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Phish — Backwards Down the Number Line
Album: Joy
Avg rating:
6.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 146









Released: 2009
Length: 5:32
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Happy happy oh my friend
Blow out candles once again
Leave the presents all inside
Take my hand
And let’s take a ride
Backwards down the number line
You were eight and I was nine
Do you know what happened then?

Do you know why we’re still friends?
Laughing all these many years
We pushed through hardships tasted tears
Made a promise one to keep
I can still recite it in my sleep
Every time a birthday comes
Call your friend and sing a song
Or whisper it into his ear
Or write it down
Just don’t miss a year

You decide what it contains
How long it goes but this remains
The only rule is it begins
Happy happy oh my friend

You decide what it contains
How long it goes but this remains
The only rule is it begins
Happy happy oh my friend

All my friends
Come backwards down the number line

And when I see you coming down the line
With eyes wide open
Somewhere in between the past and future
Where you drift in time
And you can see a different point of view
Comments (50)add comment
                                                                  {#Dancingbanana}
Posted 10 years ago by Biscobret    [ Reply ]
There's two types of people in the world: Those who hear Phish and realize it's the best band ever, and those who don't. I'm blessed to be in the first group.
Posted 11 years ago by stalfnzo    [ Reply ]
 Alpine wrote:
Sorry, TWO. Heard one Phish song, heard 'em all.
 
Corrected:

"Heard one Phish song, you've heard them both. . ."

Posted 13 years ago by vandal    [ Reply ]
 Alpine wrote:
Sorry, TWO. Heard one Phish song, heard 'em all.  Pre school music.
 

I disagree..they have many complex studio songs and their intricate jams during their live shows competes with the best EVER in music exploration—-and their concert last night RIPPED!!!!!! YEAH PHISH!!!!

Posted 13 years ago by HonduranRed    [ Reply ]
This one has me "bouncing around the room..."  I love Phish (and I'm not even a tie-dyed twirly-dancer!) {#Dancingbanana}{#Sunny}
Posted 13 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
This is such a happy song.
Posted 13 years ago by mmoyer    [ Reply ]
Sorry, TWO. Heard one Phish song, heard 'em all.  Pre school music.
Posted 13 years ago by Alpine    [ Reply ]
TODAY HEARING  A SONG THAT ISN'T LIKE AN IMITATION  OR TO EXPECT  SOMETHING DIFFERENT{#Ask} . 

Posted 13 years ago by esagil    [ Reply ]
Doesn't compute for me either, a phish song I don't really like. 

 copymonkey wrote:
Hmmm. This doesn't compute. A Phish song I like!
 


Posted 13 years ago by Delawhere    [ Reply ]
Sounds like the tedious Allman Brothers guitar noodling from a couple songs back.
Posted 13 years ago by Papernapkin    [ Reply ]
 Sjaaks wrote:
For everyone who disagrees the resemblance with the Allman Bros...

This morning 'Jessica' from the Allman Bros came by, this song really drips of the Allman Bros sound. Maybe you don't like it as much but the resemblance is striking!!

I love this one! 9
 
You nailed it! {#High-five} {#Music}
Posted 13 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
Never heard of before, but what the heck. I like it!
Posted 13 years ago by nalle    [ Reply ]
For everyone who disagrees the resemblance with the Allman Bros...

This morning 'Jessica' from the Allman Bros came by, this song really drips of the Allman Bros sound. Maybe you don't like it as much but the resemblance is striking!!

I love this one! 9
Posted 14 years ago by Sjaaks    [ Reply ]
Opening definitely reminds me of Diamonds and Rust
Posted 14 years ago by majorbooboo    [ Reply ]
Really sweet story behind this song, I can't help but thing of old friends every time I hear it.
Posted 14 years ago by Businessgypsy    [ Reply ]
Maybe you were thinking of Fishbone?

 mandolin wrote:
...this is totally irrelevant to their music, but for decades i thought phish were composed of predominantly black musicians and i was dumbfounded when i recently saw a picture of people completely dissimilar from my mental image of the band...i honestly have no idea where i got that idea, maybe from a mis-captioned article in a music magazine (remember those?) back in college...
 


Posted 14 years ago by alph    [ Reply ]
I thought it was some backwater song from BNL... mediocre. {#Sad}
Posted 14 years ago by tnt_thomas    [ Reply ]
You know, I didn't hear the Allman Bros thing.  You guys are right.
Posted 14 years ago by CamLwalk    [ Reply ]
 whistlercat wrote:
Jerry G. meets Allman Bros.
 

...quite...
Posted 14 years ago by mandolin    [ Reply ]
A big wide smile is a natural byproduct of listening to this song. Well done!
Posted 14 years ago by tirednotion    [ Reply ]
 whistlercat wrote:
Jerry G. meets Allman Bros.

 

not even remotely close.
Posted 14 years ago by wrangler    [ Reply ]
 black321 wrote:
Like it, but it doesnt sound like a finished product yet?
 
This happends when it is played live!  9 for now!

Posted 14 years ago by More_Cowbell    [ Reply ]
...this is totally irrelevant to their music, but for decades i thought phish were composed of predominantly black musicians and i was dumbfounded when i recently saw a picture of people completely dissimilar from my mental image of the band...i honestly have no idea where i got that idea, maybe from a mis-captioned article in a music magazine (remember those?) back in college...
Posted 14 years ago by mandolin    [ Reply ]
Like it, but it doesnt sound like a finished product yet?
Posted 14 years ago by black321    [ Reply ]
Dancing Fish
Posted 14 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
 whistlercat wrote:
Jerry G. meets Allman Bros.

 
Definite Duane influence.  Too bad they didn't learn anything from Greg.

Posted 14 years ago by spigolli    [ Reply ]
Sweet! 8
Posted 14 years ago by More_Cowbell    [ Reply ]
Jerry G. meets Allman Bros.

Posted 14 years ago by whistlercat    [ Reply ]
Phish - meh!

Play some Oysterhead!
Posted 14 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
enough repetition already!
Posted 14 years ago by coyote620    [ Reply ]

{#Yawn}

Posted 14 years ago by vandal    [ Reply ]
PHISH in albany NY 11/27 & 28th!!! YIPPEE!!!!!!
Posted 14 years ago by livemuzc    [ Reply ]
Oh noooo!   Whitehall!!  SIX-UP!  SIX-UP!
Posted 14 years ago by CamLwalk    [ Reply ]
Hmmm. This doesn't compute. A Phish song I like!
Posted 14 years ago by copymonkey    [ Reply ]
This isn't bad, but it gets kind of repetitive and goes on a bit too long.  What are the rest of their songs like?
Posted 14 years ago by rd    [ Reply ]
 bluefrog wrote:
too Grateful Dead like for me

 
ha ha...that's exactly why i like it!!! it's fun, upbeat, good 'ole jam band dance music!!

Posted 14 years ago by livemuzc    [ Reply ]
too Grateful Dead like for me

Posted 14 years ago by bluefrog    [ Reply ]
Huh. I was sure I'd come here and find others commenting on the similarities to Diamonds and Rust, at least in the opening. It's been bugging me and I finally figured it out.

But I guess it's just me....

Posted 14 years ago by rcurrier    [ Reply ]
Reading these comments is stressful. Why does everyone moan so much and compare and over-crit. everything. I am amazed at tunes I hear here every day. Sometimes there's a tune I always disliked, or just don't like it the first time I hear it. But RP is the definition of eclectic and is 98% perfect in my humble dumbass opinion.
Posted 14 years ago by paulric75    [ Reply ]
I've been a huge phish fan for about 17 years and I find "Backwards" pretty pop-oriented and disappointing.  These guys are so much better than this as musicians and composers.  I haven't heard Joy yet, but I'm hoping that this one gets played because it's the lowest-common-denominator commercial song not the "best".
Posted 14 years ago by peteingraham    [ Reply ]
Patuli may make me gag, but that was a nice little song.
Posted 14 years ago by amaynard    [ Reply ]
 Yibbyl wrote:
Um...I'm a huge fan and I like this song!  Sorry, NWG, my opinion offsets yours, so I guess it's a wash!  {#Wink}
 
That's fine (you're entitled to your opinion no matter how wrong you are ), but I'm still not sure why we heard them twice in one day. That's not typical of the way Bill operates with any artist, no matter how much any of us like/dislike them.
Posted 14 years ago by newwavegurly    [ Reply ]
Love the lyrics to this song - wish my friend Debbie were still here to share it with.  Are you listening?
Posted 14 years ago by casey1024    [ Reply ]
 newwavegurly wrote:
Um... this is the second Phish song being played today. Being that I'm not that big of a fan, this does not please me all that much. Once a day is more than enough.
 
Um...I'm a huge fan and I like this song!  Sorry, NWG, my opinion offsets yours, so I guess it's a wash!  {#Wink}
Posted 14 years ago by Yibbyl    [ Reply ]
Um... this is the second Phish song being played today. Being that I'm not that big of a fan, this does not please me all that much. Once a day is more than enough.
Posted 14 years ago by newwavegurly    [ Reply ]
Yay! New Phish. I'm liking it. I'm glad they got back together. 
Posted 14 years ago by Marley    [ Reply ]
I always love to hear some Phish on RP... but with it comes the requisite bashing from others.
To all that close their ears and mind before the song is even over with:  All the while you're typing up your flame, you're missing a charming little song about the simple act of walking down memory lane.
Posted 14 years ago by window    [ Reply ]