Down With Disease by Phish

Album: Hoist (1994)

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"Down With Disease" is the only Phish song to get a music video. Directed by bassist Mike Gordon, it's a clever concept, with the band donning scuba gear and diving into an aquarium. MTV ignored it (their alternative-leaning channel MTV2 played it occasionally, but it did, however, appear on Beavis and Butt-Head, where the cartoon idiots made sure to mention that fish swim in their own poop.
Tom Marshall, who wrote the lyrics to this and many other Phish songs, has said in interviews that "Down With Disease" is about the time he had mono and was sick in bed for weeks. Mono can cause fevers that can mess with your brain, which explains why Marshall came up with lines like "A thousand barefoot children outside dancing on my lawn."

Marshall wrote the song with Phish leader Trey Anastasio. They were childhood friends with a songwriting collaboration that dates back to eighth grade, when they wrote the first version of "Golgi Apparatus."
If Phish was ever going to have a hit, it would have been "Down With Disease." The song was released as the lead single from their 1994 album Hoist. By this time, the band had spawned a sizable following despite radio play that was nearly nil. Many of their fans were acquired via word-of-mouth and constant touring, which was fine by them - it meant they didn't have to shill and could focus on their music. But for the Hoist album they looked to swim in a bigger pond, so they took input from their record label (Elektra) and did some promotion for the "Down With Disease" single, which was one of their more accessible songs musically and ran a radio-friendly 4:13.

This was a time when grunge was waning and other flavors of rock music were filling the void. Dave Matthews Band crossed over in a big way with "What Would You Say" and "Ants Marching," so there seemed to be room for jam bands like Phish as well. It din't happen - the song didn't chart, the video didn't move the needle, and fans were worried that their beloved band was starting to sell out. Phish never did crack the Hot 100 but they did get more popular, especially in 1995 after Jerry Garcia died and many Deadheads came into their fold.
The cover of the Hoist album shows a horse lifted in a harness for veterinary inspection. The band thought about calling it Hung Like A Horse.

Comments: 10

Orion from Independence, Mo Before you make up your mind about Phish, go see them live. They are a jam band, improv a lot, and that is a large source of their magic. The guitarist, Trey, is a master of tension release. They are all masters of manifesting shamanic ecstasy into sound. That doesn't really translate onto plastic circles that are shot by lasers. See them live. Oh yeah, the song, ok, down with disease is always fun, the end.
Karl from Ingatestone, United KingdomThis is my favourite Phish song ever recorded, i know it sounds a bit like Primus, but i have to love it
and my wife Barbara, also known as James Green, stop meddling with it
Zach from Chicago, IlAWESOME SONG! SOUNDS A LITTLE LIKE PRIMUS IN THE BEGINING. LES AND TRE HAVE OYSTER HEAD. STASH AND BATHTUB GIN ARE GOOD SONGS TOO...
Barry from New York, NyMy favorite version of this song was at Oswego County Airport in the summer of 99. What an amazing weekend that was... my first Phish festival. It was played at the end of day one as I recall
Kelli from Columbus, OhThe video is...not great. Marley (Trey's dog) makes an appearance though. If memory serves, Page sticks him in a fish tank. I have no idea what the video has to do with the song itself. It's too bad they didn't make more videos though. Their combined creativeness probably could have resulted in some pretty cool videos.
Jeff from Barrington, IlI downloaded the music video one time. It was a few years ago so I don't remember it too well, but it was basically just the band all jumping into a small fish tank with scuba gear on and then playing at the bottom. Not a great video, but Phish still rocks and so does this song.
Chris from Topeka, KsI like this song a lot, probably one of the better ones off Hoist. One time I heard it on the satellite radio at work and couldn't believe that I was hearing a Phish song on the radio. These guys rock and I wish I could've seen them in concert, it would've been one Heck of a time.
Elliot from Toronto, CanadaGreat song. I'm not too familiar with Phish, but this song (as well as Free) is really getting me to like them a lot more. I've never seen the video... can someone tell me what the video is like?
Chris from Philadelphia, PaI gave up trying to talk people into "liking" this band, as well as The Grateful Dead. You either "get it," or you don't. Neither band ever had a problem selling out concerts, or keeping a few bucks in thier pocket, so they need no "word of mouth." I just honestly feel sorry for people who don't "get it" because they are missing out on an awesomely intense/spiritual/positive experience in their lives -- one which will open that other door to your soul, where you can see what it really is "all about." Imagine trying to get there through pop music or any of that other MTV nonsense!!?? Someone once tried to explain what kind of music the Grateful Dead played, and I think that description applies equally as well to Phish: "They're not the best at what they do; they're the only ones that do what they do."
Nick from Shelton, CtPeople gotta start sticking up for one of the best bands ever,I added the lyrics as good as i knew them off the top of my head,, Phish is awesome they deserve so much more credit then they get just because they don't cooperate with MTV doesn't meen there not good . listen to the music and you'll be amazed,, this song has the most unique bass line i have ever heard, And as a bass player i have found it almost imposible to duplicate, they are amazing people need to start listen to Phish instead listening to what people say about them,

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