Songs that are better in the studio?

jcoquinn92 1/22/13 6:54 pm

So we all know Phish is a live band. That's a given. It's almost impossible to create the same sound live as you do in the studio. SO OBVIOUSLY most are going to agree that the bands best versions of the songs are in 1 of the many live renditions of it.

Which brings me to my question! Out of the million Phish songs, do you think any of their songs are better done on the Studio Album than one of the live shows. Im not counting a "STUDIO LIVE ALBUM" like A live one or Slip Stitch and pass. Simply traditional studio albums.

The one that comes to my mind is Llama. One of my favorite Phish songs, I absolutely love the Studio version, and have yet to hear a live version that i thought topped it. Maybe because its such a fast beat with insanely fast rhythms and lyrics, its too hard to recreate. I'm not sure.

If anyone can prove me wrong and show me a live Llama that can one up the studio version, by all means send me a link or the date and ill be happy to listen! And what do you guys think???

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CannedWalrus 1/22/13 6:58 pm

Rift

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hmi1892 1/22/13 6:59 pm

Always loved the studio Dirt more than any live versions

Score: 4

spaced 1/22/13 7:42 pm

Billy Breathes

Score: 3

DanceTheJig728 1/22/13 7:44 pm

Fee.Excluding the ones that are jammed out because that wouldnt be fair

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nematode 1/22/13 7:47 pm

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MJZ1974 1/22/13 7:48 pm

Inlaw Josie Wales

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frump 1/22/13 7:49 pm

tte

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themefromthepossum 1/22/13 7:56 pm

free. for the quality of the vocals alone

/thread

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RR1994 1/22/13 7:58 pm

A lot of the ballads.

DEFINITELY character zero, and most of billy breathes.

I've always been a big fan of the studio divided sky.

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OliveLoaf 1/22/13 8:00 pm

I love the intro to the studio free, and I think the studio version of the song is better than any I've heard live. I love the intro the studio light as well, but the jams in live versions of light more than make up for the missing intro.

Score: 1

JordanThePhisherman 1/22/13 8:04 pm

@themefromthepossum said:

free. for the quality of the vocals alone

/thread

What I came in this thread to say.

I've always loved Trey's vocals on the studio version and he never seems to match it live.

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GhettoSloth 1/22/13 8:30 pm

Theme from the Bottom is super nice studio

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Guyute76 1/22/13 8:31 pm

All of them.

I don't like live Phish.

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steamstash 1/22/13 8:38 pm

God damn there have been a ton of these threads.
But idk if i would say better, but much different with some aspects being better and some worse. My favorites are:

Julius
Wolfman's Brother
Bug
Dirt
Taste
If I Could
Sample In A Jar

And many more! Listen on OP.

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ShowOfMYFE 1/22/13 11:59 pm

It's not better.......(disclaimer)

But...

Studio Bowie is up there in Bowies for me.

And fluff's travels. And whoever said weigh.

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mymindisgoo 1/23/13 12:51 am

@hmi1892 said:

Always loved the studio Dirt more than any live versions

and waste and the train song. man i love the train song, it's what i'm gonna be chasing for all summer. and a 10mn + gumbo.

to whoever said wolfmans brother, seriously? what about when page was shooting those missiles out his keyboard 12/28/12? how can that be topped in the studio? it was nuts!

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TheArgus 1/23/13 1:08 am

Some are not necessarily "better" but just damn good

If I could (verse and choruses)

Wading (all of it but emphasis on the solo)

Foam (mainly cause it's played so cleanly, same goes for It's Ice. Stellar live versions exist though)

What's the Use (I love listening to this in my car. I have a great stereo and the low end frequencies are literally moving)
Interesting story about WTU, I have about a 30 minute drive to school, and I burned a CD of nothing but a few versions of WTU (Studio, Cypress,...) I wound up driving around aimlessly for 2 hours listening at full volume. Missed my first 2 classes

Light(the intro, especially Mike and Trey)

Sugar Shack (mainly cause Trey probably had about 100 attempts at it not to f*** it up)

I'm sure there are more I'm forgetting, Think ballads and tightly composed songs that don't fall into the 10 minute plus category. and a few silly ones

Score: 2

Colonel_DanTeca 1/23/13 1:22 am

Water In The Sky the studio version off of Story of the Ghost has a faster tempo and page kills it on the piano. The beat is better the guitar riff is cooler just everything about the album version is better. I was excited to hear the song at Portsmouth this summer but I think it kind of fell flat and just didn't have the same punch and energy that the studio version had.

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me_no_are_no_nice_guy 1/23/13 2:28 am

Eliza

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me_no_are_no_nice_guy 1/23/13 2:32 am

An Eliza bustout would be cool, but I bet 90% of the crowd wouldn't have a clue what was going on and would just ruin it.

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maplesteam 1/23/13 2:42 am

I came in here to see what that guy said ^^^

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harpua77 1/23/13 6:45 am

Riker's Mailbox

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Potato_Sacks 1/23/13 7:07 am

Horn

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UnplugUrSelfFromTheMatrix 1/23/13 8:13 am

Julius requires a horn section....like in this performance

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RoverPhish 1/23/13 9:00 am

@OliveLoaf said:

I love the intro to the studio free, and I think the studio version of the song is better than any I've heard live. I love the intro the studio light as well, but the jams in live versions of light more than make up for the missing intro.

Came in to say this. Some live versions are good (partial to 7/23/99), but none can match that studio intro

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TwiceBitten 1/23/13 9:36 am

I don't believe there is a single song they've played more than a handful of times that isn't better live than on the studio album. I'm reading through y'alls submissions and I'm like, "no."

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jjwVT 1/23/13 10:49 am

Sugar Shack..for now at least. I could see it being a funky jam vehicle at some point though

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Capricornio 1/23/13 10:56 am

Fast Enough for You. Am I the first to mention it? The pedal steel on this song is gorgeous. LOVE the studio version. Several Rift songs make this list for me: Rift, FEFY, Wedge, Mound, Silent.

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Phakemike 1/23/13 10:57 am

TTE, actually like the studio version but would hate to hear it live

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whitechocolatethunder 1/23/13 11:05 am

Asihtos. Not including the live jam. I love the studio version.

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CornFromAJar 1/23/13 11:22 am

Mark another vote for TTE

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Recursivevirus 1/23/13 11:26 am

It's hard to beat studio Maze. Page rips the shit out that song.

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AugustWest2001 1/23/13 11:29 am

What a coincidence....just went on a studio bender this morning. Billy Breathes, Ghost and Undermind. My god Billy Breathes is amazing. Glorious even. Made me pine for the 90's and my carefree teenage life.