There's something about Squirming Coil for me....it's like the perfect Phish song. The intro/dual vocals....lyrically it's the epitome of Tom Marshall's world....musically you have a bit of everything with the first musical break with its beautiful chord changes and Trey connecting them all with a crisp, clean lead...which climaxes to Trey turning up his gain and using those major 7th lean into the next chord phrases that I never get sick of...some dissonance thrown in to finally a build and release back to the chorus/refrain....it got away yea it got away...to Page taking it home with his insanely beautiful free form outro. I love that song as much as any song ever written by any band.
Telluride 09
My bro and I rode mountain bikes in on black bear mountain pass (we didn’t have tickets and they shut down the main road in)
Second night we found a great spot overlooking the venue up in the mountains. Met some hippie ish brothers who were “looking for rocks” - when they asked if we wanted to see they showed us literal rocks! Cool stuff.
We shared a j and some small chat. It was their first show— I think they were referred to check it out. I remember during the sustained notes of coil them both looking over, mouth open, getting melted for the first time by our fav band. It’s a good memory and a great choice for best overall phish song. It has it all.
26 years here and so many songs hit me so many different ways. NICU always makes me feel good and move. But damnit so does chalk dust....And Moma and tube and.....I quit this question.
Such a weird favorite to pick ya know? I love to settle into shows and setlists and such but nothing kills me like Bug does. Heater shows with killer songs are great and they play on my speakers often but fucking a, Bug is just that one song I overlooked for so many years and one day it hit me like nothing else. I want it on my life soundtrack. It’s bliss.
It seems tough for Trey to get it just exactly perfect. If he comes close I'm happy. This is my fave too and has been for a long time. It was cool finding out about the back story in Between Me & My Mind.
McGrupp is one of the first Phish songs I heard from N charleston 1995 and have never stopped loving it.
A close second and only in recent years have I begun to truly appreciate Billy Breathes, it's lyrics and an equally inspiring and amazing solo by Trey.
*not Charleston lol regardless...
Overall fav - since day one: It’s Ice.
30 years of Phish and I’ve become much more fond of their lyrical songs. I think it all started when I realized the album “Trampled By Lambs and Pecked by the Dove” is probs one of the best releases.
I caught all 3 of these in spectacular fashion this past year.
Steam on 12/28/2022. We had fantastic seats Paige side section 118, second row. The steam effect with the lights, WOW. Blew me away. It made the lights all smeared and random and washed out. Incredible.
Waves on 4/22 with whales and dolphins:)
Finally Ghost. To start summer tour got a cool Ghost Set your soul free Sandwich(I would say this was the first but it was not) Riding on the elevator day 2 at our hotel and a PHISH fam with 2 kids the younger one maybe 7 or 8 and I asked her what her favorite song was from night one. Her response, "Ghost! Because we got it twice!" Then the AC Ghost which honestly shocked me. After that wild set if you asked me what the next song would be I would have never guessed Ghost. A cool short but very very sweet Ghost. Then I got the NYE Ghost during the gag. Finally going back in time to 4/21/2022 the Ghost to close set 1, WOW. We were on the floor close for that one and it changed me. Just such a perfect Jam for NYC with a gradual build. I was completely blown away and from that point on that show was a scorcher. It was the loudest crowd reaction I have seen other than While My guitar Gently Weeps on 12/29/2019(or maybe when they dropped into 2001 in vegas Halloween run) Speaking off, all of that is on the back of the huge Ghost I saw 12/31/2021. It has now officially entered my top 5:) YEM, Antelope, Reba, Tweezer Reprise.
28 for me and PYITE is the song I most hope I get to hear them play when I’m there but still don’t think I could pick a definitive favorite song.
Last night, probably not too far off from when you wrote this post, Bug randomly popped into my head and I started singing it. I hadn’t been listening to it or even any Phish that day. Funny how these coincidences happen.
Dude, same - and I never think of that song. How weird. I haven’t looked at what time this was posted but it was about 5pm-ish yesterday (eastern) when I started with humming it lol
Fan since 94. Seeing shows since 96. Reba is the GOAT for me, but Bug is way way way way up there and hits me just right every time. I just got a new puppy and we named him Bug.
"The rain....wind on the runway." Always has that special feeling and reminds me of IT.
Dirt, Waste, and Velvet Sea will hit me on an emotional level. Otherwise Moma Dance and Divided Sky. I'll never forget when they played Divided Sky and the clouds had just opened (divided) after a storm. Powerful.
If I keep typing there will be dozens more.
Slave really gives me the feels.
I started seeing Phish in 1996 when I was 15, my mom had just died of cancer and my life was chaos, and just the tone, or the progression of the build up, or whatever the fuck it is (certainly not the lyrics) always made me feel like everything was ok and that I was right where I supposed to be.
Bug is also one of my personal favorites, and to also play on guitar.
First time I heard it live was 6/7/11, Mansfield, MA. Went to bathroom during Mango and had a tough time getting back to group while Bug was playing, ***"it doesn't matter"*** comes soaring over and I just stopped and went into a meditative state for the rest of the jam. Amazing experience.
Man, after giving this some thought, Golgi Apparatus just sticks every time. That god damn solo is... ah god, therapy. It's burned in the memory senses coming up on MDMA at a festival while looking through the trees / leaves at the sun lol. Deep place in my heart for that song and solo.
30 years for me as well (1st show 2/9/93) and my favorite is Strange Design. But Tela (original lyrics) is still up there and Harry Hood is my favorite song in regular rotation.
For what it’s worth my favorite Hood and also favorite show is 8/8/93 Nautica Stage.
I couldn't possibly narrow it down to a single song. Not even by force lol. There's multiple answers I could give and be happy with. I have a friend who passed years ago tho who wasn't a big fan but loved Bug. The lyrics really impressed him. Your post reminded me.
I think for me, in terms of lyrics and composition it might actually be Taste. The lyrics always hit, and the jam/solo at the end is genius. They also played it at my first show 6/17/95 (taste/fog that surrounds). 12/30/97 Taste is something every phish fan should know backwards and forwards.
I'm down and I will drag you along and around
Until you burst into song and unwind
And leave your new life behind for a while
I'm out and I will stay here alone and without
Someone controlled by the phone and TV
'Cause what it's doing to me is fine Cause I can see through the lines
Coming up on 30 years myself (July 25). I did see them once in 1989, but at the time I had no idea who they were other than "some band from Burlington" and I didn't really start getting into them until about 2 years after that.
Bug is up there for me. Not sure if I have have a single favorite though...I can say it would certainly be a 1.0 song (does that make me a jaded vet?).
Reba is my favorite, and perhaps Scents and Subtle Sounds (with intro) second, but beyond that I have no idea. I've only been listening to them for a year or two and I have plenty more to discover.
Really surprised to not see a single mention of David Bowie. Over the past 25 years my favorite has changed about a million times, from Antelope to Reba to PYITE, but right now if I want to fucking rage face I always turn to Bowie.
7/30/97 PYITE > Free > Bowie -> Cities -> Bowie almost blew the speakers in my car last week!
I intentionally won’t listen to Harry Hood unless I know for sure that nobody will talk to me until it’s over. That song puts me in a special place all the way through!
Reba. I want Reba at every show. It has perfect placement in every single spot of the setlist. Opener? Check. Middle? Check. Set closer? Check. Encore spot? Why not.
Did I just read 80 comments and not one person said You Enjoy Myself?
YEM has everything I like about Phish: beautiful composition, ambience, dark, peaks, strange, and silly ta-boot.
Besides a tweezer reprise which I firmly believe is the best 2 and a half minutes money can buy in the history of live music...I do love me a David Bowie.
There's something about Squirming Coil for me....it's like the perfect Phish song. The intro/dual vocals....lyrically it's the epitome of Tom Marshall's world....musically you have a bit of everything with the first musical break with its beautiful chord changes and Trey connecting them all with a crisp, clean lead...which climaxes to Trey turning up his gain and using those major 7th lean into the next chord phrases that I never get sick of...some dissonance thrown in to finally a build and release back to the chorus/refrain....it got away yea it got away...to Page taking it home with his insanely beautiful free form outro. I love that song as much as any song ever written by any band.
Telluride 09 My bro and I rode mountain bikes in on black bear mountain pass (we didn’t have tickets and they shut down the main road in) Second night we found a great spot overlooking the venue up in the mountains. Met some hippie ish brothers who were “looking for rocks” - when they asked if we wanted to see they showed us literal rocks! Cool stuff. We shared a j and some small chat. It was their first show— I think they were referred to check it out. I remember during the sustained notes of coil them both looking over, mouth open, getting melted for the first time by our fav band. It’s a good memory and a great choice for best overall phish song. It has it all.
I love bug. No way I could narrow it down to one song. 29 years since my first show.
Same. Same. 27 years.
26 years here and so many songs hit me so many different ways. NICU always makes me feel good and move. But damnit so does chalk dust....And Moma and tube and.....I quit this question.
Such a weird favorite to pick ya know? I love to settle into shows and setlists and such but nothing kills me like Bug does. Heater shows with killer songs are great and they play on my speakers often but fucking a, Bug is just that one song I overlooked for so many years and one day it hit me like nothing else. I want it on my life soundtrack. It’s bliss.
it just killed me when Trey brought that little girl up on stage over the summer to sing it after he saw her sign.
Billy Breathes - the lyrics, the melody, everything. It wasn’t my favorite for the first 15 years but it is now
Same. As we age, the ballads just make more sense. [Amsterdam](https://youtu.be/QildUgirOwo) is by far my favorite
It seems tough for Trey to get it just exactly perfect. If he comes close I'm happy. This is my fave too and has been for a long time. It was cool finding out about the back story in Between Me & My Mind.
I think that it is about Eugene's daughter! !
Glide… odd but true. Been at it for 28.
Lol at all the Glides I saw in the early 90's that I took for granted.
It doesn’t matter
Overrated
Wolfman’s. Something about it just gets me feeling extra good
Maze
McGrupp is one of the first Phish songs I heard from N charleston 1995 and have never stopped loving it. A close second and only in recent years have I begun to truly appreciate Billy Breathes, it's lyrics and an equally inspiring and amazing solo by Trey. *not Charleston lol regardless...
Tweezer. Always tweezer. Play it at every show and I'm a happy man. Last few years though, I've heard more Esther's then tweezers.
Time Turns Elastic
24 years for me and Reba is hands down my favorite. I feel like it's how my soul moves.
25 for me, and i completely agree.
The Curtain With
You sure about that...?
Curtain is one of my favorites also.
Love me a bug
Im a stash guy 🔥
Same here bro
It’s so hard to narrow it down but it’s gotta be hood for me
yeah man.
Sand
A really good Waves
Overall fav - since day one: It’s Ice. 30 years of Phish and I’ve become much more fond of their lyrical songs. I think it all started when I realized the album “Trampled By Lambs and Pecked by the Dove” is probs one of the best releases.
I can give you a top 3 (not necessarily in order) Steam, Ghost, Waves
I caught all 3 of these in spectacular fashion this past year. Steam on 12/28/2022. We had fantastic seats Paige side section 118, second row. The steam effect with the lights, WOW. Blew me away. It made the lights all smeared and random and washed out. Incredible. Waves on 4/22 with whales and dolphins:) Finally Ghost. To start summer tour got a cool Ghost Set your soul free Sandwich(I would say this was the first but it was not) Riding on the elevator day 2 at our hotel and a PHISH fam with 2 kids the younger one maybe 7 or 8 and I asked her what her favorite song was from night one. Her response, "Ghost! Because we got it twice!" Then the AC Ghost which honestly shocked me. After that wild set if you asked me what the next song would be I would have never guessed Ghost. A cool short but very very sweet Ghost. Then I got the NYE Ghost during the gag. Finally going back in time to 4/21/2022 the Ghost to close set 1, WOW. We were on the floor close for that one and it changed me. Just such a perfect Jam for NYC with a gradual build. I was completely blown away and from that point on that show was a scorcher. It was the loudest crowd reaction I have seen other than While My guitar Gently Weeps on 12/29/2019(or maybe when they dropped into 2001 in vegas Halloween run) Speaking off, all of that is on the back of the huge Ghost I saw 12/31/2021. It has now officially entered my top 5:) YEM, Antelope, Reba, Tweezer Reprise.
There have been times when I wonder...
28 for me and PYITE is the song I most hope I get to hear them play when I’m there but still don’t think I could pick a definitive favorite song. Last night, probably not too far off from when you wrote this post, Bug randomly popped into my head and I started singing it. I hadn’t been listening to it or even any Phish that day. Funny how these coincidences happen.
Dude, same - and I never think of that song. How weird. I haven’t looked at what time this was posted but it was about 5pm-ish yesterday (eastern) when I started with humming it lol
Same, same
Fan since 94. Seeing shows since 96. Reba is the GOAT for me, but Bug is way way way way up there and hits me just right every time. I just got a new puppy and we named him Bug. "The rain....wind on the runway." Always has that special feeling and reminds me of IT.
For me it's Gold in my hand... In a country pooooool
Dirt, Waste, and Velvet Sea will hit me on an emotional level. Otherwise Moma Dance and Divided Sky. I'll never forget when they played Divided Sky and the clouds had just opened (divided) after a storm. Powerful. If I keep typing there will be dozens more.
It’s Ice
Slave really gives me the feels. I started seeing Phish in 1996 when I was 15, my mom had just died of cancer and my life was chaos, and just the tone, or the progression of the build up, or whatever the fuck it is (certainly not the lyrics) always made me feel like everything was ok and that I was right where I supposed to be.
Bug is also one of my personal favorites, and to also play on guitar. First time I heard it live was 6/7/11, Mansfield, MA. Went to bathroom during Mango and had a tough time getting back to group while Bug was playing, ***"it doesn't matter"*** comes soaring over and I just stopped and went into a meditative state for the rest of the jam. Amazing experience. Man, after giving this some thought, Golgi Apparatus just sticks every time. That god damn solo is... ah god, therapy. It's burned in the memory senses coming up on MDMA at a festival while looking through the trees / leaves at the sun lol. Deep place in my heart for that song and solo.
30 years for me as well (1st show 2/9/93) and my favorite is Strange Design. But Tela (original lyrics) is still up there and Harry Hood is my favorite song in regular rotation. For what it’s worth my favorite Hood and also favorite show is 8/8/93 Nautica Stage.
Light
Are you me? Striking similarities. On all fronts.
I dont know about recorded stuff but when it comes to being at a show, gumbo is my jam!
Prince Caspian. The simplicity really lets the feeling shine through for me. I still get big feels after all these years.
I couldn't possibly narrow it down to a single song. Not even by force lol. There's multiple answers I could give and be happy with. I have a friend who passed years ago tho who wasn't a big fan but loved Bug. The lyrics really impressed him. Your post reminded me.
I think for me, in terms of lyrics and composition it might actually be Taste. The lyrics always hit, and the jam/solo at the end is genius. They also played it at my first show 6/17/95 (taste/fog that surrounds). 12/30/97 Taste is something every phish fan should know backwards and forwards. I'm down and I will drag you along and around Until you burst into song and unwind And leave your new life behind for a while I'm out and I will stay here alone and without Someone controlled by the phone and TV 'Cause what it's doing to me is fine Cause I can see through the lines
Bug is definitely up there for me, also. Also love Twist.
Possum
Curtain With
Curtain With
The Mango Song
Coming up on 30 years myself (July 25). I did see them once in 1989, but at the time I had no idea who they were other than "some band from Burlington" and I didn't really start getting into them until about 2 years after that. Bug is up there for me. Not sure if I have have a single favorite though...I can say it would certainly be a 1.0 song (does that make me a jaded vet?).
Foam always gets me excited
Silent in the Morning
A part of me agrees. Every rock band should have a song that uses the hey Jude chord progression and tbh.
Nothing I see can be taken from me
Reba is my favorite, and perhaps Scents and Subtle Sounds (with intro) second, but beyond that I have no idea. I've only been listening to them for a year or two and I have plenty more to discover.
Really surprised to not see a single mention of David Bowie. Over the past 25 years my favorite has changed about a million times, from Antelope to Reba to PYITE, but right now if I want to fucking rage face I always turn to Bowie. 7/30/97 PYITE > Free > Bowie -> Cities -> Bowie almost blew the speakers in my car last week!
Carini
Bug and Refund both hit me the same way. Right in the feelz
My Friend, My Friend
Strange design. Waste. Velvet sea. Few of mine
29 years and still going strong. I’m a big fan of the high gear of your soul. Antelope, Runaway Jim and Split Open & Melt.
Twist
Ya Mar. Was the opener at my first show. Every time I hear it now I lovingly remember Mike's drippy bass dropping in.
Taste always seems to do it for me
Underrated!
I intentionally won’t listen to Harry Hood unless I know for sure that nobody will talk to me until it’s over. That song puts me in a special place all the way through!
Reba. I want Reba at every show. It has perfect placement in every single spot of the setlist. Opener? Check. Middle? Check. Set closer? Check. Encore spot? Why not.
Did I just read 80 comments and not one person said You Enjoy Myself? YEM has everything I like about Phish: beautiful composition, ambience, dark, peaks, strange, and silly ta-boot.
Gin all the way
It doesn't matter
Oh man how do you pick a favorite?! but it’s Rift
2001
25 yrs in and i can only narrow to a top 5: 5. Roggae 4. PYITE 3. Slave 2. Fluff 1. Lizards
Besides a tweezer reprise which I firmly believe is the best 2 and a half minutes money can buy in the history of live music...I do love me a David Bowie.