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It took me a long time to really appreciate Phish's ballads. I didn't dislike them per se, but I was such a jam freak, I would routinely skip them to get to the big jam songs. Waste always held a special place in my heart though, as it seemed to be one of the newer Phish songs (when I was getting into them) that had really heart felt lyrics, that could resonate with anyone, at any point in their life. I envy couples who are into Phish together. I'm sure many ballads are special to them, for a variety of reasons. Unfortunatly, I never really dated anyone who loved Phish, let alone even liked them enough to listen to them without me. ::single tear::
Around '97 I started to change my tune. It was Dirt. Such a beautifully, simple song, with poignant lyrics and such a soft, subtle nature to the the tune, I couldn't resist falling in love with it. I came around to many of their ballads throughout the years, and as many rush to the bathrooms during a "breather" ballad. I'm almost as excited for them as I am to hear a 25 minute DWD.
To be fair though, many "jams" are what hold that Phish beauty for me. The Page jam in the 12.29.94 Bowie. The very beginning of the 7.01.95 Hood. Just about ANY Reba. But when i need that soft touch from the boys, and to really get inside Tom's head, I cannot resist a good ballad.
My favorites, as of now (Phish favorites change frequently) are: Dirt, Anything But Me, Billy Breathes (The title track version, with Bliss>Billy Breathes, is one of my favorite, if not favorite, studio moment from them) and Waste.
What about some of you? Have you always "accepted" their ballads, or did it take time to come around to them?
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Waste and Wading are on the top of my list for personal reasons, but lately, I've been digging Dirt. Pun intended.
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::whistles:: I'd like to live beneath the dirt...
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Dirt will be played at my funeral...right after the Went Gin
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@conradjohansen said: @JayDubya said:Everyone is invitedright after the Went GinI hope you don't mind me raging at your funeral then...
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::plotting assassination of @JayDubya just for a Mardi Gras style Went Gin funeral::
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Top 5 Ballads for me (might not all technically be ballads but...):Tela
Bug
Inlaw/Minestrone
Billy Breathes
Dirt
Corrine, Corrina gets favorite cover (it is a cover, right?)
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I'm not sure if you would classify it as a ballad or not, but Theme is awesome.
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The Lizards
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FEFY, If I Could, Billy Breathes
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I love, love FEFY. FEFY at Dicks was a clear highlight for me, through the entire run. Not THE highlight, but I thought it was played brilliantly. Such a beautiful song.
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FEFY!
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FEFY is a truly beautiful song and is probably my favorite of the softer Phish songs. My Wife is not really into Phish but she loves that song, so we share in that one which is very cool. Eventhough it's not really a ballad I think that Horse > Silent deserves mention. To me, that is a near perfect sequence of songs.For a slower cover I have really been into When the Circus Comes to Town lately. I love the way that Trey makes his guitar cry in that song. Talk about a man who can convey a feeling with a guitar.
:::goosebumps:::
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Strange Design for sure. Love that song.
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IF I COULD! (man they need to bring that one back)
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I love Brian and Robert and don't care who knows it.Also Swept Away> Steep and Lifeboy.
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Dirt holds a very special meaning to me. I love it more than words can describe.
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Ahhh, I forgot about Lifeboy. Lifeboy and If I Could are by far my 2 favorite ballads.
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Swept Away > Steep
Sleep
Waste
Sleep
Waste
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I really have always liked Dirt a ton. That solo is gorgeous, kind of reminds me of the Golgi solo and the little bit from the beginning of FluffheadI also really like If I Could, and Summer of '89 actually really hits me in a good way too. And I don't complain when they play Joy.. I must be a weirdo.
Edit for Waste, always wanted a waste
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Sleep!FEFY
If I Could
gotta give Joy some love too
STRANGE DESIGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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FEFY, Silent in the Morning, If I could, Velvet Sea, and Waste was my wedding song....Note: Waste is the most commonly played song that I have yet to see. I'm really hoping for 12/30.
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Lifeboy. Dog faced Boy. Waste. When the Circus. Corinna,
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and great thread @bostonron77
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@bostonron...I love this thread! I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one who loved some good ballad tunes from this band, as 99% of convos are about the "jam" and "jam vehicle" tunes...!!!I love your point about couples sharing in Phish, because it completely describes my husband and I! We met in 2000, and I had only heard of "Phish" in name...had never heard any music at all! Thanks to him, his 2 shows he'd seen back in the day, and the studios/handful of tapes- I fell in love w/my hubby and Phish at the same time
I admittedly fell very HARD for the Farmhouse album...it is too hard to choose a fave album anymore, but this ties whatever else is it for me at the moment-and I am quite sure it is because it is the "we fell in love while exploring this album" album for me. Not hubby's fave, but one of them for sure.
At 1st show 7/17/03 Dirt was played, and I totally lost it. It will always be special, and 1st song I turn to when I'm bummed/need pick-me-up.
Bug is amazing, and thought-provoking...and Trey's solo OMG-I hope to hear it live someday.
Farmhouse is hands-down the old-school favorite from me! I absolutely love it's disjointed lyrics of cluster flies, the cabin, the backstory, etc...and now Trey's vocals sound fantastic; when they did it at the Gorge I was blown away. I have only heard a few good Farmhouses, I usually rely on the LP version, but Gorge was very, very beautiful...loved the solo, and I was hoping/praying for another one at Dick's since I made it there, to no avail...just f-ing love the song, can't go wrong with this one!
Billy Breathes/Waste/FEFY(Wow-DICK's!!)/Sleep/Driver/BDTNL/Show of LIFE!!!
Love them all, and I am a super fan of the better, smoother vocals from Trey/the band!! They sounded so, so good at Dick's with their ballad-y songs like
Sample
Squirming Coil
Slave
Silent
FEFY
The Way it Goes
Halfway to the Moon
WOTC
BDTNL
Their 3.0 ballads/vocals are sounding good. Maybe it's actually a lot of what they're doing best right now? TTE and 20 yrs also love here, and Undermind ballads are also awesome; The connection/2 Versions of Me excellent stuff for pensive, tissue-y ballads. Joy is very nice, too.
Roggae captured me at Dick's, and now it's the one for awhile.
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@mfhgreyboy said: FEFY, Silent in the Morning, If I could, Velvet Sea, and Waste was my wedding song....Absolutely YES!!! Nice on the wedding song pic...would love a live one someday as well here!
Note: Waste is the most commonly played song that I have yet to see. I'm really hoping for 12/30.
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Are these ballads? If So they are my favorites.Sleep
Fast Enough for You
Silent in the Morning
When the Circus Comes to Town(I know, not actually a Phish song)
I understand what we're talking about here, but I think technically a ballad is defined as a song that tells a story, not a slow song.
Songs I never, ever, need to hear again:
Billy Breathes
Velvet Sea
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Dirt, Strange Design, Billy Breathes, Velvet Sea
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Two of my favorites that havent been mentioned yet,Army of One
Mountains in the Mist
I'll take either of those over a Velvet Sea or Brian and Robert anytime anywhere.
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Sea and Sand cover
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Prince CaspianFast Enough For You
Waste
Wading in the Velvet Sea
Dirt
Sleep
When the Circus Comes
Dog Faced Boy
Bittersweet Motel
Brian & Robert
Bye Bye Foot
Sleeping Monkey (Ballad ?)
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im the only one to mention strange design??
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@DanceTheJig728 said: im the only one to mention strange design??yes, but I can't believe I didn't mention it myself...seen it 2 times, and always blows me away. Top notch ballad from Page!
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@conradjohansen said: ::whistles:: I'd like to live beneath the dirt...agreed rad!! Also waste and driver.
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oh and sleep! how could i forget!!! I listen to that and dirt every morning.
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Horn
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DirtDriver
Joy - Loved it from the first listen of the album
Fast Enough For You - If you love something you can have enough respect to type out it's name.
Brian & Robert - Amazing
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For what it's worth, I don't think they ever nailed "the ballad" the way they did "Billy Breathes." They have lots of great slower tunes, but this one wins in my book. I remember when the album came out and hearing this song for the first time- it was the first time I felt a new kind of deep emotion from the band. Definitely a milestone.
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When the only tool you have is a hammer....everything looks like a nail...and you're living at the bittersweet motel Albuquerque is a favorite too.
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Dirt and Horn (and I am Hydrogen when they write the lyrics and make it a 20 minute song).
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FEFY and Dirt are my favorites. Close seconds are Billy Breathes and Strange Design. If I Could is also a beautiful song. Can't forget Lifeboy.
I really don't like Wading. At all.
I used to like Waste, then I stopped liking Waste, and now I pretend to hate Waste but at shows you might see me raging the outro
I really don't like Wading. At all.
I used to like Waste, then I stopped liking Waste, and now I pretend to hate Waste but at shows you might see me raging the outro
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Joy, This song is just pure...well, joy. Close second Strange Design
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A few of my favorite ballads are:FEFY
Dog Faced Boy
Dirt
edit: I'm with @Brother , I've never really like Wading either.
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lifeboy is deep!
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In no particular order...Dirt
Bug
Roggae
Billy Breathes
Show of Life
Waste
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Cant decide...Waste, FEFY, If I Could, Strange Design. If I had to pick one it would probably be Strange Design...or maybe Waste.
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@bostonron said:
Also love Billy Breathes, Wading, Strange Design, If I Could, and Joy obviously. All of 'em really.. I loved the ballads right off the bat, but I'm a girl.
I love, love FEFY. FEFY at Dicks was a clear highlight for me, through the entire run. Not THE highlight, but I thought it was played brilliantly. Such a beautiful song.YES! My friend & I were almost in tears it was so beautiful. Couldn't believe reviews afterwards calling it "poorly placed".. not possible!
Also love Billy Breathes, Wading, Strange Design, If I Could, and Joy obviously. All of 'em really.. I loved the ballads right off the bat, but I'm a girl.
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@joyjoy said: @bostonron said:I totally agree with you about the placement at Dick's, and IMHO anyone who thinks it was "poorly placed" honestly couldn't of been there, cause after that Axilla> Llama I'm pretty sure everyone's heart was gonna explode and needed a breather!!I love, love FEFY. FEFY at Dicks was a clear highlight for me, through the entire run. Not THE highlight, but I thought it was played brilliantly. Such a beautiful song.YES! My friend & I were almost in tears it was so beautiful. Couldn't believe reviews afterwards calling it "poorly placed".. not possible!
Also love Billy Breathes, Wading, Strange Design, If I Could, and Joy obviously. All of 'em really.. I loved the ballads right off the bat, but I'm a girl.
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I know it’s the easy way out, but it’s true, I like them all!Been sitting here for 5 minutes trying to nail down a small list of favorites, but I simply can’t!
And ballads in general more often than not get skipped over, but I always look forward to them because when strategically placed they actually enhance the major jams, and send your emotions into orbit!
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