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This bright, moderately uptempo rocker debuted in the midst of the surprise set of new tunes rolled out on 10/31/13 as a Halloween treat. Among those twelve new songs, it is one of only four credited to Phish's signature songwriting duo of Trey and Tom Marshall. This song arrived into the Phish world fully formed; aside from a slight rejiggering of its conclusion, the version unveiled eight months later on the album Fuego is more or less unchanged. 

Though there's only a wisp of melody in its verses, the song is propelled by a repetitive vocal hook in the chorus, delivered by an attractive blend of voices. The song's first chorus features a call-and-response effect between Trey's lead vocals and a lyrical counterpoint from Page and Mike. Later choruses leave this effect out, instead offering a pleasing blend of all three voices in unison. A dance-friendly guitar break features clean lines from Trey and an overall effect not unlike that of "Back on the Train." 

Lyrically, the song seems to be the narrator's psych-up anthem preceding a long-overdue breakup.  The singer pledges that today will be the day when a stifling, sour state of affairs is finally put to rest. The couple's commitment to the relationship was merely "devotion to a dream" or fairy tale, he has decided. Today, finally, closed doors will be replaced by open windows; curtains will part, minds are open, and glaciers will make way for a triumphant march across the border toward a presumably happier future.

The song seems destined to be a crisp, first-set pacesetter, though one could even see it as the occasional show opener, albeit a mild-mannered one.

Watch Devotion To a Dream on YouTube ”Devotion to a Dream” 10/31/13 Atlantic City, NJ

(Anastasio/Marshall)
© Who Is She? Music, Inc. (BMI)

No more promises, that no one could keep
No more lies, to keep us from sleep
No more phone calls, when you don't say what you mean
I've got faith in a fairytale, devotion to a dream

It's today the vows are broken
It's today the charade is over
It's today the curtain's coming down

Now the battle-lines are chosen
It's today my eyes are open
It's today the time to turn around

No more knowing glances or places we can hide
No more chances to keep this thing alive
The two of us together it wasn't in the grand scheme
All it was was a fairytale and devotion to a dream
Devotion to a dream

No more promises, no more keeping score
No more wondering what I stay here for
We broke the awkward silence with polite and practiced lies
But we were just preparing our goodbyes
A long and fruitless voyage that stranded us upstream
All it was was a fairytale and devotion to a dream
Devotion to a dream

Yesterday my path was chosen
Yesterday my smile was frozen
Yesterday my doors were closing down

Tomorrow I can cross the border
It's today a new world-order
Yesterday my head was spinning 'round
(Yesterday my will was broken down*)

Now I see where this is leading
(I'll ignore where this is leading*)
Tomorrow glaciers are receding
Now I'm mending things that broke inside

I'm completing thoughts unspoken
Now I see that webs were woven
Now I keep the windows open wide

It's today...

* These lines reported sung on 7/19/14.