Throughout his career, Anastasio has participated in various projects outside of Phish, furthering his reputation as a multifaceted composer, instrumentalist, and vocalist. He continues to thrill fans with powerful live performances, and is by no means close to being finished.
Last Tube
Trey Anastasio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cinder sky is ether tumbling through
Hissing in a backwards
Tender olive ember
Rumbles over rolling boiling
Bitter matter mood
Cinder sky is ether tumbling through
Gallop into incandescent sheen
Shimmering in adolescent
Memories of swimming pools
Convertibles and games with gasoline
Gallop into incandescent sheen
The lyrics of "Last Tube" by Trey Anastasio contain vivid imagery that is open to interpretation. The song appears to be a meditation on the passing of time and the transient nature of experience. The first verse describes a "cinder sky" that is "tumbling through," creating a sense of tumultuous movement and change. The "hissing in a backwards" and "bitter matter mood" suggest a sense of unease or turmoil, but the "tender olive ember" hints at a glimmer of hope or possibility amid the chaos.
The second verse shifts to a more nostalgic and wistful tone, with the singer recalling "adolescent memories of swimming pools, convertibles, and games with gasoline." The "gallop into incandescent sheen" may refer to the rush of excitement and possibility that accompanies youth and freedom, but it also hints at the fleeting nature of such experiences. The "shimmering" quality of the imagery suggests both beauty and transience, like the shimmer of a sunset that fades into darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue
The sky overhead appears blue and is full of ether that is moving in a tumbling motion.
Cinder sky is ether tumbling through
The sky appears to be full of ash-colored debris that is swirling around in the atmosphere.
Hissing in a backwards
The sound of the swirling atmosphere is creating a hissing sound that seems like it's coming from behind.
Tender olive ember
The color of the sunset is a soft greenish-gray hue, reminiscent of the glowing embers of a fire.
Rumbles over rolling boiling
Thunder can be heard in the distance, as if it's rolling and boiling over the landscape.
Bitter matter mood
The overall feeling in the air is one of bitterness and negativity.
Cinder sky is ether tumbling through
The ash-colored debris in the sky continues to swirl around, caught up in the ether that is moving through the atmosphere.
Green
The scene changes to a verdant green landscape.
Gallop into incandescent sheen
Moving quickly, the landscape becomes bathed in a bright, glowing light.
Shimmering in adolescent
The light sparkles and shimmers like a young teenager, full of energy and excitement.
Memories of swimming pools
The bright, shimmering light brings back memories of swimming pools, which are often associated with summer and happiness.
Convertibles and games with gasoline
The memories that are brought to mind are those of carefree summer days spent driving around in convertibles, and playing games that involve gasoline.
Gallop into incandescent sheen
The bright, glowing light still surrounds the landscape, as if it's transporting the listener to a different time or place.
Contributed by Hannah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.