Renowned for his three-decade stint as the bassist with the Grateful Dead, … Read Full Bio ↴Renowned for his three-decade stint as the bassist with the Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh proved a fan favorite as much for his distinctive jazz playing as for his single-minded devotion to the band, overseeing the quality of every legitimate release. He has issued two solo albums under Phil Lesh & Friends, a quintet that channels the Dead but utilizes only one drummer. His distinctive, wordy writing style, full of allusions, aphorisms, and wordplay, overlays an endearingly low-key jam sound.

Phil continues to tour the country, and often releases digital soundboards of shows for free to keep the community spirit that the Dead created alive and allow the fans access to the music, because as Jerry Garcia once said, once it's out there, it's yours.

Phil received a liver transplant in 1998, and usually includes in his shows a "Donor Rap" encouraging others to become organ donors.

His current lineup as of September 2007 includes:
Larry Campbell (guitar, mandolin, fiddle)
Jackie Greene (vocals and guitar)
Steve Molitz (keyboards)
John Molo (drums)

High time
Phil Lesh & Friends Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You told me goodbye
How was I to know
You didn't mean goodbye
You meant "please don't let me go"

I was having a high time
Living the good life
Ah, well I know

The wheels are muddy
Got a ton of hay
Now listen here, baby
'Cause I mean what I say

I'm having a high time
Living the good life
Ah, well I know

I was losing time, I had nothing to do
No one to fight, I came to you
Wheels broke down, leader won't draw
The line is busted, the last one I saw

Tomorrow come trouble
Tomorrow come pain
Now don't think too hard, baby
'Cause you know what I'm saying

I could show you a high time
Living the good life
Ah, don't be that way

Nothing's for certain
It could always go wrong
Come in when it's raining
Go on out when it's gone

We could have us a high time

Living the good life
Ah, well I know

Overall Meaning

In "High Time," Phil Lesh & Friends sing about the highs and lows of life and love. The song starts with the singer addressing a lover who had told them goodbye. The singer misunderstands the lover's intentions and later realizes that the lover meant, "please don't let me go," rather than an actual goodbye. The singer laments losing time and not having someone to fight for. They then say that they are "having a high time," living the good life despite the struggles they mentioned earlier.

The second verse describes the physical environment around the singer as muddy with a ton of hay. They emphasize their sincerity in what they're saying to their lover. The chorus returns, with the singer singing about their desire to show their lover a high time and live the good life with them. They acknowledge that life can be uncertain and that problems can arise, but they're determined to make the most of it.

Line by Line Meaning

You told me goodbye
You said goodbye to me

How was I to know
I had no idea

You didn't mean goodbye
Your goodbye didn't really mean you were leaving

You meant "please don't let me go"
You actually meant to stay and wanted me to stop you from leaving

I was having a high time
I was enjoying myself

Living the good life
I was living a great life

Ah, well I know
I understand

The wheels are muddy
The wheels are dirty or stuck

Got a ton of hay
I have a lot of work to do

Now listen here, baby
Pay attention, my dear

'Cause I mean what I say
What I'm saying is serious