Gone Phishin'

"The Mango Song"

Spasm waiter dropping to his knees, sees 

Slander on wrap paper ties 

Lifting up his head he feels the sunlight in his eyes 


Grasp a kettle top and shoot the breeze, please 

Ramble while slop scraper sighs 

Tossing in his bed at night he'll dream until he dies 


Operations at the sink 

The dribble liquid visible beneath his troubled eyes 

Feels it tilt and start to slide 


Mask a pretty hopper's foot with squeeze cheese 

Dangle some grape apple pies 

Tranquil and serene until he runs out of supplies 


Your hands and feet are mangos 

You're gonna be a genius anyway 

Your hands and feet are mangos 

You're gonna be a genius anyway

Above are the lyrics of my favorite band and one of the greatest live bands of all time: Phish, and the song is one of their bests, "The Mango Song." One may read the lyrics and feel completely confused; what on earth could the song be about, and what on earth does it have to do with mangos??? Well, the first question is one often asked by those who do not listen to Phish, as many of their lyrics make little to no sense. Or do they? "The Mango Song" is one of many songs that the listener needs the background of the song in order to understand the lyrics (this song, for example, is about a day in the life of a waiter and his addiction to delusions of grandeur). Why would Phish do this, you ask? Because in many cases, its not the words that matter, its the instrumentals, and the words are provided as a poetic outlet for the band's true message.

For many years, Phish was a band no one heard of, touring for months on end, delivering the powerful message through their music. How, though, could "your hands and feet are mangos/ you're gonna be a genius anyway" possibly be powerful when delivered by the band? Once again, the lyrics are only an addition to the music, not the focus of the music. For years, Phish's following has been compared to the Grateful Dead, which in many cases is true. Both bands use the power of music to create a community, and while performing their music, create a vibe unmatched by any other band. Lead singer and guitarist Trey Anastasio calls it "an intangible energy," and the only way to obtain and feel that energy is to see the band live.

In the past, Phish's focus was on creating this "intangible energy" and this focus still is in their live music today. However, after a few years apart, the band reunited in 2009, making it clear they were headed in a "new direction." For phans, this direction seems to be experimental and different, which certainly is never a bad thing. As of late, the music and lyrics of Phish has shifted towards that of a deeper meaning, a shift similar to that of the Beatles in 1964. After the John Lennon and Paul McCartney met the likes of Bob Dylan, their entire message changed from the pop songs of love to those with deeper meanings. This is almost the same with Phish. Early on, their approach to song writing was to create incredible compositions mixed along with fun lyrics and jokes between them. Since 2000 and their release of Farmhouse, the music has shifted towards lyrics with greater meaning, greater emotion. Their most recent album, Joy, deals with many issues the band had, including the death of Anastasio's sister, Anastasio's drinking problems, and how the band coped with each other during their time apart. The message they deliver seems be a more happier, meaningful message. This did not appeal to phans at first, but eventually, the community bought into songs like this, and in live performance, one can just feel the emotion and energy created by the meaningful songs. Heres one example, "Pebbles and Marbles," a truly amazing song.

It's clear how meaningful this song is, as all the members of the band seem to be playing with so much passion. This is common for "Phish 3.0," the Phish of 2009 and 2010. Personally, I have been to seven Phish shows, and the energy at each and every show is not only different, by almost ineffable. The lyrics to some may seem unmeaningful and stupid, but I honestly think thats what makes them great. You will not find any other band speaking about someone's hands and feet looking like mangos. You want some truly meaningful music? Listen to the likes of Phish! Here's a video of "the Mango Song" for your entertainment (I was at this concert!).




Sources:
Myself
Bar 18
Phish Article