The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a rigorous touring schedule that draws a famously dedicated fan base. Their music blends elements of a wide variety of genres, including funk, progressive rock, psychedelic rock, folk, country, jazz, blues, bluegrass, and pop. Phish were part of a movement of improvisational rock groups, inspired by the Grateful Dead and colloquially known as "jam bands", which gained considerable popularity as touring concert acts in the 1990s.
After 15 years of performing together, Phish went on hiatus in 2000. They resumed touring in December 2002, but disbanded in 2004 after a farewell performance at their Coventry Festival in Vermont. They reunited in March 2009 for a series of three consecutive concerts played in the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia, and have since resumed performing regularly.
Although the group received little radio play or MTV exposure, Phish developed a large following by word of mouth during the 1990s, particularly through fan-record tapes of their concerts, which circulated for free online with the band's permission. While often compared to the Grateful Dead, Phish finds their roots in styles such as jazz, funk and alternative rock as opposed to the Dead, who were more influenced by folk, country and blues.
Each Phish concert is different in terms of the songs included and the order in which they appeared, and (for many songs) in the way in which they were performed. Also unique to Phish are their large summer festivals which draw upwards of 70K people to remote areas in Maine and New York State as well as close to 100K for their epic Millennium Show in the Everglades of South Florida.
Along with Bob Dylan and The Beatles, Phish were one of the first bands to have an Internet newsgroup - rec.music.phish - launched in 1991.
In regards to Phish, Rolling Stone magazine proclaimed "Given their sense of community, their ambition and their challenging, generous performances, Phish have become the most important band of the Nineties."
Dirt
Phish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Washed up on shore
I'd like to live beneath the dirt
A tiny space to move and breathe is all that I would ever need
I want to live beneath the dirt
Where I'd be free from push and shove like all those swarming up above
Beneath your heals I'll spend my time
Shout your name into the wind
I'll wiggle in the earth and dew
Shout your name into the wind
And sometimes I will think of you
Shout your name into the wind
And if you ever think of me
Kneel down and kiss the earth
And show me what this thought is worth
I'll never hear your voice again
Shout your name into the wind
Shout your name into the wind
Shout your name into the wind
Shout your name into the wind
Shout your name into the wind
Shout your name into the wind
Shout your name into the wind
Shout your name into the wind
The song "Dirt" by Phish is a hauntingly beautiful meditation on mortality and the desire for a simple existence. The repeated refrain of "Washed up on shore" sets the tone of the song as one of surrender to the forces of nature and the inevitability of death. The singer of the song longs to "live beneath the dirt," away from the chaos and competition of life above. The idea of finding "a tiny space to move and breathe" is a powerful image of the desire for simplicity.
The chorus of the song takes on a different tone, with the singer urging the listener to "shout your name into the wind." This could be seen as a call to remember and honor those who have passed on. There is a sense of comfort in the idea that even if we are gone, our memory can live on in the natural world. The final line, "I'll never hear your voice again," brings the theme of mortality and impermanence back into focus.
Overall, "Dirt" is a poignant and thought-provoking song that encourages reflection on life and death, and the impermanence of all things.
Line by Line Meaning
Washed up on shore
Feeling lost and stranded like being washed up on a shore
Washed up on shore
Repeating the feeling of being lost and stranded
I'd like to live beneath the dirt
The desire to escape from the overwhelming world above
A tiny space to move and breathe is all that I would ever need
Contentment in a simple life with just enough space to survive
I want to live beneath the dirt
Reiteration of the desire to escape from society
Where I'd be free from push and shove like all those swarming up above
The freedom from the stress and struggles of society is desired
Beneath your heals I'll spend my time
Emphasizing the desire to live beneath the earth
Shout your name into the wind
Desire for connection and the hope of being heard
I'll wiggle in the earth and dew
The connection being sought is with nature
And sometimes I will think of you
Even in isolation, thoughts of connection still linger
And if you ever think of me
Hope for a reciprocal connection
Kneel down and kiss the earth
Valuing the natural world as the source of comfort and connection
And show me what this thought is worth
Asking for proof that the desire for connection is worth anything
I'll never hear your voice again
Acceptance of the likelihood of a lack of reciprocal connection
Shout your name into the wind
Repeated desire for connection
Shout your name into the wind
Reiteration of the hope for a connection
Shout your name into the wind
Repetition of the desire to be heard and connected with
Shout your name into the wind
Final plea for connection
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: SCOTT HERMAN, TOM MARSHALL, TREY ANASTASIO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind