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David Byrne's vocals trudge through a thick muck of accompaniment, breaking out every so often for a jungle-feverish call-and-response chorus. On the original Remain in Light, this track is the only one to feature real horns, and it in fact buries them deep in the aforementioned groove, where they provide just another part of the music’s elemental structure.

Phish covered this one on 10/31/96 as part of their third Halloween “musical costume.” For this single performance, Phish dissected the tune quite remarkably, considering how difficult it is to identify just what the hell is going on in the original. For Phish’s live interpretation, the horns were more noticeable, and Dave Grippo’s sax solo works very well, retaining the large, carnivorous insect-call sound of the original. The band also used nice effects – echo and so forth – during the jam, which walked steadily on until each instrument began to be stripped away, one by one, like layers of flesh beneath a cloak of bacteria. The jam eventually was stripped down to a single hand-clap, which in turn was built upon, element by element, before morphing into “Seen and Not Seen.” To this day, these moments represent one of the most celebrated segues in Phish history.

(Byrne/Eno/Frantz/Harrison/Weymouth)
© Warner Chappell Music (ASCAP)

For a long time I felt without style or grace
Wearing shoes with no socks in cold weather
I knew my heart was in the right place
I knew I'd be able to do these things.

And as we watch him digging his own grave
It is important to know that was where he's at
He can't afford to stop...That is what he believe
He'll keep on digging for a thousand years.

I'm walking a line-I'm thining about empty motion
I'm walking a line-Just barely enough to be living
Get outa the way-No time to begin
This isn't the time-So nothing was done
Not talking about-Not many at all
I'm turning around-No trouble at all
You notice there's nothing around you, around you
I'm walking a line-Divide and dissolve.

Never get to say much, never get to talk
Tell us a little bit, but not too much
Right about then, is where she give up
She has closed her eyes, she has give up hope

I'm walking a line-I hate to be dreaming in motion
I'm walking a line-Just barely enough to be living
Get outa the way-No time to begin
This isn't the time-So nothing was done
Not talking about-Not many at all
I'm turning around-No trouble at all
I'm keeping my fingers behind me, 'hind me
I'm walking a line-Divide and dissolve.

I turn myself around, I'm moving backwards and forwards
I'm moving twice as much as I was before
I'll keep on digging to the center of the Earth
I'll be down in there moving the in the room...

I'm walking a line-Visiting houses in motion
I'm walking a line-Just barely enough to be living
Get outa the way-No time to begin
This isn't the time-So nothing was done
Not talking about-Not many at all
I'm turning around-No trouble at all
Two different houses surround you, 'round you
I'm walking a line-Divide and dissolve.