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Phish — Waste
Album: Billy Breathes
Avg rating:
6.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 673









Released: 1996
Length: 4:44
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Don't want to be an actor pretending on the stage
Don't want to be a writer with my thoughts out on the page
Don't want to be a painter 'cause everyone comes to look
Don't want to be anything where my life's an open book

A dream it's true
But I'd see it through
If I could be
Wasting my time with you

Don't want to be a farmer working in the sun
Don't want to be an outlaw always on the run
Don't want to be a climber reaching for the top
Don't want to be anything where I don't know when to stop

A dream it's true
But I'd see it through
If I could be
Wasting my time with you

So if I'm inside your head
Don't believe what you might have read
You'll see what I might have said
To hear it
x2

Come waste your time with me
Come waste your time with me

So if I'm inside your head
Don't believe what you might have read
You'll see what I might have said
To hear it

Come waste your time with me
Come waste your time with me
Come waste your time with me
Come waste your time with me

Come waste your time with me
Comments (182)add comment
Everybody in my nuclear bunker loves this song.
Posted 6 years ago by kirlisabun    [ Reply ]
 ch83575 wrote:
This guy sounds lazy.

 
Totally, I was all like huh? and then I zzzzzzzzzzzzzz 

Boring stuff. Maybe they're better live? 
Posted 10 years ago by Ahnyer_Keester    [ Reply ]
My favorite Phish song.  And that is saying a LOT....
Posted 11 years ago by bubink    [ Reply ]
 Vandy005 wrote:

This is exactly my gripe against them... no pain, no soul.... sorta like the dead, but no real experience to back up the lyrics.

ps. What the hell is an elephant ear?


 
From the context, I'm guessing it's fried dough: 

a plate of fried and sugared dough looking like an elephant's ear 

I agree totally with on Phish. I think a lot of young Deadheads bandwagoned onto Phish, which always struck me as a AAA-level tribute band in a major-league world.  
Posted 11 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
This guy sounds lazy.
Posted 11 years ago by ch83575    [ Reply ]
 lily34 wrote:
album cover gives me the creeps.

 
..it's a phishbowl view..
Posted 11 years ago by cShaggy    [ Reply ]


Everybody in my church loves this song...

 
Posted 11 years ago by Lazarus    [ Reply ]
 (former member) wrote:


bingo by jingo...  love this song...

 
 
Hope you are listening and enjoying "former member"
Posted 12 years ago by Keef    [ Reply ]
This is that rarity of Phish tunes for me that holds up lyrically.
Posted 12 years ago by d-don    [ Reply ]
album cover gives me the creeps.
Posted 12 years ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
 xenothaulus wrote:
GAH. Give me the Dave Matthew's version, please. Don't know which came first, but this is awful.{#Puke}

 
Both versions are excellent.  The Dave Matthews vesion was on a Phish tribute album, so I guess Phish was first.
Posted 12 years ago by Keef    [ Reply ]
I tend to like a lot of what Phish does....but this is just poor.
Posted 12 years ago by claya    [ Reply ]
apt title: fish waste. . . 
 
Posted 12 years ago by vandal    [ Reply ]
{#Think}
Posted 12 years ago by bluecshells    [ Reply ]
Most Excellent!
Posted 12 years ago by Keef    [ Reply ]
Guess this is one of those love/hate songs.  Love for me.
Posted 12 years ago by SteveH    [ Reply ]

I like the lyrics.


Posted 12 years ago by jen3005545    [ Reply ]
Love this song.  I like Dave Matthews version from "Sharin' in the Groove: Celebrating the Music of Phish" even better.

Posted 12 years ago by Groogrux69    [ Reply ]
Bits of this track sound really cool to me and some others shit me right up - what the hell do you rate a song like that?  Plus the voice sort of sounded to me like a watered down Willy Mason and I'm not quite sure how I feel about it.  I rate this ? - Confusing.
Posted 13 years ago by Sloggydog    [ Reply ]
Not liking this song.
Posted 13 years ago by bachbeet    [ Reply ]
Love this! Phish's best disc!
Posted 13 years ago by More_Cowbell    [ Reply ]
this reminds me of something from "Rough Mix" (Pete Townshend & Ronnie Lane)

very nice!
Posted 13 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
 xenothaulus wrote:
GAH. Give me the Dave Matthew's version, please. Don't know which came first, but this is awful.{#Puke}

 
Yes, except you are completely wrong. This is a good song, DMB sucks.

Posted 13 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
aptly titled. . .

Posted 14 years ago by vandal    [ Reply ]
GAH. Give me the Dave Matthew's version, please. Don't know which came first, but this is awful.{#Puke}

Posted 14 years ago by xenothaulus    [ Reply ]
I do not enjoy many Phish songs, but this one is GREAT!
Posted 14 years ago by scraig    [ Reply ]
Bill, we need to do more Phishing.
Posted 14 years ago by BigIslandBlues    [ Reply ]
 sirdroseph wrote:
This is one of the few good Phish tunes, it actually sounds more like Trey Anastasio's solo stuff which is actually much better than Phish IMO.{#Yes}
 
Exactly what I was thinking. I normally hate Phish but I thought the vocal track was attractive and sounded a tad like Tom Petty. Like it.

Posted 14 years ago by greentini    [ Reply ]
This is one of the few good Phish tunes, it actually sounds more like Trey Anastasio's solo stuff which is actually much better than Phish IMO.{#Yes}
Posted 14 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
Not to bad for Phish Waste... I like {#Music}
Posted 14 years ago by DaveInSaoMiguel    [ Reply ]
What a wonderful, romantic, sentiment in our frenetic world. 8
Posted 15 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
 wrangler wrote:
a phish song that actually has normal, sensical lyrics that don't sound like they were written by a tiny child or a monkey on acid.  therefore, a phish song i actually can stand.
 
but, but ... monkeys on acid write great songs. don't know what you're on about.

Posted 15 years ago by chocodog    [ Reply ]
awwww.....yay!
Posted 15 years ago by HonduranRed    [ Reply ]
 musikalia wrote:
Clearly you haven't seen them play live.
 
This 'you have to see them play live' defense is used to justify a lot of bad output by marginal bands and artists.  They could be the best live band ever but still suck in a studio.  Unfortunately,the overwhelming majority of what we hear outside of those live venues is necessarily recorded.  Some bands can transcend that barrier but Phish is not one of them.

There are others who sound great in the studio but suck live.

Posted 15 years ago by RadioDoc    [ Reply ]
 Vandy005 wrote:
ps. What the hell is an elephant ear?
 
Fried dough, a la breakfast pastry, served at the bland suburbanfests I mentioned earlier.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fried_dough

Posted 15 years ago by RadioDoc    [ Reply ]
I gotta say...every time I hear this song it makes more of an impact.  It's simple and beautiful and honest...with all it's flaws out there in the open.  Just like life.  It works for me.
Posted 15 years ago by azdcryan    [ Reply ]
a phish song that actually has normal, sensical lyrics that don't sound like they were written by a tiny child or a monkey on acid.  therefore, a phish song i actually can stand.
Posted 15 years ago by wrangler    [ Reply ]
 stkman wrote:
never was a Phish head, honestly I have been a hermit out in the country for years and am hearing alot of old stuff thanks to RP for first time, knew about Phish but never saw them, this song doesn't make me wanna clamp my hands over my ears or go puke, I kinda liked it, as with alot of other groups I will listen to more of thanks to RP{#Notworthy}{#Notworthy}{#Notworthy} thanks Bill

 
Phish is one of those bands that, if you like jam band music, will grow on you over time. Kind of like a fungus.

Posted 15 years ago by leathepea    [ Reply ]
A pretty good song, from a very good album with a horrible cover photo.

Posted 15 years ago by samrex    [ Reply ]
never was a Phish head, honestly I have been a hermit out in the country for years and am hearing alot of old stuff thanks to RP for first time, knew about Phish but never saw them, this song doesn't make me wanna clamp my hands over my ears or go puke, I kinda liked it, as with alot of other groups I will listen to more of thanks to RP{#Notworthy}{#Notworthy}{#Notworthy} thanks Bill

Posted 15 years ago by stkman    [ Reply ]
Blech!
Posted 15 years ago by jhorton    [ Reply ]
 RadioDoc wrote:

Let's hope not. This is one of the few Phish songs that doesn't sound like they should be playing at some faceless "suburbanfest" in front of a couple hundred soccer moms and their overweight spawn eating corn on the cob, elephant ears and funnel cakes awaiting the fireworks. 6
 
This is exactly my gripe against them... no pain, no soul.... sorta like the dead, but no real experience to back up the lyrics.

ps. What the hell is an elephant ear?

Posted 15 years ago by Vandy005    [ Reply ]
Sublime! One of my favorites from an amazing album!
Posted 15 years ago by kraymer_71    [ Reply ]
RadioDoc wrote:
This is one of the few Phish songs that doesn't sound like they should be playing at some faceless "suburbanfest" in front of a couple hundred soccer moms and their overweight spawn eating corn on the cob, elephant ears and funnel cakes awaiting the fireworks.

Clearly you haven't seen them play live.


Posted 15 years ago by musikalia    [ Reply ]

Posted 16 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
Ahh, the memories this song brings back. Chico State, living in an overcrowded house, south of downtown. Roommates are asleep, party's over, and I'm hoping that the combination of beer and dope will allow me to fall in love with the girl seated next to me. Mmmm.
Posted 16 years ago by Rafter101    [ Reply ]
Y'all haters need an attitude adjustment.  This is a lovely little song.

Posted 16 years ago by alux    [ Reply ]
Thanks Bill!!  Haven't heard this one in literally a decade!! 
Posted 16 years ago by i4niblind    [ Reply ]
Whoops. It was bad Bare Naked Ladies. Wrong song. Sorry about that, Phish-heads.
Posted 16 years ago by FrankMc    [ Reply ]
This just doesn't seem very Phishlike. Sounds a bit like bad Bare Naked Ladies.
Posted 16 years ago by FrankMc    [ Reply ]
What an UGLY Cover.
Posted 16 years ago by andersja    [ Reply ]
My word, wasn't that boring?
Posted 16 years ago by skdenfeld    [ Reply ]
A waste of time, to be sure.
Posted 16 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
Great song
Posted 16 years ago by cjfabry    [ Reply ]
spotcheckbilly wrote:
I heard a rumor that they were getting back together. Any truth?
All I have heard is it is not out of the question. I think this is their best CD! 9
Posted 16 years ago by More_Cowbell    [ Reply ]
spotcheckbilly wrote:
I heard a rumor that they were getting back together. Any truth?
Let's hope not. This is one of the few Phish songs that doesn't sound like they should be playing at some faceless "suburbanfest" in front of a couple hundred soccer moms and their overweight spawn eating corn on the cob, elephant ears and funnel cakes awaiting the fireworks. 6
Posted 16 years ago by RadioDoc    [ Reply ]
I heard a rumor that they were getting back together. Any truth?
Posted 16 years ago by spotcheckbilly    [ Reply ]
Billy Breathes has always been my favorite Phish studio album. It's got some really beautiful music.
Posted 16 years ago by alph    [ Reply ]
I get these lyrics. Poignant.
Posted 16 years ago by steeler    [ Reply ]
Posted 16 years ago by Manbird    [ Reply ]
this is a good song to play for yer honey....do it! do it!
Posted 16 years ago by HonduranRed    [ Reply ]
EchoTony wrote:
If only Trey could sing well... they would have ruled the world..... Oh well... I've got (very fuzzy) memories of '88 & '89 theater tours of the North East. Ahh, to be young and intoxicated.
I sang with Phish in 1996 and in rehearsal Trey told me he would give anything to be able to sing like we could. They did their best with what they had.
Posted 16 years ago by radiomao    [ Reply ]
DoctorHooey wrote:
Despite the crappy vocals these guys kinda DID rule the world. They could have continued to tour endlessly and have monstrous festival weekends every year. They did it, and they did it all outside the label system, with the critical music press and most mainstream audiences against them. Great band.
If you were at their final concert at Coventry and seen the fervor and the 150,000 people, you would, indeed, think they ruled the world. I heard it was the largest gathering of people for one concert festival since the original Woodstock, except that this gathering was all for only ONE BAND!
Posted 16 years ago by radiomao    [ Reply ]
appropriate name. Waste.....of time.
Posted 16 years ago by cafortier    [ Reply ]
Easily digestable fish.
Posted 16 years ago by snowflac    [ Reply ]
EchoTony wrote:
If only Trey could sing well... they would have ruled the world..... Oh well... I've got (very fuzzy) memories of '88 & '89 theater tours of the North East. Ahh, to be young and intoxicated.
Despite the crappy vocals these guys kinda DID rule the world. They could have continued to tour endlessly and have monstrous festival weekends every year. They did it, and they did it all outside the label system, with the critical music press and most mainstream audiences against them. Great band.
Posted 16 years ago by DoctorHooey    [ Reply ]
maybe I'm amazed. but not by this.
Posted 16 years ago by clarkRM    [ Reply ]
There's so much, but we hear so little. More Phish, please?
Posted 16 years ago by denbear    [ Reply ]
jtdiver wrote:
One of my favorite Phish albums. Very creative.
I agree!
Posted 16 years ago by coolpeople_rule    [ Reply ]
One of my favorite Phish albums. Very creative.
Posted 16 years ago by jtdiver    [ Reply ]
Bakaretsu wrote:
drivel, banal, boring....same old same old
Anything but drivel!
Posted 16 years ago by elokin2141    [ Reply ]
I don't understand how one could label this song pretentious. There are Phish songs that are pretentious but not this one.
Posted 16 years ago by nalgie719    [ Reply ]
67nj wrote:
I'm lovin' this visual. Just wanted to re-post it. Thanks.
Posted 16 years ago by musikalia    [ Reply ]
More_Cowbell wrote:
Phish's best CD! This is wonderful stuff!
.. and some very touching lyrics ...
Posted 16 years ago by marmelock    [ Reply ]
If only Trey could sing well... they would have ruled the world..... Oh well... I've got (very fuzzy) memories of '88 & '89 theater tours of the North East. Ahh, to be young and intoxicated.
Posted 17 years ago by EchoTony    [ Reply ]
One of the tightest live freakout bands of all time!!!!
Posted 17 years ago by mjaded    [ Reply ]
This reminds me. I need to change the water in my fish tank - way too much waste in it. Booboo the beta is jonesin for some high quality H2O.
Posted 17 years ago by MojoJojo    [ Reply ]
Phish's best CD! This is wonderful stuff!
Posted 17 years ago by More_Cowbell    [ Reply ]
harmaton wrote:
pretentious bullshit.
Posted 17 years ago by bigB_3    [ Reply ]
pretentious bullshit.
Posted 17 years ago by harmaton    [ Reply ]
Too bad these guys are not together anymore. I can live off Billy Breathes & Farmhouse for years to come tho...Memories of good driving music in New Mexico...
Posted 17 years ago by farbenblinde    [ Reply ]
Beautiful, very simple.
Posted 17 years ago by stevo_b    [ Reply ]
sukilau wrote:
Bill's been known to play Blue Indian...not a bad little ditty...
I've definitely heard WP on RP.
Posted 17 years ago by DoctorHooey    [ Reply ]
CNester17 wrote:
Notice they play songs by Phish. Has anyone ever heard any Widespread Panic on RP?
Bill's been known to play Blue Indian...not a bad little ditty...
Posted 17 years ago by sukilau    [ Reply ]
This reminds me in places of early Floyd.
Posted 17 years ago by Pyro    [ Reply ]
I bought this due to RP, Thanks.
Posted 17 years ago by wookie    [ Reply ]
The whole Billy Breathes CD is awesome. It is one of my favorites. Very jazzy in parts. Phish has that whole theme thing going. One of my favorites.
Posted 17 years ago by farbenblinde    [ Reply ]
I never heard of this band before, but thanks to RP, I got in touch with their music - and it's good music!
Posted 17 years ago by Nabla    [ Reply ]
lionirons wrote:
Wow, a chemical-free alternative to "Ambien". ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........
That's a bad thing? Some of the Ambien sleepwalking stories are just plain scary! c.
Posted 17 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
8 9
Posted 17 years ago by bigB_3    [ Reply ]
one of my favorite Phish songs.....what's wrong with you losers who don't like anything cause it might sound like it's hippie related?? open your mind a little...oh I guess that is too hippieish
Posted 17 years ago by nance    [ Reply ]
Phish's best CD! IMO! This is a slow tune but I think it's one of the best on the CD.It can grow on you.
Update.6/24/10..Upon further review I believe that Farm House CD may be better. That would put Billy at #2.
Posted 17 years ago by parrothead    [ Reply ]
One of the best ever from phish..live is even better.
Posted 17 years ago by slowhand    [ Reply ]
DD closemindedmoron wrote:
How bout we play no hippie crap here. Phish and widespread panic is nothing more then crap made for a bunch of drugged up dirtballs. A real man knows the only drugs you do is steroids, and crap like this SUCKS!
How bout you take a long walk on a short pier. Oh yeah and BTW steroids cause infertility, weight gain, et al, sorry dude, wish you knew the facts
Posted 17 years ago by maxmox    [ Reply ]
Wow, a chemical-free alternative to "Ambien". ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........
Posted 17 years ago by lionirons    [ Reply ]
I have always thought of this as a great love song...
Posted 17 years ago by stevo_b    [ Reply ]
strick wrote:
Quite a boneheaded post from a guy who rates Ripple (live) from the Grateful Dead as a 10....
It sounds like he's trying so very, very hard to be sarcastic, but if that's the case... he needs to go back to Sarcasm school.
Posted 17 years ago by Jamunca    [ Reply ]
DD closemindedmoron wrote:
How bout we play no hippie crap here. Phish and widespread panic is nothing more then crap made for a bunch of drugged up dirtballs. A real man knows the only drugs you do is steroids, and crap like this SUCKS!
Quite a boneheaded post from a guy who rates Ripple (live) from the Grateful Dead as a 10....
Posted 17 years ago by strick    [ Reply ]
djblitz wrote:
A real man, eh? You mean like a Long Island Meathead?
Don't enourage him. Just ignore him.
Posted 17 years ago by Land_Shark    [ Reply ]
Posted 17 years ago by 67nj    [ Reply ]
closemindedmoron wrote:
How bout we play no hippie crap here. Phish and widespread panic is nothing more then crap made for a bunch of drugged up dirtballs. A real man knows the only drugs you do is steroids, and crap like this SUCKS!
A real man, eh? You mean like a Long Island Meathead?
Posted 17 years ago by djblitz    [ Reply ]
god, I wish you didnt wanna be a singer
Posted 17 years ago by dogpound    [ Reply ]
I keep hearing Maybe I'm Amazed by Sir Paul.
Posted 17 years ago by ThePoose    [ Reply ]
CNester17 wrote:
Notice they play songs by Phish. Has anyone ever heard any Widespread Panic on RP?
YEAH More Panic!!
Posted 17 years ago by jdpinball    [ Reply ]
This studio album never really did anything for me like most of their albums. Althought I think the best song on the album is Pronce Caspian...of coarse I am a C.S.Lewis fan
Posted 18 years ago by eastcoast    [ Reply ]
Anyone else hear Motion Pictures (Neil Young) in the guitar riff? Just in the quiet begining part, that's all. Well, I like it anyhow. :)
Posted 18 years ago by DownHomeGirl    [ Reply ]
Somewhere between "Ho Hum" and "Acceptable". I'll give ‘er a 4, just to be nice.
Posted 18 years ago by MojoJojo    [ Reply ]
picture of nectar is definitely a great album, but i like billy breathes (this one), too.
Posted 18 years ago by jubilantme    [ Reply ]
CNester17 wrote:
Notice they play songs by Phish. Has anyone ever heard any Widespread Panic on RP?
More WP puhleez!
Posted 18 years ago by hippiechick    [ Reply ]
Notice they play songs by Phish. Has anyone ever heard any Widespread Panic on RP?
Posted 18 years ago by CNester17    [ Reply ]
shmiverson wrote:
what are the best phish albums?
I would have to say Junta and Pictures of Nectar are my favs. Unfortunately, there are no songs from either on the RP playlist. What gives?!
Posted 18 years ago by jackvh    [ Reply ]
music_man wrote:
Hands down, Billy Breathes is the best Phish album. It really flows like a good album should and does not just seem like a collection of songs.
I agree music man,good boat music
Posted 18 years ago by brynshw    [ Reply ]
Hands down, Billy Breathes is the best Phish album. It really flows like a good album should and does not just seem like a collection of songs.
Posted 18 years ago by music_man    [ Reply ]
I guess you had to be there........
Posted 18 years ago by handyrae    [ Reply ]
I've heard some Phish on RP lately, and have also been listening to "The Story of the Ghost" a fair amount. I like what I've heard, but not this. Seems sort of lame.
Posted 18 years ago by AlienRelic    [ Reply ]
shmiverson wrote:
what are the best phish albums?
Hard to say, everyone is different. My favs are "Farmhouse" and "Rift". Just one person's opinion though...Happy Phishing!
Posted 18 years ago by freeone1    [ Reply ]
what are the best phish albums?
Posted 18 years ago by shmiverson    [ Reply ]
Nice mellow song from a great album. Strikes up nostalgia of college years. I miss this band live.
Posted 18 years ago by chriseross    [ Reply ]
This sounds an awful lot like Promise Ring. Not a bad thing, IMO
Posted 18 years ago by shutter    [ Reply ]
jennywho wrote:
Ok, so this was a good song the first few times I heard it. But it's so incredibly mainstream...
Really? I have never heard it before, but now I own it. My wife is going to hear it soon. Thanks RP.
Posted 18 years ago by Geecheeboy    [ Reply ]