Birds of a Feather
With the lyrics by Tom Marshall, and the grooves by the band, "Birds of a Feather" was the only radio single in 1998 (the only song by them possibly on the radio at all). The song is inspired by the history of one being used by another, as the lyrics mention: "...people build you up, just so they can knock you down," suggests the above idea. Birds' debut performance was on April 2, 1998, in Uniondale, New York. This is one of the more publicly popular pieces, because it has not only become a radio single, but it was played on national television in "The Late Show with David Letterman."
The only problem with this song's development is that it was played too great a deal within it's opening tours in 1998. however, it was played less as a sign of relaxation following the 6 month break Phish had sumer of 1999. However, the song never lost its jamming potential, for it adapted this opening for long, continuous jams that easily connected to other songs. Being born in 1998, the song has not been played a great deal over its span, (46 times before the "Big Break") but it was played a good number of times in 1998, and like other popular pieces, it was played less in the following years. If you like this piece, you might like the other songs that are also on the same album, called "The Story of the Ghost."
It's easy sometimes we just coast along
But like it or not something always seems to go wrong
Sometimes people build you up just so they can knock you down
Sometimes they will have you there because they need someone around
Perhaps you'll receive invitations for tea
or perhaps you will laugh and you will make them all smile
Or maybe you'll join them cause they have to be
Perhaps you'll forget that you forgot for a while
Birds of a feather are flocking outside (4x)
like whippets they dance in a curly queue dance
of pulses and ringing and campfire chants
of ritual drumming although at first glance
you thought you could run but you won't take a chance
it's not an experience if they can't bring someone along
they hang on emotions they bottle inside
they peck at the ground and they strut out of stride
Birds of a feather are flocking outside (8x)