Panic. moe. has toured with the 1997 Furthur Festival, appeared at Woodstock '99, have played in Central Park, were the opening band for The Allman Brothers and The Who, and performed at Radio City Music Hall on New Years Eve 2006 and 2007.
They also host the annual festival moe.down at Snow Ridge Ski Area in Turin, NY. Started in 2000, the festival runs for three days and occurs every Labor Day weekend. The festival has attracted a wide variety of musical talent. Acts range from newer bands just emerging onto the scene (such as Tea Leaf Green, Nellie McKay and Raq) to big name acts and jam rock staples, such as Les Claypool, Blues Traveler, and Mike Gordon (of Phish fame); to pop rock icons, such as Leo Kottke, The Flaming Lips, The Violent Femmes; and most recently, Perry Farrell. Each year, the amount of moe.down attendees has steadily increased. moe.down I attracted around 3,000 people while moe.down VI in 2005, had attracted close to 7,000.
During an interview, guitarist Al Schnier was asked to describe moe. for those who have never heard their music: "It's an amalgamation of a wide variety of the history of rock, all regurgitated and recycled through the eyes, ears, hands, whatever of the guys in our band and all of that with a sense of adventure, a sense of humor, also a constant desire to push the envelope. All in this arena of taking chances, improvising live, and making things up on the spot."
Their official site can be found at www.moe.org
Spaz Medicine
moe. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now I'm on the inside
Waiting for a wave in doubt
Feeling kind of untied
Betting on a pagan cow
Betting in the sunshine
I was always on the out
Now I'm on the inside
I was always out of place
Now I'm only in time
Falling out of outerspace
Swimming at the glen, I'm
Looking towards the palisades
Fading in the sunshine
I was always out of place
Now I'm only in time
Now I know!
Well I know - oh - oh - oh!
Well I know!
I was always in the wrong
Now I'm only on time
Bringin' all my luck along
Only in the meantime
Singin' someone else's song
Fading in the sunshine
I was always in the wrong
Now I'm only in time
I was never really born
I was only sleeping
Wakin' in the early morn'
Only to believe it
Finding all the ways I've worn
Fading in the sunshine
I was never really born
I was only sleeping
Now I know!
Well I know - oh - oh - oh!
Well I know!
I was always on the out
Now I'm on the inside
Waiting for a wave in doubt
Feeling kind of untied
Betting on a pagan cow
Betting in the sunshine
I was always on the out
Now I'm on the inside
I was always out of place
Now I'm only in time
Falling out of outerspace
Swimming at the glen, I'm
Looking towards the palisades
Fading in the sunshine
I was always out of place
Now I'm only in time
I was always out of place
Now I'm only in time
Falling out of outerspace
Swimming at the glen, I'm
Looking towards the palisades
Fading in the sunshine
I was always out of place
Now I'm only in time
I was always out of place
Now I'm only in time
Falling out of outerspace
Swimming at the glen, I'm
Looking towards the palisades
Fading in the sunshine
I was always out of place
Now I'm only in time
Now I know!
Well I know - oh - oh - oh!
Well I know!
The song "Spaz Medicine" by moe. contains verses that describe the feeling of being an outsider and feeling disconnected from the world. The singer starts by saying that he was always on the outside, but now he feels like he's on the inside. He's waiting for something to happen, uncertain, but feeling liberated. He bets on a pagan cow, which could signify a disregard for mainstream beliefs or a penchant for taking risks, and bets in the sunshine, which represents optimism.
The singer then acknowledges that he used to feel out of place all the time, but now he's in sync with the world. He describes falling out of outer space and swimming at the glen, which could represent feeling lost in the vastness of the universe, but also finding a sense of belonging in nature. He looks towards the palisades and fades into the sunshine, perhaps acknowledging the beauty of the world or contemplating the passage of time.
The chorus repeats the idea of always being an outsider but now feeling like he's in the right place at the right time. He's singing someone else's song, which could indicate a newfound confidence or the feeling of being part of a community. The final verse implies a sense of rebirth or awakening, with the singer realizing that he was never really born but was only sleeping. He finds new ways to connect to the world and fades into the sunshine once again.
Overall, the song seems to be about finding one's place in the world and experiencing a newfound sense of belonging. It's about embracing uncertainty, taking risks, and finding joy in the beauty of nature.
Line by Line Meaning
I was always on the out
I never felt like I fit in or belonged anywhere
Now I'm on the inside
I finally feel like I am a part of something and belong
Waiting for a wave in doubt
I am uncertain about what the future holds and feel like I'm waiting for something to happen
Feeling kind of untied
I feel free and unburdened, but also a bit lost and unsure
Betting on a pagan cow
I am taking a risk on something unconventional or unexpected
Betting in the sunshine
I am taking this risk with a positive attitude and outlook
I was always out of place
I never felt like I belonged or fit in anywhere
Now I'm only in time
I have finally found my place and am living in the present moment
Falling out of outerspace
I feel like my life was chaotic and out of control, but I am now coming back down to reality
Swimming at the glen, I'm
I am enjoying the simple things in life and taking pleasure in the moment
Looking towards the palisades
I am looking towards the future and setting goals for myself
I was never really born
I feel like I am just starting to really live my life
I was only sleeping
I was not fully awake and aware of my life and my surroundings before
Wakin' in the early morn'
I am starting fresh and with a new perspective on life
Only to believe it
I am embracing this new way of life and truly believing in myself and my abilities
Finding all the ways I've worn
I am reflecting on my past experiences and learning from them
Now I know!
I have finally found clarity and understanding about my life
Well I know - oh - oh - oh!
I am expressing my excitement and joy about this newfound knowledge
Writer(s): Al Schnier, Rob Derhak, Chuck Garvey
Contributed by Aubrey M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.