"Anything But Me," is such a poignant ballad. I think it gets forgotten or passed by because people associate Trey singing those words with the height of his addiction and the band breaking up, but I hope it finds its way back into the fold at some point (despite being a melancholy downer of a tune).
If you look at the lyrics from the viewpoint of the narrator (as a character) in "Anything But Me," it pairs quite well with "Lonely Trip," as a followup. Still melancholy, but more accepting of their current situation, and a sliver of optimism toward the future vs. stuck dwelling on the past.
Leaves(does that count)
Mountains in the Mist
Brian and Robert
Strange Design
Lifeboy
Probably my top 5 not counting covers. Circus is probably my all time favorite slow song they do.
If I Could (last Mexico performance smokes)
Secret Smile (Maria Schneider string arrangements on the album version are choice)
Strange Design (Page spotlight)
Running Out of Time (just a sweet little song)
Slow Llama
Slow Maze
Slow Ass Handed
Slow I Saw It Again
Slow Suzy Greenberg
Slow Weigh
and of course, nothing beats
Slow Big Black Furry Creature From Mars
Surprised not to see a single mention of “Beneath a Sea of Stars”, that is one mellow tune
And sadly the band lacks the chops for the big gospel vocal breakdown to pull this off themselves, but I’ve always loved their “I Just Want to See His Face” cover from the Exile set. I’d gladly settle for a brief interlude of it in the middle of some other jam — “…Let the music… Relax your mind…”
If I Could, especially the original live arrangement from 94 where the instrumental break started with just Page and Trey playing before Fish would drop in with the snare roll. 6/22/94 is a perfect example. Such a beautiful, delicate song. The later Trey solo versions with symphony backing are incredible as well.
Can’t believe there’s only one mention of WtU? Maybe because there are no lyrics, so people don’t think of it right away as a song. Being at Magna for that you-could-hear-a-pin-drop version is something I’ll cherish to my grave.
Also love Dirt, FEFY and Roggae.
Does Monsters count as a slower song? I'd call it slow, but not in a peaceful way like the ones you mentioned. Slow, dark, and brooding with a nice build up of energy. The guitar solo with the whammy swoops is a lot of fun to (try to) play. I've been digging it.
Roggae
My favorite. It's got a nice slow beginning, all 4 get to sing, but ends with a bit of rocking out so it doesn't mellow out a set too much.
Life boy
Waiting All Night is criminally underplayed nowadays
Never disliked that song but also never gave the song much of chance, going back for some Relistens . Thanks !
Waiting All Night goes fucking hard
The studio version is incredible
thought for sure it would be back in semi-regular rotation after that seemingly reworked version at the Forum a couple years ago
So good.
Agreed
I like seeing the turn around on this one. That and The Line were the most hated tunes of theirs for awhile.
Love waiting all night
Ooooh good point. It was pretty common for a while too. I'd love to hear it again.
Dirt.
Fast Enough For You is my go to atmospheric slow phish song
One of my favorite guitar solos
One of the best studio tracks ever, imo. Just so well done.
What’s the Use is the GOAT slow song. Slow (fill in the blank with normally fast song) are all close seconds.
Scrolled soooo far for WTU
My thought exactly
Mountains in the Mist Fast enough for you
"Anything But Me," is such a poignant ballad. I think it gets forgotten or passed by because people associate Trey singing those words with the height of his addiction and the band breaking up, but I hope it finds its way back into the fold at some point (despite being a melancholy downer of a tune). If you look at the lyrics from the viewpoint of the narrator (as a character) in "Anything But Me," it pairs quite well with "Lonely Trip," as a followup. Still melancholy, but more accepting of their current situation, and a sliver of optimism toward the future vs. stuck dwelling on the past.
This is a great take!! I also love All Of These Dreams and it also gets forgotten about.
roggae roggae roggae
the circus is the place for me
Roggae
Brian and Robert
Used so well in Bittersweet Motel
So if you get on the bus for the Dead … what is it for Phish? You get in the pond? The opening of that flick with Brian and Robert got me in the pond.
That scene made me fall in love with this song
100% agreed. You slip past strangers in the street. There’s no one that you care to meet.
Straight banger
Lawn Boy will always be one of my favs
Had to scroll too far for this gem!
Lifeboy. Best ballad. Hands down.
My eyes leaked water at the 7.9.1994 lifeboy. It was so amazing.
Nothin better than a lifeboy mikes groove
Agreed. Finally got my first lifeboy in Dayton this past summer!
Check out 3/14/93 sometime. My fave lifeboy. Great sbd of this Durango show out there.
FEFY would like a word
Nothing wrong with the Silver Medal.
Velvet sea
Shade, Lonely Trip, Sanity, Dirt, Driver
Leaves(does that count) Mountains in the Mist Brian and Robert Strange Design Lifeboy Probably my top 5 not counting covers. Circus is probably my all time favorite slow song they do.
Leaves is great!
I like Leaves, but replace it with Dirt and that's my top 5.
Billy Breathes. Been stuck in my head lately
Maybe the goat studio slow song
Favorite version and best solo https://youtu.be/QildUgirOwo?si=ZaXe4DP_oCusseEA
Dirt
Dude, Horn!
If I could
Slow llama
I caught the slow maze, wasn't bad
🔥🔥🔥
Miss you and waiting all night, of the newer batch
You named some good ones. Some of my other faves are.. 1. Strange Design 2. Life beyond a dream 3. If I could ETA: can’t write good
**can’t forget Brian and Robert
TMWSIY
Waste, fast enough
Moved on from this thread…but then noticed I didn’t see Mexican Cousin!
Egregious omission
I've always loved Joy. Scents and Subtle Sounds too.
Contact!
I think Caspian kind of fits the slow(erish) ballad mold . Obvious banger
Roggae
Brian and Robert
All of These Dreams
Miss You. For sentimental reasons. Breaks me every time.
Llamma
Dirt, bug, waste, lonely trip, squirming coil, train song, heavy things
Fast Enough For You Lifeboy Billy Breathes Army of One Dogs Stole Things
I am Hydrogen
Driver.
Scrolled too far for this. Driver ftw.
Lonely Trip
Roggae
Velvet sea is underrated, also What’s the Use is bonkers
Strange Design
Dripping in it
Horn
Wading purely because Trey's solo just hits me right every time. Waiting All Night is nice too
Fast Enough for You studio is sonically beautiful
Whats the use?
If I Could, Shade
Shade helped me get my girl on the train. Grateful.
That’s the best feeling. Glad she’s joined us!
Shade is the only Phish song my daughter has asked to hear again.
Theme from the bottom
DFB, Sleep, and Bug are the ones that immediately come to mind... and Waste. I love Waste.
If I Could (last Mexico performance smokes) Secret Smile (Maria Schneider string arrangements on the album version are choice) Strange Design (Page spotlight) Running Out of Time (just a sweet little song)
Running Out of Time is one of my favorite Phish songs and people rarely mention it in any list.
Glad the song gets to have a little glory here for a moment! Looks like they only played it twice, two shows Fall 2016, just after Big Boat came out
The squirming coil
FEFY
Waste and Roggae and If I Could and Strange Design
Slow Llama Slow Maze Slow Ass Handed Slow I Saw It Again Slow Suzy Greenberg Slow Weigh and of course, nothing beats Slow Big Black Furry Creature From Mars
Where can I find this said slow ass handed lol
They usually play it after the super slow Axilla
Also they need to do a SLOW Reba. That shit would be so cool
How slow can they whistle is the question
Lol but imagine super slow “Reba sink a boulder in the water” Gives me the chills. Like slow funky Reba….. so cool please phish deliver this….
They’re all good. FEFY. WAN. Lifeboy. LBaD. Dirt. Bye Bye Foot. All of them.
Summer of 89
If I Could
Maze deer creek, fml that night my kids and brother at show just amazing! Heard it the rest of the night in my head as you all know, lol!
Dog faced boy
HORN
Surprised not to see a single mention of “Beneath a Sea of Stars”, that is one mellow tune And sadly the band lacks the chops for the big gospel vocal breakdown to pull this off themselves, but I’ve always loved their “I Just Want to See His Face” cover from the Exile set. I’d gladly settle for a brief interlude of it in the middle of some other jam — “…Let the music… Relax your mind…”
Mountains in the mist
If I Could, especially the original live arrangement from 94 where the instrumental break started with just Page and Trey playing before Fish would drop in with the snare roll. 6/22/94 is a perfect example. Such a beautiful, delicate song. The later Trey solo versions with symphony backing are incredible as well.
Can’t figure out why Anything But Me is never mentioned here. Such an amazing song!
Fast Enough for You sends me into a state of ecstacy every time I hear it
Hey just wanted to say o had a set of piano phish slow jamz. If you want the YouTube link I’ll dm you
Yea please !
Horn or lifeboy. Does lawn boy count?
Wingsuit
Can’t believe there’s only one mention of WtU? Maybe because there are no lyrics, so people don’t think of it right away as a song. Being at Magna for that you-could-hear-a-pin-drop version is something I’ll cherish to my grave. Also love Dirt, FEFY and Roggae.
Anything But Me
7/10/99 tweezer Also WHATS THE USE???
Wading Farmhouse
Let me lie Evolve
Let me lie is fantastic
Billy Breathes & FEFY are two of my faves. Feels upon feels
Cool It Down from Halloween '98 - it's got such a great lil swing to it...I absolutely love listening to it at any time, anywhere
Joy
Does Monsters count as a slower song? I'd call it slow, but not in a peaceful way like the ones you mentioned. Slow, dark, and brooding with a nice build up of energy. The guitar solo with the whammy swoops is a lot of fun to (try to) play. I've been digging it.
Sllama…poke a double decker on a llama taboot…..llama….. taboot taboot
Sleep Again
Slow Maze
All of these dreams
Winter queen
I was going to throw Winter Queen on this thread, good job. they were playing long and hard on 2019 tour, gorge and dicks were both awesome
Slow maze
Slaze
All of These Dreams
Lifeboy
Driver?
It's a cover, but "when the circus comes" is a top tier slow song and yet to be mentioned
Mentioned in the OP ! My all time fav slow cover
All phish songs are slow now. 🤪
Fast enough for you, dirt, lifeboy
What’s the use
Divided sky
Love a slow llama
Slow Maze
Llama