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.
Push on 'Til the Day
Trey Anastasio Lyrics
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Chillin in the back lounge drinkin wine
From steamboat to johnny jordan time
Across the chocolate sea
Two decker and a tall boy can
Glitter in the bad time elephant man
The road is a pinstripe watson fan
As far as I can see
Chicken on the back top pushin steel,
Dance all night with the back door man
By the light of a yellow moon
Two tank tequila song,
A little bit of mary all night long,
The big black bag and the red balloon
And the sun always comes up much too
Soon
Hot coffee and scrambled eggs,
The back of the worm and the wooden leg,
Transfusion and a turkey ham,
Two bushwhackers and an angry ram
Pete threw a bomb and he rang the pole,
Somebody yay in a Tokyo hole
Glass table in a five star room,
And the sun always comes up much to
Soon
Push on til the day
The lyrics of Trey Anastasio’s “Push on ‘Til the Day” are filled with vivid imagery, surrealistic references, and shifting images. At first glance, it seems like a stream of consciousness style with seemingly disconnected phrases put together in such a way that it becomes challenging to grasp the song’s meaning. However, a deeper analysis could help in uncovering its underlying significance.
The song’s narrative is told through different images and references that create a surreal and dream-like atmosphere. The verses are painted with a colorful palette of objects, places, events, and people that can be somewhat opaque to the listener. Still, they hint at an emotional and psychological journey, where the singer is moving forward, despite the obstacles and distractions he encounters on his path.
The first verse introduces the singer’s friend Seacot, and the two are drinking wine in the back lounge. They are on the move, traveling from Steamboat to Johnny Jordan time, which creates a sense of disorientation and moving through time and space. The image of the chocolate sea is reminiscent of something luxurious, and the two men are drinking a two-decker and a tall boy can that suggests they are on an adventure. A nod to the classic novel “The Elephant Man” also appears, symbolizing the strange and unique individuals encountered in life, and the singer seems to be sifting through different strains to find his way. The verse ends with the road being a Pinstripped Watson fan, which could be interpreted as a symbol of the difficulties he faces, but the singer remains optimistic.
The second verse begins with an image of hot coffee and scrambled eggs, followed by the back of worm and a wooden leg. The scene shifts to a transfusion and a turkey ham, which create bizarre yet rich visuals. The following two objects “two bushwhackers” and “an angry ram” may symbolize a kind of conflict, violence, or aggression that the singer is experiencing or navigating in his personal journey. The verse goes on to describe someone who threw a bomb and rang a pole, and then “someone yay in Tokyo hole” which is again an oddly warped picture. The glass table in a five-star room could indicate a sense of luxury or privilege, perhaps a sense of arrival, and then there’s the affirmation that the sun always comes up too soon, emphasizing the idea of living in the moment and pushing forward no matter how the night ends.
Line by Line Meaning
Seacot is a friend of mine,
I have a friend named Seacot whom I consider a good friend.
Chillin in the back lounge drinkin wine
Seacot and I are hanging out together in the back of a lounge and enjoying a glass of wine.
From steamboat to johnny jordan time
Reflecting on the past, from the time of steamboats to the era of Johnny Jordan.
Across the chocolate sea
Traveling across a vast sea with brownish hues, like chocolate.
Two decker and a tall boy can
Enjoying two decks and a tall can of beer.
Glitter in the bad time elephant man
Finding beauty even in the midst of struggles, alluding to the character the Elephant Man.
The road is a pinstripe watson fan
Seeing the road as something that resembles the pinstripes worn by baseball player Doc Watson.
As far as I can see
To the best of my knowledge and vision.
Ferris ferris the ferris wheel,
Referencing a Ferris wheel.
Chicken on the back top pushin steel,
A chicken is perched on the upper part of the Ferris wheel, pushing the steel bars as it rotates.
Dance all night with the back door man
Dancing throughout the night with a man who enters and exits through the back door.
By the light of a yellow moon
Dancing by the light of a yellow-hued moon.
Two tank tequila song,
Enjoying two drinks made with tequila.
A little bit of mary all night long,
Partying all night to the music of Mary, enjoying her songs.
The big black bag and the red balloon
Reference to a big, black bag and a red balloon.
And the sun always comes up much too soon
Morning comes too quickly and abruptly, as the sun rises.
Hot coffee and scrambled eggs,
Savoring hot coffee and eggs that are scrambled.
The back of the worm and the wooden leg,
Referring to the back part of a worm and a wooden leg.
Transfusion and a turkey ham,
Receiving a blood transfusion and eating turkey ham.
Two bushwhackers and an angry ram
Enjoying two drinks called Bushwhackers and encountering an angry ram.
Pete threw a bomb and he rang the pole,
Pete threw a bomb that struck a pole, causing it to emit a ringing sound.
Somebody yay in a Tokyo hole
Someone elatedly cheers in a hole in Tokyo.
Glass table in a five star room,
A glass table located in a luxurious five-star room.
And the sun always comes up much to soon
Morning arrives too quickly, as the sun rises.
Push on til the day
Persevere and keep pushing forward until the day is done.
Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.