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
Waiting for the Punchline
moe. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Left me wide-eyed wondering what I know
Like rain, you crept away
Left me high and dry on down the road
And I'm waiting for the punchline
But I've been here for seven days
It's a shameful price to pay
The way I feel today
Makes me wonder if life is truly a joke
Well I'm waiting for the punchline
And I've been here for seven days
I'm waiting for the puncline
And I've been here for seven days
My daddy told me about the likes of you
My mama told me about the likes of you
My preacher told me about the likes of you
I tried to tell myself about the likes of you
Sometimes I wonder how
You do the things you do and sleep at night
The lines are clearly drawn
And so is you and you are always right
And I'm waiting for the punchline
But I've been here for seven days
Sometimes I roll the dice
You pack your bags and steal away the night
And I will always know
The way you lie and it will be your life
And I'm waiting for the puncline
But I've been here for seven days
And I'm waiting for the punchline
But I've been here for seven days
My daddy told me about the likes of you
My mama told me about the likes of you
My preacher told me about the likes of you
I tried to tell myself about the likes of you
I'm fascinated with people who live their lives in chains
I've always hated the way you lie and play a high fast game
And if I waited, would my life be such a cryin' shame?
I'm fascinated with the life of lies and shame
My daddy told me about the likes of you
My mama told me about the likes of you
My preacher told me about the likes of you
I tried to tell myself about the likes of you
My daddy told me about the likes of you
My mama told me about the likes of you
My preacher told me about the likes of you
I tried to tell myself about the likes of you
My daddy told me
My mama told me
My preacher told me
Peter Jennings told me
(Repeat 4x)
Daddy
Mama
Preacher
Jennings
(Repeat 4x)
The lyrics to moe.'s song Waiting for the Punchline delve into the emotions of a person who has been left feeling bewildered and confused by a loved one who has left them unexpectedly. The singer seems to be struggling with the idea that life and relationships are nothing more than a joke, especially when they are continually let down by those they trust. The singer is waiting for something to happen to explain the situation, hence the punchline, but their wait seems never-ending, leaving them in a state of limbo. The singer's family and even a newscaster like Peter Jennings have warned them about people like the one who left them high and dry, but they try to ignore the warnings until it's too late. In the end, the singer still finds themselves fascinated with the life of lies and shame, even though it has brought them nothing but pain.
Line by Line Meaning
You came and went away
You abruptly left me
Left me wide-eyed wondering what I know
You left me confused and questioning my own understanding
Like rain, you crept away
You left silently and steadily, like a rain shower
Left me high and dry on down the road
You left me stranded and alone
And I'm waiting for the punchline
I'm expecting a surprising or amusing twist in this situation
But I've been here for seven days
I've been waiting for a week
It's a shameful price to pay
This is a terrible consequence
Then I wasn't, was still dead and broke
I was really struggling financially
The way I feel today
My current emotional state
Makes me wonder if life is truly a joke
I question if there's any meaning or purpose to life
Well I'm waiting for the punchline
I'm still anticipating a twist or surprise in this situation
My daddy told me about the likes of you
My father warned me about people like you
My mama told me about the likes of you
My mother warned me about people like you
My preacher told me about the likes of you
My religious leader warned me about people like you
I tried to tell myself about the likes of you
I tried to warn myself about people like you
Sometimes I wonder how
I'm curious about how you do what you do
You do the things you do and sleep at night
You're able to do things that are morally wrong and feel no remorse
The lines are clearly drawn
The boundaries or rules are well-defined
And so is you and you are always right
You always think you're in the right
Sometimes I roll the dice
I take risks in life
You pack your bags and steal away the night
You leave when it's dark to avoid being caught or confronted
And I will always know
I'll never forget
The way you lie and it will be your life
You're defined by the way you deceive others
I'm fascinated with people who live their lives in chains
I find it interesting and sad when people are trapped in negative circumstances
I've always hated the way you lie and play a high fast game
I've always disliked your deceitful behavior and risky choices
And if I waited, would my life be such a cryin' shame?
I wonder if my life would be a disappointment if I waited for you
Daddy
My father
Mama
My mother
Preacher
My religious leader
Jennings
A news anchor who may have also warned me about people like you
Contributed by Isabella D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.