Retro Video of the Week: "Down With Disease" by Phish

As we continue our COVID-related Retro Videos of the Week, this week's video is Phish's "Down With Disease," off of their 1994 album (Hoist), the band's fifth studio album.  (Hoist) remains the band's best-selling studio album, going gold in the U.S.  At the time it was released, it was also their highest-charting album to that point, reaching #34 on the Billboard album charts.

"Down With Disease" remains Phish's only official music video, and the song was the band's first to chart on any of the Billboard singles charts, hitting #33 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.  It's a funky and catchy song with a few relevant messages for the times in which we now find ourselves.  

First, the title is clearly applicable.  Rather than taking steps to allow the spread of COVID-19, we should all be taking steps to take the disease down as quickly as possible.

Second, the chorus is a pertinent message about making the most of your time spent socially distancing and staying at home.  "Waiting for the time when I can finally say / That this has all been wonderful but now I'm on my way."  While many parts of having to stay home for months surely suck, parts of it are wonderful, like spending more time with your kids, having Zooms and virtual drinks with people you haven't otherwise talked to in person in months or years, and being able to wear whatever the fuck you want 24 hours a day.  And when it's all over, you can be on your way back to relative normality while thinking the last few months weren't that bad.  

Third, there's that repeating "stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop" at the end of the chorus.  When you get the urge to go to a beach or park with a bunch of strangers, pass by someone who isn't wearing a mask on the sidewalk without moving six feet away, or open-mouth kiss your Grub Hub delivery driver, remember those repeating "stops."