"Ghost" is a song from Phish's 1998 studio release The Story of the Ghost. In the key of A minor, the song is characterized by a slow, funky groove and somewhat surrealist lyrics describing the narrator's relationship with a helpful but elusive spirit ("This was my big secret / How I'd get ahead / I'd never have to worry / I'd call him instead.") "Ghost" is an historically important part of Phish's repertoire because its basic feel helped to define what many fans perceived as a downshift in energy behind the band's live performances in the late 1990s, a sort of displacement of emphasis from cathartic, high-energy jams to more pensive, sensual, and rhythmically intense improvisations. During this period, a number of the band's songs took on a "Ghost-ish" character in live performance. "Ghost" was premiered on Phish's 1997 European tour, specifically on June 13, 1997 at Dublin, Ireland. It was last played at the band's final live performance at Coventry, Vermont on August 15, 2004.
