"Chalk Dust Torture" is a 1992 song by the American band Phish. It is the thirteenth track from their 1992 album ''

A Picture of Nectar ''A Picture of Nectar'' is the third studio album by the American rock band Phish. The album was released on February 18, 1992, by Elektra Records and was the band's debut release for a major record label. The album is dedicated to Nector Rorris ...

'' and was also released as their first

promotional single A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...

by Elektra Records. The song is a riff-based, fast-paced

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

song written by Phish guitarist and lead vocalist

Trey Anastasio Ernest Joseph "Trey" Anastasio III (born September 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Phish, which he co-founded in 1983. He is credited by name as composer of 152 Phish o ...

and

lyricist A lyricist is a songwriter who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment. Royalties A lyricist's incom ...

Tom Marshall. The studio recording features a lowered pitch effect on Anastasio's lead vocal.

History

The main guitar riff for the song originated in the fall of 1990 on a track called "Self." Recorded in studio in August 1991 (and later released in 1994 on '' Crimes of the Mind)'', it featured a collaboration between Phish and their longtime friend,

The Dude of Life Steve Pollak (born ), best known by his stage name The Dude of Life, is a musician and lyricist. Early life Steve Pollak is from White Plains, New York. He attended high school in the early 1980s. He earned the alias Dude of Life in high school ...

(aka, Steve Pollak). The song was re-worked and included in the recording sessions for ''A Picture of Nectar.'' In addition to the CD single, the track was also released as an unedited LP to radio stations. Played at over a quarter of their live shows, band members have taken a particular liking to playing the song in a live setting. Since debuting in February 1991, drummer

Jon Fishman Jon Fishman (born February 19, 1965) is an American drummer known for his work with the band Phish, which he co-founded in 1983, and which was, in part, named after him. He is credited with co-writing nineteen Phish songs, eight with a solo cre ...

claims that the song went from being among his "least favorite" in the Phish catalog, to one that he hopes to play well into his eighties. He sarcastically notes that the lyric "can I live while I'm young?" sounds ever "more desperate" the older the band gets. In 1994, Phish performed the song on the '' Late Show with David Letterman'', supposedly at the host's request. As the song's lyricist, Marshall has said that it was among the last he wrote by hand before switching to a computer.

Track listing

#"Chalk Dust Torture" (

, Tom Marshall) - 4:35

Personnel

Phish :

– guitars, vocals :

Page McConnell Page Samuel McConnell (born May 17, 1963 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as the keyboardist and a songwriter for the band Phish. In addition to having been a member of Phish since 1985, ...

– keyboards, backing vocals :

Mike Gordon Michael Eliot Gordon (born June 3, 1965) is an American bass guitarist and vocalist most recognized as a founding member of the band Phish. In addition to bass, Gordon is an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano and guitar. He ...

– bass guitar, backing vocals :

– drums

Also appears on

*''

A Live One ''A Live One'' is a live album by the American rock band Phish, released on June 27, 1995, by Elektra Records. The album was the band's first official live release, their first album to be certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Associa ...

'' (1995) *''

Live Phish Volume 2 ''Live Phish Vol. 2'' was recorded live on July 16, 1994 and was released on September 18, 2001 as part of the Live Phish Series. The show was performed on the side of a ski slope at the Sugarbush Resort in the town of North Fayston, located in ...

'' (2001) *''

Live Phish Volume 6 ''Live Phish Vol. 6'' was recorded live on the first night of a three night stand at the Worcester Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts, on November 27, 1998. The show is best known for its repeated relapses into the classic Surfaris favorite " ...

'' (2001) *'' Live Phish Volume 7'' (2002) *'' Live Phish Volume 8'' (2002) *'' Live Phish Volume 16'' (2002) *''

Live Phish Volume 17 ''Live Phish Vol. 17'' was recorded live at Portland Meadows in Portland, Oregon, on July 15, 1998. It was the first of a series of four concerts picked by Mike Gordon to release. Except for Live Phish Volume 20, the releases include his journal ...

'' (2003) *'' It (DVD)'' (2004) *'' Live Phish 04.02.98'' (2005) *'' New Year's Eve 1995'' (2005) *''

At the Roxy ''At the Roxy'' is an 8-disc box set from the rock band Phish recorded live over the course of their three-show run at the Roxy Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, from February 19 to February 21, 1993. Track listing Disc one (February 19, 1993) # "L ...

'' (2008) *''

The Clifford Ball (DVD) ''The Clifford Ball'' is a seven-DVD box set released on March 3, 2009 by the rock band Phish. It was performed on August 16 and August 17, 1996 at Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, NY, chronicling the first of ten Phish festivals. Th ...

'' (2009) *''

Hampton/Winston-Salem '97 Hampton/Winston-Salem '97 is a 7-CD live box set album from the American jam band Phish, recorded live at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA on November 21–22, 1997 and Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC on November ...

'' (2011) *''

Chicago '94 ''Chicago '94'' is a live album by the rock band Phish. It contains two complete concerts on six CDs, and was recorded at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois on June 18 and November 25, 1994. It was released by JEMP Records on July 31, 2012. C ...

'' (2012) *'' Ventura'' (2013)

Notes

{{authority control 1992 songs Songs written by Trey Anastasio Songs written by Tom Marshall (singer) Phish songs Elektra Records singles 1992 debut singles