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.
When
Trey Anastasio Lyrics
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You say I already know
When I ask you for the time
You say your watch is too slow
When I invite you to lunch
You say you don't like to eat
When I say to sit down
When you ask me for time
You say that's all that I have left
When you ask me for help
I feel a pain in my chest
When you finally smile
I see clouds disappear
But after a while
There's a storm drawing near
The lyrics of Trey Anastasio's "When In 2-3" are intriguing and enigmatic. The song seems to revolve around the theme of miscommunication and the inability to connect with others. The opening lines, "When I ask your name, you say I already know" and "When I ask you for the time, you say your watch is too slow," suggest a disconnect between the singer and the person they are conversing with. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for a relationship where one person is trying to connect and communicate, but the other is closed off and unresponsive.
Throughout the rest of the song, the singer tries to engage with this person, but every attempt seems to fall flat. When the singer invites the person to lunch, they refuse, saying they don't like to eat. When the singer tries to help, they feel a pain in their chest. However, when the person finally smiles, the singer sees "clouds disappear." This suggests that the singer wants to connect with this person and make them happy, but something is preventing them from doing so. The final lines, "But after a while, there's a storm drawing near," suggest that despite the momentary reprieve of the person's smile, there are still underlying issues that need to be addressed.
Overall, "When In 2-3" is a poignant exploration of the difficulty of communication and the hurdles that can exist in relationships. The lyrics are open to interpretation and could speak to a variety of situations, but the imagery and themes present in the song make it a thought-provoking and emotionally resonant piece.
Line by Line Meaning
When I ask your name
Although I don't know your name, I would like to get to know you.
You say I already know
You believe that I already know your name, which indicates some prior interactions.
When I ask you for the time
I am curious about the time of day and want to know what time it is.
You say your watch is too slow
You are unable to share the present time since your watch is not working correctly.
When I invite you to lunch
I would like to have a meal together and continue our time together.
You say you don't like to eat
Unfortunately, you have no interest in having a meal with me.
When I say to sit down
I would like to offer you a seat to make you more comfortable.
You ask me which is your seat
You want to be polite and clarify which seat you should take.
When you ask me for time
You inquire about the amount of time remaining to spend together.
You say that's all that I have left
You express that you may be filtering your time since there may be limited time left.
When you ask me for help
You require assistance, and you trust that I could provide it
I feel a pain in my chest
Unfortunately, I am distressed to hear that you need help and may only assume that it is severe.
When you finally smile
I find it delightful when you smile because it brings joy to the interaction.
I see clouds disappear
I feel at ease and think that things will work out for the better.
But after a while
However, over time, things appear to change.
There's a storm drawing near
There are issues or problems looming in the near future that we must resolve.
Writer(s): Harvey Mason, Durrell Babbs, Steven L. Russell, Damon E Thomas
Contributed by James M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
maxpowerjunior13
Is Trey OK?