Victim

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Originally Performed By	Mike Gordon
Original Album	OGOGO (2017)
Appears On
Music/Lyrics	Gordon/Murawski
Vocals	Mike
Phish Debut	2019-12-04
Last Played	2020-02-20
Current Gap	264
Historian	Vince Anthony 12ozMouse
Last Update	2026-02-25

History

Overcoming adversity in pursuit of personal achievement brings with it triumphs and struggles. Perhaps you’ve shared yourself with others through your art but it’s not enough for some admirers who want a deeper connection. The fading anonymity that comes with fame or notoriety can leave some individuals finding it difficult to blend into the crowd when they’re seeking a reprieve from the spotlight. 

In this sense, “Victim” resonates with the feelings of resilience and personal growth. This received attention, wanted or unwanted, is a result of the collective, deliberate work put into one’s craft. If the goal of art is to elicit a response, then attention does not bring about victimhood, but rather is one of many avenues of appreciation being shown.

Written with Scott Murawski like many of Mike’s recent tunes, this funky single was released ahead of the 2017 OGOGO album (a few months after “Victim 3D” debuted at High Sierra Music Festival). Musically, listeners may come away with the feeling that this bouncy number was born out the middle of a “Free” jam. With lyrics straddling the boundaries of being both literal and amorphous, it’s easy for the listener to extract their own meaning.

Among seven Gordon debuts on 9/22/17 at the Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA, this song has found itself in somewhat regular rotation over time with his band, with about half of its several dozen appearances coming in a set opening slot. On 3/23/19, it was the first song of an extended Trey sit-in during the second set.

Video by MKDevo

The same cannot be said with Phish, as its lone two appearances to date have come within an eight-show gap, most recently at the Riviera Maya welcome set on 2/20/20 after debuting in Pittsburgh on 12/4/19. 

Last significant update: 2/24/26

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