Daniel Saw the Stone

• Performances
• History
• Lyrics
• Artist
  • Phish
  • Fish
  • Mike
  • Page
  • Trey
  • All

Originally Performed By	Traditional
Appears On
Music/Lyrics	Traditional
Vocals	Mike, Page, Trey
Phish Debut	1993-07-15
Last Played	2017-08-01
Current Gap	270
Historian	Ellis Godard
Last Update	2022-07-12

History

Instrumentally, Phish's version of “Daniel Saw the Stone” is faithful to the customary, upbeat, bluegrass spiritual. Lyrically, however, they trim the spiritual a bit. For example, they repeat: “Daniel saw the stone” in each chorus, rather than the customary changes (to “Jesus was the stone” and “I found the stone”) without which the (rock of ages, born again) meaning is unclear.

Atlanta's Chorale New Creation, “Daniel Saw the Stone”

Phish versions did not vary greatly, in accuracy or energy, though two notable appearances include 7/31/93 – which followed the religious lyrics with AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” – and 8/21/93, which featured a guest appearance by The Flecktones. After fourteen appearances on the summer 1993 tour, including both the first and last nights (7/15 and 8/28), “Daniel” was soundchecked several times on 12/28/93 but then slipped away. It appeared on 2/23/97 after 288 shows, though, and again on 7/29/03 after 285 shows. And then a mere four shows later, on 8/3/03, it opened the show. Someone at IT must have seen the stone, too. Thankfully, “Daniel” has been played a number of times since 2.0, including on 6/11/11 at MPP and on 6/30/12 Alpine Valley, as well as four times in 2016 and once in 2017.

Phish, “Daniel Saw the Stone” – 7/29/03, Burgettstown, PA

Submit notes/corrections