Lawn Boy
Encyclopedia
Lawn Boy is Phish
's second official studio album, released on September 21, 1990, on the Absolute A Go Go Records and Rough Trade labels. Vinyl LPs of the original Absolute A Go Go release are still known to circulate. The album was re-released by Elektra Records
on June 30, 1992.
The song "Fee" appeared as the album's final track on the original release, but was removed from the Elektra re-release. The songs on Lawn Boy include many of the progressive rock
and fusion
elements featured on the band's first studio album, Junta
, as well as incorporating elements of bluegrass
, jazz
and barbershop quartet.
The music for "Bathtub Gin" was written by Phish frontman Trey Anastasio
with lyrics by the band's friend Suzannah Goodman. The lyrics are reprinted "by permission of Bret and Wendy" according to the liner notes, and the album version quotes George Gershwin's classical-jazz standard "Rhapsody in Blue
". As with many Phish songs on this and other albums, the studio version is a simple affair compared with the improvisational twists and turns often made by the band's extended live versions.
The album was certified gold by the RIAA
on July 7, 2004.
In February 2009, Lawn Boy became available as a download in FLAC
and MP3
formats at LivePhish.com.
With guests on "Split Open and Melt":
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
's second official studio album, released on September 21, 1990, on the Absolute A Go Go Records and Rough Trade labels. Vinyl LPs of the original Absolute A Go Go release are still known to circulate. The album was re-released by Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
on June 30, 1992.
The song "Fee" appeared as the album's final track on the original release, but was removed from the Elektra re-release. The songs on Lawn Boy include many of the progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and fusion
Fusion (music)
A fusion genre is music that combines two or more styles. For example, rock and roll originally developed as a fusion of blues, gospel and country music. The main characteristics of fusion genres are variations in tempo, rhythm, i a sometimes the use of long musical "journeys" that can be divided...
elements featured on the band's first studio album, Junta
Junta (album)
Junta is the first official studio release from the American rock band Phish. The album was independently recorded and released on tape in 1988, and did not appear in stores officially until May 8, 1989. The album was re-released by Elektra Records on October 26, 1992...
, as well as incorporating elements of bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and barbershop quartet.
The music for "Bathtub Gin" was written by Phish frontman Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
with lyrics by the band's friend Suzannah Goodman. The lyrics are reprinted "by permission of Bret and Wendy" according to the liner notes, and the album version quotes George Gershwin's classical-jazz standard "Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue is a musical composition by George Gershwin for solo piano and jazz band written in 1924, which combines elements of classical music with jazz-influenced effects....
". As with many Phish songs on this and other albums, the studio version is a simple affair compared with the improvisational twists and turns often made by the band's extended live versions.
The album was certified gold by the RIAA
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
on July 7, 2004.
In February 2009, Lawn Boy became available as a download in FLAC
FLAC
FLAC is a codec which allows digital audio to be losslessly compressed such that file size is reduced without any information being lost...
and MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
formats at LivePhish.com.
Track Listing
- "The Squirming Coil" (AnastasioTrey AnastasioTrey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
, MarshallTom Marshall (singer)Tom Marshall is a lyricist, keyboardist and singer/songwriter best known for his association with Trey Anastasio and the rock band Phish...
) - 6:04 - "Reba" (Anastasio) - 12:27
- "My Sweet One" (FishmanJon FishmanJon Fishman is an American drummer best known for his work with the band Phish. He is credited with co-writing 19 Phish originals, 8 of them as a solo credit....
) - 2:08 - "Split Open and Melt" (Anastasio) - 4:42
- "The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony" (Anastasio) - 1:41
- "Bathtub Gin" (Anastasio, Suzannah Goodman) - 4:29
- "Run Like an Antelope" (Anastasio, Marshall, PollakThe Dude of LifeSteve Pollak, best known by his stage name The Dude of Life, is a musician and lyricist, who has co-written numerous Phish songs, including "Suzy Greenberg", "Fluffhead", "Slave to the Traffic Light", "Run like an Antelope", "Sanity", "Crimes of the Mind", "Dinner and a Movie", and most recently,...
) - 9:52 - "Lawn Boy" (Anastasio, Marshall) - 2:32
- "Bouncing Around the RoomBouncing Around the Room"Bouncing Around the Room" is a song by the band Phish. It was released on the album Lawn Boy and later as a live track on A Live One....
" (Anastasio, Marshall) - 3:55
Personnel
Phish:- Trey AnastasioTrey AnastasioTrey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, vocals, arranger - Page McConnellPage McConnellPage Samuel McConnell is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as a songwriter and keyboardist with the American rock band Phish....
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, vocals - Mike GordonMike GordonMike Gordon is a bass guitar player and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish. Gordon is also an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Jon FishmanJon FishmanJon Fishman is an American drummer best known for his work with the band Phish. He is credited with co-writing 19 Phish originals, 8 of them as a solo credit....
- drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, vacuum cleanerVacuum cleanerA vacuum cleaner, commonly referred to as a "vacuum," is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and optionally from other surfaces as well. The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later disposal...
, vocals
With guests on "Split Open and Melt":
- Giant Country HornsGiant Country HornsThe Giant Country Horns were a group of musicians who joined rock band Phish for about twenty shows during the band's 1991 summer tour. The horn section, named after "Giant Country" White Bread, added new arrangements to classic Phish songs including "Suzy Greenberg," "Stash," "Split Open and...
:- Joseph Sommerville, Jr. - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Dave "The Truth" Grippo - alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
- Russell B. Remington - tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
- Joseph Sommerville, Jr. - trumpet
- Christine Lynch - vocals