Mikes review - 5/3/85 Last Day Party at UVM, Redstone Campus, Burlington, VT

Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 11:52:05 -0700
From: Charles Dirksen [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: First Live Mike's Song? (5/3/85)
 
5/3/85 Last Day Party at UVM, Redstone Campus, Burlington, VT
 
This is the earliest version of Mike's Song that circulates, and it
circulates on HQ low gen thanks to Phish's Archivist Kevin Shapiro and
his Lemonwheel Archives broadcast.  Mike's appears in the first set
after Slave.  The third set of this gig (opens with Scarlet > Eyes)
has circulated pretty well for years, but the first two sets simply
don't circulate (I haven't heard them;  if they are out there,
consider this is a grovel! :-).  Which is a shame.  But maybe one day
they will.
 
It's not clear whether this was indeed the first live Mike's Song.
Trey simply announces it as "Mike's Song," without any additional
commentary.  In the opening segment, Trey says, on mic, "This is not
to be confused with Mike Doolip [spelling?]."  It's just Mike, Fish
and Trey in this version.  Mike's singing of the lyrics is incredibly
accented and very amusing, particularly in light of the smooth,
nonchalant way he often sings them today.  Trey seems to be holding
back laughter on the "Me no are no nice guy" lyrics.  The
"trampolines" jam segment doesn't begin until 3:04, and they are not
on trampolines for this (possibly) first live version.  Trey takes off
soloing in that mid-1980s, meanderingly melodic manner you've heard
before on your 12/1/84, 11/3/84, or 3/4/85 tapes.
 
Nothing much to say about this jam.  Trey simply plays overtop a
melodic Mike and solid Fish (no Page), until 6:37, when the Mike's
Song "tramps segment" closing chords kick in.  At exactly 7 mins (this
is the point in Mike's Song when, in current versions, The Note that
begins "Simple" -- or the post-tramps jam segment -- is played), the
concluding lyrics segment, featured only in the earliest versions of
Mike's Song, appears.  That's right.  Early versions of Mike's Song
contain a closing lyrics section, that lasts only a couple measures,
and which consists of Mike singing still-undeciphered lyrics. I have
never been able to make out all of these lyrics, and even on this high
quality version, I still can't make them out.  Mike seems to sing
"Today is just a dream" at one point. Then they somewhat hesitatingly
fall into a jam that sounds composed, even though it doesn't do much
of anything (very repetitive).  I don't think I've heard this
"section" (if it is even a section, they could just be jamming, I
suppose) in any other Mike's Song.  Trey starts teasing "Dave's Energy
Guide" around 8:47, but doesn't really break into it until 9 mins or
so.  Dave's Energy Guide is over by around 11:37.
 
After this Mike's Song -> Dave's Energy Guide, but before "Big Leg
Emma," Trey says "And we've got a special guest with us today.  From
Godard College we have Page on keyboards, and it's gonna be a treat."
This was apparently Page's first live gig with Trey, Mike and Fish.
The rest (as tHey saY) is phishtory...
 
two cents,
charlie


hits (many)