Trey Anastasio (born Ernest Joseph Anastasio III on September 30, 1964 in F… Read Full Bio ↴Trey Anastasio (born Ernest Joseph Anastasio III on September 30, 1964 in Fort Worth, Texas, United States) is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish. He is credited by name as composer of 152 Phish originals, 140 of them as a solo credit, in addition to 41 credits attributed to the band in the generic. He was rated as number 73 on The Rolling Stone List of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2003.

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.

Night Speaks to a Woman
Trey Anastasio Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I know a princess with one foot in the fire
Two steps from the water's edge
She rides three sheets to the winds who whispers that

I know a girl who's walking on a wire
Balanced in the air conditioned
Breeze that blows the wind chimes tells me that

I know a woman with whom I conspire
Lawlessness abounds just listen to the sounds
As the night speaks to a woman I once knew

Night speaks

I know a queen who loved me for a week
Said more from one through four
By seven she would hardly speak

But through words in a book, she never let me see
Stashed it high up on my shelf and never made me doubt myself
Until reading the words, the section that I seek

Inside I see a tiny piece of me
Spread out on the pages I once knew
Lawlessness abounds, just listen to the sounds
As the night speaks to a woman I once knew

Like water on the breeze
The night speaks to a woman
Like water on the breeze

Like water on the breeze
The night speaks to a woman
Like water on the breeze

Night speaks

Like water on the breeze
The night speaks to a woman
Like water on the breeze

Night speaks like water on the breeze
(The night speaks to a woman)
Night speaks like water on the breeze
Night speaks like water on the breeze
(The night speaks to a woman)
Night speaks like water on the breeze

Night speaks water on the breeze, like water
(The night speaks to a woman)
Night speaks like water on the breeze
Night speaks like water on the breeze, like water
(The night speaks to a woman)
Night speaks like water on the breeze
Night speaks
(The night speaks to a woman)
Night speaks like water on the breeze, like water on the

Night speaks like water on the breeze
(The night speaks to a woman)
Night speaks like water on the breeze, yeah
Night speaks like water on the breeze
(The night speaks to a woman)
Night speaks like water on the breeze, yeah

Night speaks like water on the breeze, yeah
(The night speaks to a woman)
Night speaks like water on the breeze
Night speaks

Overall Meaning

The lyrics seem to speak about multiple women who the singer once knew or encounters, alluding to their mysterious and intriguing personalities. The princess who has one foot in the fire and two steps from the water's edge could symbolize a woman who is living dangerously in a precarious situation, while the girl walking on a wire might signify someone who is barely managing to balance the different aspects of their life. The night is depicted as speaking to these women, indicating that there is something deeper and mystical about their experiences that only comes alive at night.

The queen who loved the singer for a week and then stopped speaking could represent someone who was only interested in a fleeting romance and did not want a deeper connection. The words in the book that she did not let him see but stashed high up on his shelf symbolize the unseen aspects of a person's life that they might keep hidden from others. The tiny piece of the singer that he sees inside the pages of the book could represent the hidden parts of himself that he discovers through his encounters with these women.

Overall, the lyrics seem to convey a sense of curiosity, wonder, and fascination about the different women that the singer has met, where each of them represents a unique aspect of his perceptions of femininity.

Line by Line Meaning

I know a princess with one foot in the fire
I know a girl who is living dangerously

Two steps from the water's edge
She is not far from her breaking point

She rides three sheets to the winds who whispers that
She is being guided by the unpredictable winds of fate

I know a girl who's walking on a wire
I know a girl who is taking a risk

Balanced in the air conditioned
She is keeping a cool head under pressure

Breeze that blows the wind chimes tells me that
She is getting signals from the world around her

I know a woman with whom I conspire
I know a woman who I am plotting with

Lawlessness abounds just listen to the sounds
The environment is chaotic and dangerous

As the night speaks to a woman I once knew
As darkness sends a message to someone I used to know

I know a queen who loved me for a week
I know someone who loved me briefly

Said more from one through four
She was eloquent at the beginning of our relationship