Phish.net

The 1994 release of “Sabotage” returned the Beastie Boys to the exalted throne of top-40 super-stardom they first occupied in 1986 with their frat house anthem (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!). The Beasties’ hard rocking free-style – which grew out of their hard-core punk roots and is exemplified by “Sabotage” – made it possible for the likes of Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock to have careers today.

Unlike these latter-day pretenders to the Grand Royal crown, the Beastie Boys have displayed a vision and inventiveness in their musical efforts that are largely unparalleled in the world of hip-hop and rap. Eschewing the hit-making formula they perfected on Licensed to Ill, they spent several years of relative musical obscurity exploring jazz, funk, soul and Tibetan Buddhism, before returning to their instruments to produce Check Your Head and Ill Communication. Though it received a great deal of radio airplay, “Sabotage” is perhaps best known for its hilarious music video spoof of Starsky and Hutch-type ‘70s cop shows.

Watch Sabotage on Vimeo Beastie Boys, “Sabotage”

Phish performances of “Sabotage” – featuring the strained rap stylings of Trey Anastasio – have been explosive surprises that served to whip the mellow undulations of the typical Phish crowd into a riotous frenzy. The debut performance on 8/8/98 at Merriweather was one of several unexpected cover song encores played during that U.S. summer tour. The high-octane “Sabotage” returned eight days later to open the final set of Lemonwheel on 8/16/98, evoking a crowd scene in front of the stage which observers have likened to those for certain performers at Woodstock ‘99. Though not quite as rabid as the Lemonwheel performance, “Sabotage” once again ignited the delighted crowd to open the final set of a two night run at the Hampton Coliseum on 11/21/98, captured on Hampton Comes Alive. After after a 318-show absence and all but given up for dead,  "Sabotage" made its triumphant return as the encore of the "S" show on 9/2/11 at Dick’s. In a show littered with "S" song bustouts, Phish saved the most shocking for last.

The 7/7/12 SPAC performance of “Sabotage” was as an enthusiastically received but poorly executed encore in the midst of a particularly cover song-heavy summer tour. Trey dedicated the epic disaster to MCA, who had thankfully (for him) attained true enlightenment a few months earlier on May 4, 2012, and wasn’t subjected to the atrocity that ensued. If you want to hear Phish butcher this one again, you better check your head.

Watch Sabotage on YouTube Phish, ”Sabotage” – 9/2/11, Commerce City, CO

(Diamond/Horovitz/Yauch)
© Brooklyn Dust Music (ASCAP)

I Can't Stand It, I Know You Planned It
I'ma Set It Straight, This Watergate
I Can't Stand Rockin' When I'm In Here
'Cause Your Crystal Ball Ain't So Crystal Clear
So, While You Sit Back And Wonder Why
I Got This Fucking Thorn In My Side
Oh My God, It's A Mirage
I'm Tellin' Y'all It's Sabotage

So,So,So, So Listen Up 'Cause You Can't Say Nothin'
You Shut Me Down With A Push Of Your Button
But yo, I'm Out And I'm Gone
I'll Tell You Now I Keep It On And On dam!

'Cause What You See You Might Not Get
And We Can Bet, So Don't You Get Souped Yet
Scheming On A Thing That's A Mirage
I'm Tryin' To Tell You Now It's Sabotage

Why; Our Backs Are Now Against The Wall
Listen All Of Y'all This Is Sabotage
Listen All Of Y'all This Is Sabotage
Listen All Of Y'all This Is Sabotage
Listen All of Y'all This Is Sabotage

I Can't Stand It, I Know You Planned It
I'ma Set It Straight This Watergate
I Can't Stand Rockin' When I'm In This Place
Because I Feel Disgrace Because You're All In My Face
But Make No Mistakes And Switch Up My Channel
I'm Buddy Rich When I Fly OffmThe Handle
What Could It Be, It's all a Mirage
You're Scheming On A Thing That's Sabotage