My glance is always darting, when I stroll the avenue

Avoiding all the obstacles that terrorize my view

If you are here with me, I trust you to lead the way

When you're not I follow you, and always go astray


You're silent in the morning, suspended in the trees

Lunch time comes you've found your voice, it brings me to my knees

The volume just increases, the resounding echoes grow

Till once again I bask in morning stillness, I love so


The target that I shoot for seems to move with every breath

I tighten all my arteries and make one last request

Divine creation hears me, and he squashes me with fear

I think that this exact thing happened to me, just last year


Chorus:

Silent in the morning

You found your voice that brings me to

Silent in the morning

You found your voice that brings me to

Silent in the morning

You found your voice that brings me to my knees


I will not dismiss you, shelter you, speak with you

Smile at you, trust in me, laugh and brush you off, and I'd agree



Lyrics submitted by oofus

Track duration: 05:29


Silent In The Morning song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I have a strong belief that this song is about heroin addiction. I have been affected by addiction and have truly found some songs completely blatantly obvious when listening to them the "second time around". Meaning, before I was touched by this sickness, I was clueless. I myself am not an addict, but I have personally watched addiction destroy loved ones lives. After years of struggles and support of loved ones with this illness, I have been hardened and see a different side to some things.

    Anyway, here goes my INTERPRETATION/opinion...

    My glance is always darting, when I stroll the avenue
    Avoiding all the obstacles that terrorize my view
    If you are here with me, I trust you to lead the way
    When you're not I follow you, and always go astray

    -An addict looking for fix. Trusting only in the drug to fix everything going wrong within.

    You're silent in the morning, suspended in the trees
    Lunch time comes you've found your voice, it brings me to my knees
    The volume just increases, the resounding echoes grow
    Till once again I bask in morning stillness, I love so

    -This speaks of how every day is a fresh start, a new outlook (with the cravings waiting/looming). By noon the cravings come back, and are debilitating. The cycle continues, once again basking in the morning peace that sleep and a new day brings.

    The target that I shoot for seems to move with every breath
    I tighten all my arteries and make one last request
    Divine creation hears me, and he squashes me with fear

    - Self explanatory. Shooting for a vein. The rush/fear of unknown comes in.

    I will not dismiss you, shelter you, speak with you
    Smile at you, trust in me, laugh and brush you off, and I'd agree

    - I will not ignore this addiction.

    Maybe.
    Flag carroll76on April 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Hmmm...

    They seem to be conveying some powerful emotions here. "Divine creation hears me, and he squashes me with fear." That line gets me every time and obviously, I can see a possible trip reference. What I don't see is triviality or dog metaphors.

    Something I see no one else catching is the refernce to the sun. "Silent in the morning, suspended in the trees". From the perspective of earth, the morning sun seems to be suspended in the treeline as it's coming up from the horizon. It's also a little dim and less intense at that time (silent). They go on to say, "Lunchtime comes you've found your voice, it brings me to my knees." Now again, this would equate with a solar reference. The sun would be in full bloom at lunchtime (think high noon). I really can't give a definite interpretation but I've long suspected this song references the interpolation of pagan sun worship as worship of the absolute (i.e. ancient Egyptian paganism disguised as modern Christianity, based on New Testament correlations). That might be a stretch, but I get that feeling every time I hear it.

    Still mysterious to me, and like any good song, it seems rather open to loose interpretation. That third verse just seems to be replete with psychedelia, though...

    :)
    Flag djaldd420on December 26, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm going with the dog. Seriously, you guys are attributing a heck of a lot more meaning and trivial relationship bull subtext to Phish than they have EVER written about. It's about his dog. And how annoying his dog sometimes was.
    Flag Oogieon July 03, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Perhaps he's referring to the fourth of July at a Rainbow Gathering where all the adults are silent in the morning.
    Flag PennXyloon July 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:lucid dreams.

    not relationships. phish isnt superficial. dig deeper you drones.
    Flag phlockon March 08, 2010   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:phish sucks dude
    Flag gg allinon January 19, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This whole album is about a rift growing between a guy and his girlfriend, most of it takes place within a dream he's having. Silent in the morning is most likely about 2 things. Either it's about the morning after having sex with his girlfriend, or it's about him awakening from the dream that is the album, and due to the realisation he had, he's silent in the morning.
    Flag hoontareon January 19, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:pretty sure i have read somewhere that this song was about trey's dog, marley.
    Flag harryhood46on September 17, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:like many phish songs it is relationship oriented definetely not tripping
    Flag kowskion November 02, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This song could easily be about tripping but all I feel is love and all it brings with it. I think it highlights the ebb and flow of both the inner self and the outer reality. My personal take - is a love that is waded in other things - but you ever realize how the morning itself brings such clarity - even if scary? This song personally makes me thing of my love who I am leaving and knows it but still there is nothing more comforting in the morning than how close and cuddlied we are and how difficult it is to find people of this nature -- people who like to really hear things and listen to their dreams and listen to each other, who know how to listen to the silence as well.
    Flag mynameisgumpon May 19, 2006   Link

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