Hey Stranger
| Originally Performed By | Trey Anastasio |
| Original Album | Mercy (2022) |
| Appears On |
|
| Music/Lyrics | Anastasio |
| Phish Debut | 2022-12-29 |
| Last Played | 2025-09-17 |
| Current Gap | 3 |
| Historian | letters2strangera |
| Last Update | 2025-10-13 |
History
Hey Stranger(s)-
Born from the fruits of Trey’s pandemic labor and given to us as part of his solo 2022 Mercy album – more Importantly, Trey’s first solo acoustic endeavor. With rhythm and lyrics releasing a bottled-up frustration living in isolation, a pounding of the hammer needing to construct something but being forced inside the same walls, the whistle blowing a distress signal. During a time of lockdowns and shutdowns taking all of our attention – incapable of changing it, disrupting our lives. Absorbed, unalterable, in-delirium, the noise gets turned off, and when we finally get to go outside, our hands hang by our side. We circle each other staying at least 3 feet apart, possibly saying “hey stranger”.
As worldwide sales of hand sanitizer skyrocketed and we felt so lonely that it was as if we were lost in the black night sky, we still had music building a bridge to help us through this confusing chaotic time. Some kind of machine, could this possibly be the pale blue haze of my TV? It was slightly deceiving to experience Phish from my couch, yet there I was every Tuesday 8pm ET. You know that feeling you get when you sense you're falling but you take backwards steps to stay on your feet? That is what this era of Phish was. Coming together via the video airwaves. Thank goodness the archivistical minds started recording every Phish show.
Sitting somewhere between the past and future was a song slowly maturing. Debuting in Boston on May 7, 2022, the many layers of Classic TAB added jazzy funk, horns, and delicate background vocals. “And there you go, that was fun,” laughing a little relief to finally be getting this out to Phans and fans alike. “That’s a little pandemic ditty. That’s the first time we played it. And we just learned it in soundcheck. So there you go. I like that one.”
When August 20th came around, Trey was out doing his solo acoustic thing from The Beacon Theater, he gave us a mere 3:32 version. After completing pauses, going on to say, “Don't tell anyone. This is our secret. I really want to play that one with Fish.” Slightly laughing, he continued, “I think that would be pretty cool, don't tell anyone, shhhhh.” Spitting out the drum beat he envisioned Fishman playing. “Love that guy.”
After a few more appearances it did finally happen. Making its Phish debut on Thursday's 2022 New Years Eve run at MSG, magically polishing it, skillfully nurturing it, it entered the Phish orbit. Although it incubated in 2023, appearing only twice during Phish tour, the life of “Hey Stranger” on the road with TAB finally made it the 2nd set opener twice in September.
In 2024, it traveled to Mexico to enjoy a warm February at the beach and later Las Vegas to the Sphere. Helping to initiate the Sphere into the world of musical entertainment, it delighted us with a digital etch-a-sketch of continuously unfinished marks and squiggles, sort of like how many of our brains might have felt when the song was being created years ago, and the song got its jam chart underway. So much love and nurturing was given as it graduated to fittingly lead off the Evolve album in July 2024.
Sitting firmly in the 1st set of Phish shows while often having an album song buddy from either Mercy or Evolve accompanying, quarantined torch songs like “Oblivion,” “Evolve,” “Lonely Trip,” or “Ether Edge” acting as siblings guiding the way, it finally successfully opened the second set on Monday, December 30th during night 3 of Phish’s New Year’s run.
Last significant update: 9/7/25
Phish.net
The Mockingbird Foundation