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."
Sparkle
Phish Lyrics
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You're hoping that your dread will lift
It glitters on her like a glass
You shudder as it comes to pass
Apologize to Luce and Lil'
Converse with Ed, a drive with Jill
Your friends confine you in their worlds
One by one, a string of pearls
You hover in their unity
Ashamed, you slowly lose your grasp
Release the links, undo the clasp
The skin that drips down from the tree
And peels back slowly from your knee
Erupts into your lung and heart
You laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and laughing, fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
The song "Sparkle" by Phish is a rather enigmatic and abstract piece, but it seems to be exploring themes of social anxiety and the struggle to find oneself within a larger group. The opening lines describe the pressure of buying a gift, perhaps for someone within the group of friends being addressed in the lyrics. The hope is that the gift will somehow alleviate the sense of dread the singer feels.
As the song continues, we see the singer interacting with various members of the group, including Luce, Lil, Ed, and Jill. Despite these interactions, they feel increasingly isolated within the group, describing themselves as "confused" and feeling like "this isn't me". There is a sense of shame and loss of control as the singer "slowly lose[s their] grasp".
The final lines of the song take a surreal turn with the image of skin peeling off the singer's knee and "erupting" into their lung and heart, causing them to laugh uncontrollably and fall apart. It's unclear how this image fits into the larger themes of the song, but it may be meant to convey a sense of release or catharsis.
Overall, "Sparkle" seems to be a deeply introspective exploration of the individual's struggle to find their place in a larger social group, and the sense of anxiety and alienation that can come with that struggle.
Line by Line Meaning
The pressure builds, you buy a gift
You feel the weight of expectation and hope that purchasing a gift will alleviate your anxiety.
You're hoping that your dread will lift
You desire release from the heaviness of your apprehension.
It glitters on her like a glass
The gift sparkles and shines on her, catching your eye.
You shudder as it comes to pass
You recoil in terror as the inevitable moment arrives.
Apologize to Luce and Lil'
You express remorse to your friends Luce and Lil'.
Converse with Ed, a drive with Jill
You engage in conversation with Ed and go for a drive with Jill.
Your friends confine you in their worlds
Your friends limit you to their personal experiences and perspectives.
One by one, a string of pearls
Each interaction feels like a pearl on a necklace, slowly stringing moments together.
Confuse you say, this isn't me
You're confused and state that you're not being yourself.
You hover in their unity
You remain aloof in their collective togetherness.
Ashamed, you slowly lose your grasp
Your embarrassment causes you to lose your handle on the situation.
Release the links, undo the clasp
You let go of expectations and allow yourself to be free.
The skin that drips down from the tree
As the bark peels away from the tree, it resembles skin shedding.
And peels back slowly from your knee
Similarly, you feel as if something is slowly shedding away from yourself.
Erupts into your lung and heart
The metaphorical 'shedding' suddenly hits you deeply and overwhelms you.
You laugh and laughing, fall apart
You break down into laughter and tears at the same time, overcome with emotion.
Laugh and Laughing fall apart
The repetition of the final lines emphasize the idea of total emotional breakdown.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: EDWARD JOEL KOWALCZYK, CHAD DAVID TAYLOR, PATRICK DAHLHEIMER, CHAD ALAN GRACEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind