"Chalk Dust Torture" | ||||
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Cover of promo single
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Single by Phish | ||||
from the album A Picture of Nectar | ||||
Released | 1992 | |||
Format | CD single | |||
Recorded | June–August 1991, White Crow Studios, Burlington, Vermont | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 4:35 | |||
Label | Elektra PRCD 8511-2 | |||
Writer(s) | Trey Anastasio, Tom Marshall | |||
Producer(s) | Phish, Kevin Halpin | |||
Phish singles chronology | ||||
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"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 and was also released as their first promotional single by Elektra Records. The song is a riff-based, fast-paced rock song written by Phish guitarist and lead vocalist Trey Anastasio and lyricist Tom Marshall. The studio recording features a lowered pitch effect on Anastasio's lead vocal.
One of the most often-played songs since its debut in 1991, "Chalk Dust Torture" has been a frequent set opener because of its ability to whip a crowd into a frenzy. The lyrics speak of teen angst and rebellion, as the narrator seeks to forgo the mind-numbing trappings of adulthood while he still has a few spry years left. While most versions of the song feature Type-I jamming (musical improvisation while staying within the regular chord progression of the song) and screaming guitar work from Trey, it has also served as a large Type-II jam (improvisation without staying within the chord progression of the song) vehicle on more than a few occasions.