Guitar Flute & String
by Moby

Album: Play (1999)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Moby told Rolling Stone: "I'm the worst judge of my music. This is my favorite song on the whole record. Hands down, bar none. Also recorded demo to a cassette. When Play was released, I didn't think anyone was gonna listen to it. So I figured towards the end, I will put on the songs that I like. No one's gonna listen to this record, certainly no one's ever gonna get this far in the record. Track 15 or whatever? So I put it on there for myself. [The title] is not very inventive. Brought to you by the people that invented the orange."
  • Speaking of flutes in rock, it's about time the story was told: In Al Kooper's book Backstage Passes and Backstabbing Bastards, he reveals the dawn of the electric flute in 1967 when his band The Blues Project was performing "Flute Thing": "Later on, Andy, frustrated at not being able to be heard over our OV (oppressive volume), surprised us by matter-of-factly drilling a hole in his precious flute and installing an electric pickup. There was no looking back now..." Since Jethro Tull at this time was still in London having a hard time getting a gig, this makes Andy Kulberg of The Blues Project the first electric flautist of note. (Flute fans may be further interested in the full Ian Anderson interview)
  • Although Play, Moby's fifth studio album, made him an international phenomenon, his first breakthrough came in 1991 when he released the Twin Peaks-themed electronic single "Go."

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