Phish.Net FAQ: (none)

ue">8-16-97. The jam is sometimes referred to by the aforementioned worm banter.

Thanks also to Eric Wever and Gerhard den Hollander.

"In order to have that incredible groove that makes you dream, you have to not think about the groove, but think about the dream.""
-- Mike Gordon (source unknown)"

This page last updated January 24, 2007. All contents © 1992-2007 Ellis Godard. All rights reserved.
Phish.Net FAQ: (none)

Phish.Net FAQ
Today is May 11

Nearly one
million served!

This remnant will be replaced soon. The FAQ is back, with a new design!

The back of the what??
The Short story: On 7-1-97, at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, Trey yelled "You're on the back of the worm" during Yamar and "Saw It Again" in the first set, and then Trey and Jon repeated "I think you know where you are....you're on the back of the worm!" many times, starting during the "Ghost" show opener as well as during "Cities". This rant/chant/banter became a theme for several shows afterwards, and a significant jam (also repeated) is often referred to by it.

The Full report: Jon Weber transcribed the core banter, from 7-2-97: a thirty-two minute Stash segued into Llama, which drifted out unfinished into a droning space jam -- out of this jam they began playing a tweaked sounding version of "Swingtown" by S.Miller Band, but instead of 'Swingtown', Trey emphatically said 'WORMtown!' and then went on to tell the following story: 'now be careful when you walk out of here tonight...because you don't want to be swallowed up by one of those worms in the canal. You know those toilets on the side of the road here -- don't go in there -- because you'll get sucked down into the canal and be stuck all night riding along those giant worms....you might think I'm kidding around, but it happened to me last night and it was scary....' Then they went into thisweeble wobbly sounding jam, and Trey and Fishman and everybody was singing 'I think you know where you are -- you're on the back of the worm!!' ...as if that weren't enough with the worms already, they then drifted out into pure space...and eventually Fishman spoke up quietly and said, over and over and over (in a variety of caraciture voices) 'I think you know where you are' 'I think you know where you are' 'I think you know where you are' --- finally resolving it with a gravel-throated, DEEP voice........ 'YOU'RE ON THE BACK OF THE WORM!'"

The Wormtown Jam: During the second set of 7-2-97, the jam out of "Stash" took three or four very significant turns, the first (for instance) sounding a bit like "The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday". The last, based on a series maybe four-measures long, has reappeared at least three other occasions: later the same week, in Germany; 7-21-97 Virginia Beach, where also (in the first set, after IDing the new songs and saying they'd do one more before the setbreak) Trey said "don't do anything I wouldn't do... or you may end up on the back of the worm!"; and during the second set of 8-16-97. The jam is sometimes referred to by the aforementioned worm banter.

Thanks also to Eric Wever and Gerhard den Hollander.

"In order to have that incredible groove that makes you dream, you have to not think about the groove, but think about the dream.""
-- Mike Gordon (source unknown)"

This page last updated January 24, 2007. All contents © 1992-2007 Ellis Godard. All rights reserved.

Phish.Net FAQ: (none)

Phish.Net FAQ
Today is May 11

Nearly one
million served!

This remnant will be replaced soon. The FAQ is back, with a new design!

The back of the what??
The Short story: On 7-1-97, at the Paradiso in Amsterdam, Trey yelled "You're on the back of the worm" during Yamar and "Saw It Again" in the first set, and then Trey and Jon repeated "I think you know where you are....you're on the back of the worm!" many times, starting during the "Ghost" show opener as well as during "Cities". This rant/chant/banter became a theme for several shows afterwards, and a significant jam (also repeated) is often referred to by it.

The Full report: Jon Weber transcribed the core banter, from 7-2-97: a thirty-two minute Stash segued into Llama, which drifted out unfinished into a droning space jam -- out of this jam they began playing a tweaked sounding version of "Swingtown" by S.Miller Band, but instead of 'Swingtown', Trey emphatically said 'WORMtown!' and then went on to tell the following story: 'now be careful when you walk out of here tonight...because you don't want to be swallowed up by one of those worms in the canal. You know those toilets on the side of the road here -- don't go in there -- because you'll get sucked down into the canal and be stuck all night riding along those giant worms....you might think I'm kidding around, but it happened to me last night and it was scary....' Then they went into thisweeble wobbly sounding jam, and Trey and Fishman and everybody was singing 'I think you know where you are -- you're on the back of the worm!!' ...as if that weren't enough with the worms already, they then drifted out into pure space...and eventually Fishman spoke up quietly and said, over and over and over (in a variety of caraciture voices) 'I think you know where you are' 'I think you know where you are' 'I think you know where you are' --- finally resolving it with a gravel-throated, DEEP voice........ 'YOU'RE ON THE BACK OF THE WORM!'"

The Wormtown Jam: During the second set of 7-2-97, the jam out of "Stash" took three or four very significant turns, the first (for instance) sounding a bit like "The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday". The last, based on a series maybe four-measures long, has reappeared at least three other occasions: later the same week, in Germany; 7-21-97 Virginia Beach, where also (in the first set, after IDing the new songs and saying they'd do one more before the setbreak) Trey said "don't do anything I wouldn't do... or you may end up on the back of the worm!"; and during the second set of 8-16-97. The jam is sometimes referred to by the aforementioned worm banter.

Thanks also to Eric Wever and Gerhard den Hollander.

"In order to have that incredible groove that makes you dream, you have to not think about the groove, but think about the dream.""
-- Mike Gordon (source unknown)"

This page last updated January 24, 2007. All contents © 1992-2007 Ellis Godard. All rights reserved.