This is the opening track on Phish's 1996 album, Billy Breathes. It sets the tone for the album: very broad piano chords, long resonant bass guitar, and almost enough drums to be a rock anthem, but not quite--the ride cymbal is a constant, the heavy crash cymbals are only used for effect. Trey Anastasio keeps his guitar subdued (for once) and the overall effect is quite good, teasing vaguely Indian riffs out in what almost sounds like a reverse effect.
The bridge is reminiscent of Aerosmith's "Livin' on the Edge", and the ending chorus, the chord structure and instrumentation remind me of Faith No More's "Epic". You can sing the final reprised verse over the repeating final chorus of The Smashing Pumpkins' "Rocket". The serendipity of singing "Free" from Billy Breathes while Billy Corgan sings--or breathes--"I shall be free!" is a pleasant twist.
The lyrics are pretty typical Phish: not terribly imaginative or poetic, but catchy and inoffensive. They express in simple couplets the carefree mood of the album's front side, as well as making a few pointed Phishy references to phan in-jokes:
I'm floating in
the blimp a lot.
I feel
the feeling I forgot:
Swimming weightless in the womb,
Bouncing gently 'round the room.
In a minute I'll be free,
And we'll be
splashing in the sea.
I feel
no curiosity.
I see the path ahead of me:
In a minute I'll be
free,
and we'll be splashing in the sea.
We hear a
tiny cry,
as
the ship goes sliding by...
Free!
Free!
Free!
I'm floating in
the blimp a lot.
I feel
the feeling I forgot:
I'm floating in the blimp a lot,
I feel... free!
Free!
Free!
Free!
Free!
addendum:
U. Penn's
Off the Beat sing an excellent
a cappella version of this which I occasionally prefer to the original.