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."
Train Song
Phish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To review the coulds before we were born
And to invite a new game of can'ts
Absorbed in the clouds a voice from afar said
"With the right device you can make a pattern grow
Or you can tune up your car"
As the lights of the city drew near
We drank a little wine
They were blurry and green outer space in between
With a depth and a form unclear
Then we saw it up ahead
A flickering lantern lit up on the tracks
In the rugs that had covered up the bridge
From the banks of a river to the bed
Of the valley upstream to the place we live
The glass on the lantern cast back the sight
Of a drive-in movie we drove by below
We saw where we'd been in the pictures within
Projecting all the places we would go
So we follow the scene and flowed up your steps
To a smooth wooden floor in a trance
The train whistle melody woved through the trees
And in through the door to signal the turns of a dance
The lyrics of Phish's song Train Song portray a journey through time and space, where the singer is absorbed in the clouds and contemplating the patterns of life. They receive advice from a distant voice that with the right instrument, one can make patterns grow or tune up their car. This prompts them to stay on the train, enjoying the changing landscapes and drinking wine. As they progress, they notice a lantern flickering on the tracks, which leads them to a bridge covering a river to the valley upstream where they reside. The lantern's reflection shows them a drive-in movie, projecting places they have been, and places they will go. The song culminates in a transcendent dance where the music of the train whistle merges with the sounds of nature.
The song's poetic language encourages the listener to get carried away on a journey that is both physical and emotional. The repeated imagery of clouds and patterns remind us of the transient nature of our existence, where everything we experience repeats, and nothing lasts forever. The lantern flickering on the tracks represents the illumination of the path ahead, leading to the bridge, which symbolizes the transition from one phase of life to another. The drive-in movie depicted in the reflection signifies the nostalgic recollection of past experiences and the excitement of future possibilities, projecting places they have and will explore.
Line by Line Meaning
All the way home we felt we had a chance
As we journeyed back, we felt optimistic about the future, as if we had an opportunity to change or correct the past mistakes.
To review the coulds before we were born
We contemplated the various possibilities that could have changed the course of our lives before we were even brought into existence.
And to invite a new game of can'ts
We were eager to challenge the odds and obstacles that we thought hindered our progress, by taking bold and unconventional actions.
Absorbed in the clouds a voice from afar said
As we were lost in thoughts, a distant voice drew our attention and made us aware of a new perspective or opportunity ahead.
"With the right device you can make a pattern grow
The voice suggested that with the right tools or skills, we have the potential to create or achieve something significant, like a pattern that expands.
Or you can tune up your car"
The same voice urged us to take good care of what we have and optimize our resources to make the most out of them, like tuning up a car for better performance.
So we stayed on the train admiring the time
We decided to remain on the train, enjoying the journey and relishing in the passage of time, instead of always being in a hurry to get to our destination.
As the lights of the city drew near
As we approached the city, we noticed the bright and vibrant energy that it exuded, and were eager to experience it firsthand.
We drank a little wine
During our trip, we indulged in some alcohol, to further appreciate the moment and bond with those around us, without inhibitions or worries.
They were blurry and green outer space in between
As we looked outside the window, we noticed the blurry and undefined spaces in between the objects, which resembled the vastness and mystery of outer space.
With a depth and a form unclear
We couldn't quite discern the depth or shape of the things that we saw, which added to their enigmatic and ethereal nature.
Then we saw it up ahead
Suddenly, our vision was able to focus and we could see something ahead that piqued our curiosity and captured our attention.
A flickering lantern lit up on the tracks
We saw a lantern glowing and flickering on the train tracks, which served as a beacon to guide us and signal a change in our journey.
In the rugs that had covered up the bridge
We realized that the rugs used to cover up a bridge were symbolic of the obstacles or challenges we faced in our past, which we could either forget or learn from.
From the banks of a river to the bed
From the shores of a river to the bottom of the valley, the lantern signified the breadth and depth of our life experiences and journeys, both good and bad.
Of the valley upstream to the place we live
We followed the trail of the lantern, which led us upstream to the place where we presently reside and belong, and perhaps also to our future destinations.
The glass on the lantern cast back the sight
The glass covering the lantern reflected the visuals around us, which added to the nostalgic and introspective mood of the journey.
Of a drive-in movie we drove by below
The sight of a drive-in movie theater from above reminded us of simpler and more innocent times, when we enjoyed such entertainment with our families or friends.
We saw where we'd been in the pictures within
The scenes from the movie also triggered memories and associations of our past, and reminded us of the milestones or experiences we had gone through.
Projecting all the places we would go
The movie projections also hinted at the new and exciting destinations we were meant to explore, based on our interests, values, and aspirations.
So we follow the scene and flowed up your steps
Inspired by the movie and the lantern, we followed the path that was presented to us and flowed like a dance in rhythm with it, climbing higher towards our desired goals.
To a smooth wooden floor in a trance
We arrived at a wooden hall, dancing in a trance-like state, which symbolized a harmonious and peaceful state of mind, and a union with our environment and inner selves.
The train whistle melody woved through the trees
The sound of the train whistle blended with the natural sounds of the forest, as if they were another instrument playing in the symphony of life, and evoking strong emotions and memories within us.
And in through the door to signal the turns of a dance
Finally, we entered a room where we could dance and express ourselves fully, using the sounds and sights we had collected on our journey, and following the cues and signals that life presented us with.
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JOSEPH LINITZ, MICHAEL GORDON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind