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Phish.netDr. Gabel
Dr. Gabel has not been seen in 524 Phish shows.
It was last played: 2010-06-22.
It was played at 0.05% of live shows.
It has been performed live 1 time(s).
Music/Lyrics: Anastasio/Pollak
Vocals: Trey (lead), Mike, Page (backing)
Debut: 2010-06-22
Historian: Chris Bertolet (bertoletdown)
“Dr. Gabel” is reported to be one of the early outputs from Trey’s resurgent collaboration with Steve Pollak, a.k.a. The Dude of Life. The song was written at least a year before its appearance, and probably more, according to some accounts.
The day of its debut on 6/22/10 at Great Woods, in the early afternoon Trey sent a text message to the Dude and asked him to email “the Dr. Gabel stuff” they’d worked on. The Dude sent Trey the music and lyrics, which Trey quickly re-learned and taught to the band during sound-check.
Considering the way “Dr. Gabel” was so trustingly blurted onto the stage before 20,000 fans, it’s fitting that its lyrics recall the narrator’s soul-baring couch session with a therapist. In that sense, the song fits neatly into a handful of confessional post-breakup Phish songs that examine mid-life struggles with excess and self-betterment (see “Kill Devil Falls,” “20 Years Later,” etc.), but musically it stands on its own. Initial reactions noted similarities to Rubber Soul-era Beatles or Tommy-era Who, but at the end of the hour, “Dr. Gabel” is pure Phish.
Lyrics:
© by Who Is She? Music, Inc (BMI)
I sat down and talked with Dr. Gabel
Laid my cards down on the table
Broke through the lies to find another fable
I sat down and talked with Dr. Gabel
Doctor help me figure out this mess
It's hard to handle all this stress
Sometimes it's tough to make it through the day
You tell me everything will be okay
The situation's gotten out of hand
It's time to find a better action plan
I know there are some things I need to change
The problem is the world's a bit deranged
Doctor will you help me change my ways?
Will you help me glue this broken vase?
With words of wisdom valid and concise
I appreciate your fine advice
Dr. Gabel
I feel some things are out of my control
At times I've dug myself into a hole
Though I gotta say without a doubt
You have really helped me work things out
I dug down deep to get things off my chest
It's been a struggle as you might have guessed
No need to harp on things we can't undo
Try to see it all from a brand new point of view
And even if you've fallen off your horse
Gotta get right back up again of course
There's no time for anger or for blame
It sure is nice to be back in the game
Sure is nice to be back in the game
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