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."
Lengthwise
Phish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when you're gone
I sleep diagonal in my bed
The lyrics of Phish's song Lengthwise talk about the singer's sleeping pattern, which changes depending on whether their partner is there or not. When the partner is present, the singer sleeps lengthwise, meaning they are stretched out straight along the length of the bed. However, when their partner is absent, the singer sleeps diagonally, taking up more space than when they were sleeping lengthwise. This shift highlights the longing and sense of loss the singer feels when their partner is not around.
However, some interpretations suggest there might be more to these lyrics than just the singer's sleeping pattern. The mention of sleeping lengthwise and diagonally could represent the singer's emotional state. When the partner is present, they feel more stable and secure, which is symbolized by sleeping in a straight line. On the other hand, when the partner is gone, the singer's emotions become unstable, and they feel tossed and turned, reflected in the diagonal sleeping position.
Overall, Lengthwise conveys the feeling of longing and the emotional shift that missing a partner can cause. The lyrics use a simple metaphor of sleeping positions to express the complex emotional state of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're there, I sleep lengthwise
I like to sleep straight and from top to toe when you are with me
And when you're gone
However, when you are not around,
I sleep diagonal in my bed
I tend to sleep diagonally across my bed
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JON FISHMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind