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."
Izabella
Phish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Girl, I'm holding you in my dreams every night
Yeah, but you know good well baby
You know we got this war to fight
Well, I'm calling you under fire
Well, I hope you're receiving me all right
Hey, Izabella
Yeah, yeah, yeah, baby!
All this blood is for the world of you
All your love!
So I hope you save your love, baby
Then I know the fightin' is true
The Phish song "Izabella" is about a soldier fighting in a war who dreams of his lover Izabella. The lyrics convey the soldier's struggle to balance his love for Izabella with his duty to fight in a war that he believes is necessary for the future of the world. He conveys his love for her and how important she is to him, but also expresses that he has a greater responsibility to fight for future generations.
The lyrics show the soldier's anxiety about whether he can survive the war and reunite with Izabella. He hopes that her love is strong enough to endure the separation and the danger that he faces. The lyrics also convey the soldier's courage in the face of danger as he fights for a cause that he believes in.
Overall, the song presents a message about the sacrifices that soldiers make for their country and the people they love. It highlights the struggle that soldiers face in balancing their personal relationships with their responsibility to protect and serve their country.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Izabella
Addressing the person called Izabella
Girl, I'm holding you in my dreams every night
Expressing the feeling of dreaming about Izabella every night
Yeah, but you know good well baby
Acknowledging the fact that Izabella is aware
You know we got this war to fight
Reminding Izabella of the war that they have to fight
Well, I'm calling you under fire
Reaching out to Izabella amidst the fight
Well, I hope you're receiving me all right
Expressing hope that Izabella is able to comprehend the call amidst the chaos
Hey, Izabella
Addressing the person called Izabella again
Girl, I'm fightin' this war for the children and you
Elaborating on the reason for fighting the war by mentioning the children and Izabella
Yeah, yeah, yeah, baby!
Excitedly acknowledging Izabella
All this blood is for the world of you
Referring to the sacrifices made for the sake of a better world for Izabella
All your love!
Expressing affection for Izabella's love
So I hope you save your love, baby
Encouraging Izabella to hold on to her love amidst the war
Then I know the fightin' is true
Believing that the love between them will keep them going in the war
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JIMI HENDRIX
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind