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
Spine of a Dog >
moe. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You say potato and I say three
You say potato and I say three
You say potato and I say three
You say potato and I say three
I am a pinball machine.
I can't tell the difference between
My bellybutton or navel
Why is it you ask me why
I don't know the answer
Why is it you ask me why
I don't know the answer
Why is it you ask me why
I don't transmit what hits my eye
We're the same, yeah you and me
Except you say potato and I say three
I'm thinking of what I'd rather be
Parameceum is lookin' pretty good to me
I'd be so small you could not see
I could still be your worst enemy
I am a pinball machine.
I can't tell the difference between
My bellybutton or navel
Pingpong, pool cue, or a foosball table
The lyrics to moe.'s song Spine Of A Dog are full of abstract and whimsical imagery that defies a clear and concise interpretation. Nonetheless, the song seems to revolve around the idea of confusion and a lack of understanding, both on a personal and a universal level. The repetition of the phrase "You say potato and I say three" highlights this sense of disorientation and a breakdown in communication, with the two parties unable to agree on something as basic as the name of a common vegetable.
The references to pinball, pingpong, and other games also suggest a sense of being adrift and out of control, with the singer unable to distinguish between different stimuli and experiences. There is a sense of fragmentation and disintegration in the lyrics, with the singer struggling to make sense of the world around him and unable to communicate effectively with others. The final lines of the song, which refer to the singer wishing to become a paramecium, suggest a desire to escape from the complexities and contradictions of human existence and retreat into a simpler, more manageable form of life.
Line by Line Meaning
You say potato and I say three
We have different perspectives and ideas, we don't see things the same way
I am a pinball machine.
I feel like I have no control, no agency. My life is just bouncing around without direction.
I can't tell the difference between
I'm confused and lost, I can't distinguish things from one another
My bellybutton or navel
I can't even tell the difference between basic things about myself
Pingpong, pool cue, or a foosball table
I can't differentiate between different objects, even when they are functionally different
Why is it you ask me why
I don't have an answer and I don't understand why you're even asking me
I don't transmit what hits my eye
I struggle to communicate my thoughts and feelings, I am not able to express myself fully
We're the same, yeah you and me
Despite our differences, we are still fundamentally the same
I'm thinking of what I'd rather be
I am not satisfied with who and what I am, I wish I was someone or something else
Parameceum is lookin' pretty good to me
I would rather be something small and insignificant, rather than feeling helpless and lost
I'd be so small you could not see
I feel like being invisible and unimportant would be preferable to feeling overwhelmed and out of control
I could still be your worst enemy
Despite my insignificance, I could still cause harm and be a threat to others
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: AL SCHNIER, CHUCK GARVEY, ROB DERHAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
joe leoni
This is the song that actually got me into Moe. I remember it playing on repeat at this high school party I was at drunk as shit but just standing in front of the speakers lovin it.
Cary Fields
Used to play this in the car incessantly when son and daughter were babies in the nineties and they can still run down the lyric verbatim in adulthood. The legacy lives on!
msrysignals
almost every song on this album is written in D major, but it's still so fuggin' awesomeeee
Brandy Ward
I have been looking for this song for 8 years and I'm so glad I finally found it thank you random redditor
Life Hacks For You
I have no idea when I first heard this song but its pretty damn awsome
Zach Stevens
I have honestly viewed this 200+ times.
Kendal Weary
I listned to this song all day no joke
Basement Growers
I love chuck songs
george humphery
love it need more
optionaxis
Great song! moe.down10 be there!