ADAM SCHOALES

Moby on Singing and Slipping Away.

I wanted to present an excerpt from the Moby iTunes Originals session which I really like in which Moby talks about wanting to be a singer, and the imperfections of his voice, and how he loves them. Then I figured I’d present an alternate version of “Slipping Away”, since it seems to be such a big hit.

For the record, I still think I prefer the original (of this track, there’s others in this collection which I prefer to the original) but there’s something cool about hearing this very raw version of the track. Maybe it’s just cause I love that his singing isn’t perfect, cause mine isn’t either. Not that you’ll ever hear that.

I’ll likely continue to post a few of these “iTunes Originals” versions of tracks from Hotel. I mean, why not? They’re good songs, and it’s pretty cool to hear these alternate versions.

Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen.

No Moby for today, even if there’s one last song from Hotel I’d love to share. Instead I’m reposting a track that I became obsessed with last year. I listened to it nearly every day. It helped me get through some crazy shit that was going on and I’m hoping that maybe this year it can do the same.

If you don’t know about “The Sunscreen Song” you might want to check out the Wikipedia article.

It’s long. It’s weird. And yet it’s also kind of moving. I just wish I could take all the advice…

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99 
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be 
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by 
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable 
than my own meandering 
experience…I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not 
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. 
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and 
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before 
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you 
imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as 
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing 
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that 
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm 
on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Sing

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with 
people who are reckless with yours.

Floss

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes 
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with 
yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you 
succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your 
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they 
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year 
olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe 
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky 
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t 
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your 
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body, 
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people 
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever 
own..

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for 
good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the 
people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you 
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and 
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you 
knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live 
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will 
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize 
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were 
noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, 
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one 
might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you’re 40, it will 
look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who 
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of 
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the 
ugly parts and recycling it for more than 
it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen…

Moby - Dream About Me

Time for your daily dose of Mellow Moby. Another favourite from Hotel. It goes without saying: like it? Buy it.

Moby - Love Should

So it takes some time
And slip away
Holding on to love
Love should stay
Holding on to you is the best thing I’ll ever do

I know how it rains
I know how it pours
I never could feel this way
For anyone but you

Got a great response from the Moby track I posted yesterday, so here’s another soft, low-key track from the album that I absolutely adore. A great mellow, late-night, romantic track.

Once again, if you haven’t yet checked out the Moby back catalogue do yourself a favour and do so. It’s incredible. Hotel is a nice mix of his styles, and probably his most easily accessible album, next to Play (which is pretty much one of those albums you simply must listen to before you die). 18 is pretty good too (good enough for Woody Allen to feature a track in one of his films).

Have a nice night everyone.

Moby - Slipping Away

All that we needed tonight
Are people who love us and like
I know how it feels to need
Oh when we leave here, you’ll see

Open to everything happy and sad
Seeing the good when it’s all going bad
Seeing the sun when I can’t really see
Hoping the sun will at least look at me

Focus on everything better today
All that I needed I never could say
Hold on to people, they’re slipping away
Hold on to this while it’s slipping away

I’ve been revisiting Moby’s 2005 Album “Hotel” a lot lately. I don’t know what it is about the album but it just feels right for right now. I remember when I first heard it I wasn’t wild about it since it was such a departure from the Moby stuff I knew and loved (most notably Play and to a lesser degree 18). However now that I’ve gotten used to the fact that its not an electronic-dance-pop type record I’ve become very accepting of it, and grown to really like it.

Maybe it’s the lyrics? Maybe its the orchestrations? Maybe it’s simply the fact that Moby’s voice has this untrained quality to it? Moby himself said that for the longest time he hated his voice (sound familiar) but grew to accept that he’d never be David Bowie and grew to love the things that made his voice unique. I admire that. Also doesn’t hurt that the songs are mostly in my range.

This song in particular is quickly becoming my favourite on the record. There’s a few more rock/dance tracks, and a few more laid back romantic songs (which are beautiful by the way), but this one just seems to fit my mood lately.

Seriously though, if you still haven’t checked out the Moby back catalogue do yourself a favour and do so. It’s incredible. And with so many different musical styles there’s bound to be at least one album you’ll enjoy.