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.
Sand
Trey Anastasio Lyrics
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But not affect the cause
It's quite a bit like trying to heal
A gunshot wound with gauze
If you instead attempt to wrest
The pistol from the hand
Then I would not be able to
Flowing through the hourglass
Pushing through the funnel
Turn once more in racing
All your siblings for the tunnel
Slide and let the silicone
Embrace you as you fall
Then bounce and land and let your brothers
Crush you to the wall
I would choose my own religion
Worship my own spirit
But if he ever preached to me
I wouldn't want to hear it
I'd drop him, a forgotten God
Languishing in shame
And then if I hit stormy seas
I'd have myself to blame
If you can heal the symptoms
But not affect the cause
You can heal the symptoms
If you can heal the symptoms
Not affect the cause
If you can heal the symptoms
If you can heal the symptoms
Not affect the cause
If you can heal the symptoms
If you can heal the symptoms
But not affect the cause
If you can heal the symptoms
The song Sand by Trey Anastasio is a deep and thought-provoking piece of music. The lyrics speak of the futility of treating symptoms without addressing the root cause of the problem. The opening verse compares it to using gauze to heal a gunshot wound. It's a temporary fix that doesn't address the underlying issue.
The second verse suggests that the only way to truly solve the problem is to confront it head-on. The metaphorical pistol represents the problem, and the only way to solve it is to take control and address the root cause. It's a powerful call to action that urges listeners to take control of their lives.
The chorus speaks of the passage of time, with sand flowing through an hourglass and racing towards a tunnel. The lyrics suggest that time is limited, and every moment must be spent wisely. The line "Let your brothers crush you to the wall" speaks of the importance of community and trusting in others to help you navigate life's challenges.
The final verse speaks of personal belief and the importance of self-reliance. The line "I would choose my own religion, worship my own spirit" speaks to the idea of personal agency and the power of individual choice. The final lines of the song suggest that we are responsible for our own lives and must be willing to take ownership of our actions.
Overall, Sand is a powerful song that speaks to the importance of taking control of one's life and addressing problems head-on. It's a call to action that encourages listeners to live their lives to the fullest and make the most of every moment.
Line by Line Meaning
If you can heal the symptoms
If you can treat the effects of a problem
But not affect the cause
Without addressing the root cause
It's quite a bit like trying to heal
Similar to an attempt to fix
A gunshot wound with gauze
A serious injury with inadequate tools
If you instead attempt to wrest
If you choose to confront
The pistol from the hand
The source of the problem
Then I would not be able to
I would dislike the idea of
Equate my life with sand
Linking my significance with something trivial
Flowing through the hourglass
Passing of time
Pushing through the funnel
Narrowing down of opportunities
Turn once more in racing
Taking another shot at winning
All your siblings for the tunnel
Competition among peers for success
Slide and let the silicone
Accept your flaws and mistakes
Embrace you as you fall
Support you as you suffer
Then bounce and land and let your brothers
Rebound and overcome obstacles with the help of others
Crush you to the wall
Force you to conform to expectations
I would choose my own religion
I'd prefer to follow a belief system of my own making
Worship my own spirit
Hold my core values and instincts in high regard
But if he ever preached to me
But if someone else tried to convert me
I wouldn't want to hear it
I wouldn't be interested
I'd drop him, a forgotten God
I'd abandon the attempts to influence me
Languishing in shame
Feeling the negative effects of defeat
And then if I hit stormy seas
If challenges come up
I'd have myself to blame
I'd accept full responsibility
If you can heal the symptoms
If you can address the consequences of a problem
But not affect the cause
Without solving the underlying issue
You can heal the symptoms
You may manage the symptoms despite the problem not being fixed
If you can heal the symptoms
If you can treat the effects of a problem
Not affect the cause
Without addressing the root cause
If you can heal the symptoms
If you can tackle the aftermath of a problem
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.