Three Fish is a band that was formed in 1996 by Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament. The… Read Full Bio ↴Three Fish is a band that was formed in 1996 by Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament. The lineup features Ament, Robbi Robb of Tribe After Tribe, and Richard Stuverud of Fastbacks.

The band released a self-titled effort in 1996 following their formation, where Ament and Robb, who met together on a tour where both their main bands played, collaborated on this side project, which combines rock music with mystical-style Eastern music.

The band reformed in 1999 and toured throughout the year in support of their second album, The Quiet Table.

The Intelligent Fish
Three Fish Lyrics

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this is the story of the lake and the three fish that were in it, one of them intelligent, another half-intelligent, and the third, stupid. some fisherman came to the edge of the lake with nets. and the three fish saw them. the intelligent fish decided at once to to make the long, difficult trip to the ocean. he thought, "i won't consult with these two on this. they will only weaken my resolve, because they love this place so. they call it home. and the ignorance will keep them here." and so the intelligent fish made its whole length a moving footprint and, like a deer the dogs chase, suffered greatly on its way, but finally made it to the edgeless safety of the sea.

Overall Meaning

The song "The Intelligent Fish" by the band Three Fish tells a story of three fish living in a lake that is threatened by the arrival of fishermen with nets. The three fish are differentiated by their intelligence, with one being highly intelligent, another being half-intelligent, and the third being stupid. When they see the fishermen, the highly intelligent fish realizes that their only chance of survival is to make the dangerous journey to the ocean, where they will be safe from human interference.

However, the highly intelligent fish understands that consulting with the other two fish will only weaken his resolve, as they are attached to their home and lack the intelligence to understand the danger they are in. So, the highly intelligent fish makes the difficult journey to the ocean alone, suffering greatly but ultimately succeeding in reaching the edgeless safety of the sea.

The song can be interpreted as a metaphor for the human experience, where those with intelligence and foresight must sometimes make difficult decisions on their own without the support or understanding of those around them. It also speaks to the importance of recognizing danger and taking action to protect oneself, even if it means leaving behind familiar surroundings and enduring hardship.

Line by Line Meaning

this is the story of the lake and the three fish that were in it, one of them intelligent, another half-intelligent, and the third, stupid.
The story refers to three fish living in a lake with varying degrees of intelligence - one is intelligent, the other less so, and the third is foolish.

some fisherman came to the edge of the lake with nets. and the three fish saw them.
Fishermen arrived at the lake's edge, and the three fish noticed them.

the intelligent fish decided at once to to make the long, difficult trip to the ocean.
The intelligent fish decided to leave the lake for the safety of the ocean, despite the long journey and challenges ahead.

he thought, "i won't consult with these two on this. they will only weaken my resolve, because they love this place so. they call it home. and the ignorance will keep them here."
The intelligent fish chose not to ask for the opinion of the other two fish, as he knew they were emotionally attached to the lake and would not want to leave. He also knew their lack of awareness would keep them there.

and so the intelligent fish made its whole length a moving footprint and, like a deer the dogs chase, suffered greatly on its way, but finally made it to the edgeless safety of the sea.
The intelligent fish had to endure a lot of pain and hardship on its journey to the ocean, but it eventually succeeded in finding safety there.

Contributed by William P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Comments from YouTube:

gabriel72r

14y↑5

well i guess most of us know 3 fish cause of the pearl jam... the sad thing is that not so many appreciate their music and sound ... i agree about great band and unique sound !!!