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."
Prince Caspian
Phish Lyrics
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Oh, to be Prince Caspian afloat upon the waves
Oh, to be Prince Caspian afloat upon the waves
Oh, to be Prince Caspian,
With nothing to return to but the demons in their caves
Oh, to be Prince Caspian afloat upon the waves
Oh, to be Prince Caspian afloat upon the waves
Oh, to be Prince Caspian,
And the children in the fields all sowing seed and chaffing wheat
Oh, to be Prince Caspian with stumps instead of feet
Oh to be Prince Caspian
Oh to be Prince Caspian
Oh to be Prince Caspian
The lyrics to Phish's "Prince Caspian" convey a feeling of longing for a life unencumbered by the troubles and pain of everyday existence. The repeated refrain of "Oh, to be Prince Caspian afloat upon the waves" suggests a desire to escape the mundane and experience the freedom and adventure Prince Caspian would have felt as a seafaring hero in C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" series. The lyrics also allude to the demons in their caves, representing the struggles we face in life, and the difficulty of returning to them after experiencing a moment of freedom.
The reference to "the children in the fields all sowing seed and chaffing wheat" suggests a simpler, more innocent way of life, one that is free from the constraints of modern society. The line "Oh to be Prince Caspian with stumps instead of feet" is a reference to the character's sacrifice in the book, where he loses his legs in an epic battle to save Narnia. This could be interpreted as a desire to trade comfort and security for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, to be Prince Caspian afloat upon the waves
Dreaming of a life of freedom and adventure, far away from the mundane world
With nothing to return to but the demons in their caves
Escaping from personal struggles and confronting inner demons
And the children in the fields all sowing seed and chaffing wheat
Leaving behind the responsibilities and duties of the world, such as manual labor
Oh, to be Prince Caspian with stumps instead of feet
Willingness to sacrifice physical comforts and abilities for the sake of adventure and discovery
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID BYRNE, CHRIS FRANTZ, TINA WEYMOUTH, JERRY HARRISON, BRIAN ENO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind