From: jojw@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (John J. Wood)
Newsgroups: rec.music.phish
Subject: Re: PEOPLE magazine: PON "Worst of Song"
Date: 2 Jan 93 22:23:59 GMT
Organization: University of Rochester (Rochester, NY)

Tom Sprott writes...
>I have to agree with some of what was said in the People review.
>The lyrics are a real problem for me (though the music is worth
>it), and for others I've introduced to Phish, a total block.  I'm
>not sure why they bother writing what seems to me like 80 or 90 
>percent nonsense.  

I wouldn't connect Trey's & the band's songwriting with
anyone like Dylan or Hunter.  Something angular in personality 
like "Avenu Makhenu" (forgive me if it's spelled incorrect) 
directly reminds me of Zappa in terms of lyricism & tone (example:
its minor-chorded melody), and in other songs, I can hear influences
of early Yes (Trey's parts on Bouncing Around The Room) and Pink 
Floyd (The Curtain, the vocal a capella in Split Open & Melt).  
*Any* starting band in any given genre always have their own
influences and inspiration:  it's what you do to make it *you*
that matters.  I certainly can't think of anyone else but Phish
playing "Wilson".;-)

Dylan is Dylan:  you're dealing with one of the 20th century's
greatest lyricists; a groundbreaker whose achievements and influence
will be preserved in music history.  However, Dylan's early songwriting
was deeply rooted in Woodie Guthrie, and various folk & blues greats...
influences.


Based on my paltry Phish experiences and limited listening only, 
IMHO, the band's songwriting strengths lie in musical composition.
The complexity of "The Divided Sky" is an example:  you start
with a cheery melody, have the bizarre "divided sky" verse,
veer off in a series of jazz-flavored changes, then end up
taking off in an anthemic flurry of chords (yes, the NYE version
did a lot for me:-).  When I first listened to "The Divided Sky"
on tapes, I thought its intro was the final jam, with everything
prior a completely different entity.  

In due time, the band will grow comfortably with their songwriting,
and perhaps smooth out those rough edges, but it has to be Phish.
NOT Dylan, not any artist you can think of.  The band's music 
& lyricism will mature in due time, but it's a gradual, growing
process.

>The difference is that Dylan lyrics often seem enigmatic
>in a creative way, Phish lyrics leave me feeling rather burned.

This was one of my problems when I phirst tried out Phish live.
I thought the lyrics were nonsense, but like a good chunk of
Santana's best work, it's the *music* that takes priority over
the song itself:  how you feel when you play *it*.  While you
may not mistake "The Divided Sky" or "Run Like An Antelope"
for "Don't Think Twice It's All Right", they are completely
seperate entities of music.  Sometimes, simplicity can work
wonders:  listen to Neil Young's latest gem HARVEST MOON, for
example.

>That, of course, does not prevent me from listening to Divided
>Sky, David Bowie, and all the other songs with great instrumental
>sections.

Tom, this was the problem I was having with some Phish material,
but the music and jamming gradually grew on me.  I tried ignoring
the lyrics, but the charms of those silly lyrics give excursions
like "The Divided Sky" and "Run Like An Antelope" their own
unique personalities.  Give it time -- it took me four shows until
I finally got *it*.

 *-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
 | John J. Wood                              jojw@uhura.cc.rochester.edu  |
 |			                     catphish@well.sf.ca.us       |
 *-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
 | "You bet your sweet.......ASS!";-)                                     |
 *-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=*
Newsgroups: rec.music.phish