Fikus
| Originally Performed By | Phish |
| Appears On |
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| Music/Lyrics | Anastasio/Fishman/Gordon/McConnell/Marshall |
| Vocals | Mike (lead), Page, Trey (backing) |
| Phish Debut | 1998-07-02 |
| Last Played | 2024-08-11 |
| Current Gap | 12 |
| Historian | Martin Acaster |
History
The album version of “Fikus” is a mellow, bass-driven percussive experiment. The lyrics are delivered in an enchanting Mike Gordon spoken word monologue. Beginning about halfway through this idyllic South Pacific Island vacation, each phrase of the monologue is subsequently echoed by Trey. The lyrics paint the picture of the artist escaping the bloody fray of the road, to spend some time on the beach, picking flowers, watching the ocean boil, and all for free.
“Fikus” is one of the least played songs from Story of the Ghost, having been performed only four additional times since being debuted in Copenhagen on 7/2/98. The live version of “Fikus” is perhaps more sparse than the album version as it lacks the layered poly-rhythmic effects of the tin cans, mason jars, and the ocean found on the studio cut. “Fikus’” present role in the live Phish experience mimics the vacation it describes: a brief chance to take a breath and look around.
"Fikus" 7/2/98 Copenhagen, Denmark
Phish.net
The Mockingbird Foundation