Phish.net

Phish’s only performance of “Look Out Cleveland,” a song by The Band about a storm bearing down on “The Mistake by the Lake,” opened the first set on 6/12/10 at the Blossom Music Center just outside Cleveland. “Look Out Cleveland” appears on The Band’s self-titled second album, which consists almost entirely of rootsy, Robbie Robertson-penned songs (in contrast to their other masterpiece, Music from Big Pink, on which several band members wrote songs and the music was heavily flavored by Garth Hudson’s organ). Musically, Phish’s version stuck close to the original, and seems unlikely to be played again outside of subsequent rainy appearances in Cleveland (or, possibly, Houston). Interestingly, The Band is sometimes referred to as The Brown Album, which means that with the debut of “Look Out Cleveland,” Phish has now covered songs off of The White Album, The Brown Album and The Black Album. Maybe they’ll move onto primary colors next.

(Robertson)
© 1970 Canaan Music, Inc.

Look Out, Cleveland
the storm is comin' through
and it's runnin' right up on you
Look out, Houston
there'll be thunder on the hill
Bye-bye, baby
don't you lie so still

Was Wedn'sday evenin'
when first we heard the word,
It did not come by train nor bird
T'was when Ben Pike stepped down to say
"This old town's gonna blow away."

Chain lightnin', frightnin' as it may seem
Must not be mistaken for just another dream
Justice of peace don't know his own fate
But he'll go down in the shelter late

Look Out, Cleveland
the storm is comin' through
and it's runnin' right up on you
Look out, Houston
there'll be thunder on the hill
Bye-bye, baby
don't you lie so still

Hidin' your money won't do no good
Build a big wall
you know you would if you could, yeah!
When clouds of warnin' come into view
It'll get the ol' woman right outta her shoe