Listen to the New Phish Album “Joy” (Sort Of)

Steve Lillywhite, who also produced Billy Breathes in 1996, manned the boards at New York’s Chung King Studios for the new album — a rumor that broke right here on Jamtopia over nine months before it was confirmed in Rolling Stone (page 1, 2, 3)

[Joy] feels more like a live record than a lot of our live records.
— Trey Anastasio

Speaking of rumors and the studio, there's a photo at right showing a leaked tracklist photo from the studio. Said tracklist would have made this a very long album, but given that there will only be ten tracks on it, there should be plenty of material left on the table for a follow-up. And meanwhile, I've Been Around hasn't been played so it's missing from the preview player.

Scroll down for the full tracklist plus related articles and lyrics to most of the songs.

Update: July 20, 2009

A few things to note here.

First, a few days ago the Joy tracklist on Phish.com was reordered a bit. Backwards Down the Number Line is now the first track and Twenty Years Later is last. The new order is now reflected in the tracklist above.

Just kick out the disc after Track 8, assuming I Been Around doesn't suck.
— Name witheld

Second, the Joy album page went up on Amazon with a release date of August 25th. If you visit the page when you're logged in you can sign up to get notified when it's on sale.

And finally, some respectable fake album art surfaced over the weekend. It's got a similar “feel” as the SOTG cover, and I like it. Speaking of Joy album covers, don't miss the proposed album covers on Hidden Track for a good laugh.

Update: July 23, 2009

Today Phish revised the release date for Joy, pushing it back to September 8th, 2009.

And two days ago they unveiled the new album cover (seen at right). It's cool but somehow not as cool as a huge picture of Joy Behar.

Pre-order details for Joy will be announced next week.

Update: July 30, 2009

For a short time today there was a page on Dry Goods with details for a Joy box set. (NOTE: New page is here)

The Joy Box will include ten Limited Edition posters for each of the album’s songs, a second album entitled Party Time with demos, soundcheck and studio outtakes and a DVD capturing live performances from the first half of Phish’s summer 2009 tour including footage from Bonnaroo and Fenway.

The Joy Box won't be available until early October, but everyone who preorders will get aa free MP3 download of the entire album on the September 8th release date. Nice.

Update: August 10, 2009

Dry Goods has been updated with a whole bunch of Joy preorder options.

In addition to the previously mentioned box set, there's a CD, a 180g vinyl edition, two different shirts, and a kids shirt — with a bunch of different combinations, one of which should meet your needs.

Visit the Joy preorder page for details.

In other news, a few days back the audio player on Phish's Myspace page was updated with a studio version of Backwards Down the Number Line. Sounds nice, but I'll take any of the live versions over this any day.

P.S. Thanks to the tapers who make the album preview above possible and special thanks to Yossarian Kelley for transcribing the song lyrics below.

Phish “Joy” Reviews

• Audio: Phish Is Back, With “Joy” [NPR]
• Prodigal jam band returns with scars — and its best album yet | Page 2 [Rolling Stone]
• Phish, “Joy” Review by Jim DeRogatis [Chicago Sun Times]
• A Glimpse of Joy [Phish Thoughts]
• Phish Scores Big With Joy [Hidden Track]

Phish “Joy” Previews

• Phish Capture Famous Live Vibe on New Summer Album“Joy” [Rolling Stone]
• Phish Release Epic “Time Turns Elastic,” New LP Due July 28th [Rolling Stone]
• Phish Releases 13 Minute 'Elastic' Single [Billboard]
• Phish Announce New Album, Mess With 'Time' [Spinner]

Phish Joy and Party Time Track List & Lyrics

Click a song name to jump to lyrics…

Twenty Years Later Lyrics

I can hold my breath for a minute or so
Five days without food is as long I'll go
I didn't sleep once for four days and three nights
I once didn't stop for seven red lights
I jumped into water thats fifty degrees
I've rode in a kayak in 30 foot seas
I stayed in the woods for a week with a knife
I flint when I lost it almost cost me my life

20 Years Later… I'm still upside down!
It's a small world but it's turning real fast (Here Upside down)
It's a new day and the morning has passed (Turned Upside down)
It's a short (?) road but the mountains are tall (Land upside down)
It's a tall day, but we all start out small….

I hurdle through air though I feel I'm alone
I stick with the others to the skin of the stone
I stop for a stranger just to give him a lift
I cling like a lizard to the side of a cliff
I treat every minute like an hour and then
It seems like a year has just flashed by again
We build a foundation, but where do we stand?
When all there is a water and all water is land.

20 Years Later… I'm still upside down!
It's a small world and it's turning real fast (Here Upside down)
It's a new day and the morning has passed (Turned Upside down)
It's a short road but the mountains are tall (Land upside down)
It's a tall world, and we all start out small….

Feel it turning in circles, and you're never the same again
Spin slowly while sounds cascade and decay.

It's a small world but it's turning real fast (Here Upside down)
It's a new day and the morning has passed (Turned Upside down)
It's a short road but the mountains are tall (Land upside down)
It's a small [Intentional?] world, and we all start out small….

Inside this silent sea, all are free, all are free, second time around

Inside this silent sea, all are free, all are free, second time around

Inside this silent sea, all are free, all are free, second time around

Backwards Down the Number Line Lyrics

Happy happy all my friends blow out candles once again
Leave the presents all inside
And let's take a ride backwards down the number line

You were eight and I was nine
Do you know what happened then
Do you know why we're still friends

Laughing all these many years
We've pushed through hardships tasted tears
Made a promise, one to keep
I can still recite it in my sleep

Every time a birthday comes
Call you friend and sing a song, or whisper it into his ear
Or write it down just don't miss a year

You decide what it contains
How long it goes but this remains
The only rule is it begins,
Happy happy all my friends.

And all my friends come backwards down the number line
And all my friends come backwards down the number line

and when I see you coming down the line with eyes wide open
somewhere in between the past and future when you drift in time
you can see a different point of view

You decide what it contains
How long it goes but this remains
The only rule is it begins,
Happy happy all my friends.

And all my friends come backwards down the number line
And all my friends come backwards down the number line

Stealing Time From a Faulty Plan Lyrics

got a blank space where my mind should be
got a cliff bar and some cold green tea
got clouds that seem to follow me
got strange demands piled up on me
got memories
got memories
got memories
got memories
memories of being free

gonna steal time from a faulty plan
gonna act as though I'm still the man
gonna give you one chance to see
gonna shrug demands off of me
gonna dream
gonna dream
gonna dream
gonna dream
dream of being free

gonna steal time from the faulty plan
gonna steal time from the faulty plan
gonna steal time from the faulty plan
gonna steal time from the faulty plan

got a blank space where my mind should be
got a blank space where my mind should be
got a blank space where my mind should be
got a blank space where my mind should be

gonna steal time from the faulty plan
gonna steal time from the faulty plan
gonna steal time from the faulty plan
gonna steal time from the faulty plan

got a blank space where my mind should be
got a blank space where my mind should be
got a blank space where my mind should be
got a blank space where my mind should be

Light Lyrics

I can see the light between me and my mind
I can feel memories fall behind
and the light is growing brighter now
and the light is growing brighter now

I see the future is less and less there
and the past has vanished in the iar
and I'm left in the now with a wondrous glow
I think I'm still me but how would you know

I can see the light between me and my mind
I can feel memories fall behind
and the light is growing brighter now
and the light is growing brighter now

it takes a few moments of whirling around
till your feet finally leave the ground
and fending off fears and heeding the call
and finally waiting for nothing at all

I can see the light between me and my mind
I can feel memories fall behind
and the light is growing brighter now
and the light is growing brighter now

jam

and the light is growing brighter now
(purify my soul)
and the light is growing brighter now
(not sure what fishman is singing)
and the light is growing brighter now
(purify my soul)
and the light is growing brighter now
(not sure what fishman is singing)

Joy Lyrics

Joy is over there in her incredible clothes
She has silver silk shimmering down to her toes
I was doin the best I can I suppose
But that little girl dancin eventually grows
Well she grows

You can't imagine all the times that I tried
To uncover the source of the tears that you cried
Just throw it away and go for a ride
And you'd say ok but you'd keep it inside
And I tried I tried I tried I tried

Chorus
We want you to be happy
Don't live inside your gloom
We want you to be happy
Step outside your room
We want you to be happy
Cause this is your song too

I never thought I could have it so good
You were the song that my soul understood
(but) Time is a river that flows through the woods
And it led us to places we both understood
Would be gone before too long
Would be gone before too long

When we were young we thought live is a game
But then somebody leaves you you're never the same
All of the places and people belong
To the puzzle but one of the pieces is gone
And it's you it's you it's you Joy it's you

Chorus

In time we'll weather the storm
Inside together you'll see the change
let the sun shines through

Chorus

this is your song too (repeat)

Ocelot Lyrics

Ocelot Ocelot where have you gone?
Morning is over and noon slouches on
those stripes would all fade in the poisonous day
when you see the sunlight move out of the way
you prance with the beasts who parade every night
and silently slouch through the forest by light
don't be the only one left on the block
come hide in the herd and float with the flock

Ocelot Ocelot where are you now?
You never listen to me anyhow
you wandered and ambled and walked now you run
knowing you'll bake like a snake in the sun
you prance with the beasts that parade every night
and silently slouch through the forest by light
don't be the only one left on the block
come hide in the herd and float with the flock

you prance with the beasts that parade every night
and silently slouch through the forest by light
don't be the only one left on the block
come hide in the herd and float with the flock

Ocelot Ocelot where are you now?
(won't you come out to play)
Ocelot Ocelot where are you now?
(won't you come out to play)
Ocelot Ocelot where are you now?
(won't you come out to play)
Ocelot Ocelot where are you now?
(won't you come out to play)

Kill Devil Falls Lyrics

just got back from kill devil falls
draped my water logged clothes in the hall
reach for a beer, glad that I'm here
when I realize that you're not around.

turn on some music and then the tv
go thru the pile of mail waiting for me
something I spy makes me pull it aside
a letter from your hometown

how could you leave me, you heard what I said
I'll be at the waterfall clearing my head
soaking up nature and thinking of you
and leavings the last thing I thought you would do
I didn't plan to stop at the bar
but kill devil falls is really so far
who knew a day would turn into a week

but I learned my lesson
I can still remember the last one
this time will be different
until I do it again

stared at the ceiling for over a day
but none of my questions are answered this way
won't make any calls I'll just bounce off the walls
till I go back to kill devil falls

how could you leave me, you heard what I said
I'll be at the waterfall clearing my head
soaking up nature and thinking of you
and leavings the last thing I thought you would do
I didn't plan to stop at the ball
but kill devil falls is really so far
who knew a day would turn into a week

but I learned my lesson
yes I still remember the last one
this time will be different
this time will be different

stare at the face of the mountain
(don't follow me)
I step right up to the cliff side
(tell me what to (you?) see)
and staring into the future
(tell me what I see)
this times gonna be different

(oh oh oh)
don't go back to kill devil falls
(oh oh oh)
don't go back to kill devil falls
(oh oh oh)
don't go back to kill devil falls
(oh oh oh)
don't go back to kill devil falls

but I learned my lesson
yes I still remember the last one
this time will be different

don't go back to kill devil falls (repeat into jam)

Time Turns Elastic Lyrics

In and out of focus… time turns elastic
in and out of focus, in and out of focus… time turns elastic
in and out of focus, in and out of focus… time turns

and when i stayed too long, i went outside and stared
arms out stretched and long, move straight across the sky
if i could wrap my arms around this glow
hands touch the green and brown, i'd sink into the cool, cool ground

seen all, seen all, seen all summer
seen all, seen all, seen all spring
but i'm a submarine, submarine sinks below the ground, a submarine
i'm a submarine, submarine sinks below the ground

now that the leaves have turned to gold
the moments all glow, frozen and free from time
and out here on my own, i watch it ebb and flow

here with the fire burning low, in the honey mist that breathes crooked maple fingers trembling all around
i feel the winds that blow

out here between the dark and light, the summer's gone
and the reeds bow down as the color's change, all along the water line

and when it's time the landslide will free what froze inside
while all around the rocks collide, you finally see the lines
that point toward the light that never dies

melody, shelter in the darkness, take hold of me now
memory, trapped in a corner, dark fingers along
but all round, streaming down, rays of blue light calling out

these silver sounds raining down on me
here on the wheel rhythms turning all around
up above the darkened sky is bleeding
i feel the world turning upside down

these are the reasons that we lay down on the ground
drawn through the funnel all the color's run together, turning brown

wait for the waves to come and carry me away
down on the ground the sounds of voices in the echoes, seem to say

and as the carousel circles unceasingly
watch while the ripples decay in this rolling time
and cascading the wind's set the wheels in motion
it's turning in the mist around me
rolling and turning into the mist around me.

kissed by the water and held in your mother's arms
green where you tumble and roll in these fields
the shapes of the bodies that shift in the sun
while the blossom's all scream and it sleeps around me
the earth and these memories, heals around me

in and out of focus… time turns elastic… time turns
in and out of focus… time turns elastic… time turns

touch is these woods and these waters are paved with gold
gleaming in daylight the voices ring on
they grow, while the pointing lay down in the storm
and this life is bending and swelling around me
rolling and turning into the mist around me
the winds all rising in the west around me
and the carousel turns into breath around me

in and out of focus… time turns elastic… time turns
in and out of focus… time turns elastic… time turns
in and out of focus… time turns elastic… time turns
in and out of focus… time turns elastic… time turns

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