Helping Friendly Podcast – Mt. Rushmore: You Enjoy Myself (December 29, 2025)

Main Theme & Purpose

In this episode of the Helping Friendly Podcast, hosts Brian and Megan conclude their year-long “Mount Rushmore” series—a deep-dive exploration of Phish’s canonical songs—by selecting and discussing the four greatest versions (“Mount Rushmore”) of the iconic “You Enjoy Myself” (YEM). They contextualize the song’s evolution, reflect on the intent and challenges of their song-focused format, and celebrate YEM’s status as the emotional and musical core of the band. Their lively discussion blends stats, personal stories, analysis, and notable Phish show memories.

Episode Highlights & Breakdown

Intro/Holiday Chatter & MSG Run Anticipation

Timestamps: 01:02 – 06:46

• Hosts share personal holiday recaps and prepare for Phish’s New Year’s Run at MSG.
• Megan details her drive from the Berkshires and balancing family, hosting duties, and Phish anticipation.
• Brian sees the switch from “holiday mode” at home to “Phish holiday” mode after Christmas:

  “On the 27th, it’s like, ‘Alright guys, now it’s Phish holiday.’ All this stuff is out. So we let it stay one night... and now we get to go cleanly into the new year.” (04:25, Brian)

• Cultural banter about seasonal traditions and the shift into Phish-focused days.

Recap: Dec 28 MSG Show & Night Run Reflections

Timestamps: 06:46 – 13:04

• Megan lauds the night’s Wolfman’s Brother and Theme From the Bottom for “hypnotic jamming” and tight group play.

  “I thought they kind of dipped into it a little bit in Wolfman's. But I thought the Theme had some really, really great looping and just some nice hypnotic work from the guys.” (06:46, Megan)

• Brian situates 12/28 shows as “figuring out what is going to work for the next couple of nights,” noting they're often “scattered goods” but serve as valuable warm-ups for the main MSG run.

Reflections on the Mount Rushmore Series

Timestamps: 13:04 – 21:53

• Hosts reflect on the challenge and reward of going deep on one song at a time:

  “When you’re listening to 41 versions of YEM, you really need to listen closely. And so it’s forced me to listen in a way that challenged me and I really loved it.” (15:12, Megan)

• The exercise deepened their appreciation for both composed and improvisational Phish vehicles.
• Brian acknowledges it was a different kind of “torture,” with close-listening revealing the band’s historical relationship to their songs and evolving improvisational language.

You Enjoy Myself: Stats, Segments, and the Song’s Core

Timestamps: 23:43 – 33:28

• YEM written by Trey in 1985 during a European street musician stint.
• Key sections: Opening composed segment, lyrics/trampolines (“tramp” section), jam, bass & drums, and vocal jam.
• The “trampolines” (first used in 1989) and vocal jam (inspired by a voice teacher) are central to YEM’s legacy and Phish’s playfulness.
• By the numbers: Played 622 times, 202 jam chart entries (32% “jam rate”), and 41 versions researched for the podcast shortlist.

Notable Quotes:

“It’s kind of the theme song of Phish. It’s the emotional core of this band... Trey has said it defined the first five years of the band’s existence in a lot of ways.” (21:53, Megan)

Favorite YEM Sections & Evolution Across Eras

Timestamps: 27:35 – 34:09

• Megan prefers the jam section, especially when it returns post-vocal-jam, but grew to appreciate subtle compositional distinctions by close listening.

• Brian discovered new love for the composed intro and “Nirvana” section, appreciating patient, space-filled renditions:

  “When you get to the Nirvana segment, it's the band, like, at the top of their game, realizing what they can do with time and space and patience.” (31:40, Brian)

• Discussion about how mid-90s YEM jams sometimes felt limited to “white funk vamping”—engaging but sometimes repetitive across so many listens.

Mount Rushmore: The Four Greatest Versions of YEM

1. 11/24/91 – Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

(35:01 – 41:16 | Discussed at length)

• A quintessential early version, displaying the high energy and precision of the young band.
• Paige’s organ presence is outstanding; dynamic, tight group interplay; peaks and soft dynamics ahead of its time.
• Chosen for showcasing YEM’s original template and the seeds of later developments.

“It is kind of the quintessential perfect YEM... There's something so pure about this version.” (40:32, Megan)

• [Notable moment: 12 min mark in the jam for the major swell]

2. 10/31/95 – Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont, IL (Halloween)

(46:08 – 52:56 | Discussed at length)

• Monumental 40-minute set-3 opener that epitomizes peak “exploratory” Phish.
• Merges 90s funk with risk-taking, long-form improvisation; relentless, unafraid, at the height of their powers.

“This is the greatest version of You Enjoy Myself that’s ever been played. It is epic, it’s narrative, exploratory, effortless... like the Providence Bowie of YEM.” (50:08, Megan)

3. 7/31/97 – Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA

(53:55 – 59:00 | “The Funk Era” Pick)

• Showcases the “cow-funk” groove of 1997 with sophisticated restraint and a minimal, joyous feel.
• No bass and drums section, instead doubling down on group groove and inventive interplay.

“You hear them playing the funk in this version at Shoreline that really embodies the way they would play funk in a way that isn’t going to offend Brian—that is going to be really smart and groove oriented and sophisticated and joyful...” (53:58, Megan)

• Chosen to highlight how YEM shifted with the times and reflects improvisational trends of each Phish era.

4. 12/2/99 – The Palace At Auburn Hills, MI

(61:47 – 68:12 | The Millennial, Forward-Looking Pick)

• Lush, reflective, and melodic—a standout “millennial sound” YEM.
• Hints at musical directions that will dominate late 3.0 and 4.0, with indie-rock textures (think Beach House, Deerhunter) and emotional depth.

“All of the next 25 years of YEM are coded in this tragically beautiful and haunting jam... the jamming style within this hints at different places the band is going to go in... where melody becomes a much bigger part of the jam.” (61:51, Brian)

• The jam evolves into “Little Drummer Boy,” and the vocal jam is sweet, understated, and memorable.

Honorable Mentions & Difficult Omissions

• 12/31/95 (MSG), 11/18/95 (N. Charleston), 6/29/95 (Mansfield), 7/9/97 (Nürburgring), 10/24/21 (LA Forum, 4.0 era), 8/30/24 (Dick’s), among many others were strongly considered.
• The hosts debated including a 4.0 version, ultimately choosing the '99 jam for its prescience and impact.

Reflections on the Process & Closing Thoughts

Timestamps: 73:26 – 74:52

• Both hosts share pride in their final selections and the Mount Rushmore series overall, having learned much about song evolution and their own preferences.

• Megan:

  “I think highlighting a version not many people may have heard of from ‘91 is one of the reasons we wanted to do this series.”

• Discuss the merits of recency versus historical significance, and the virtue of showcasing evolution over simply picking “greatest hits.”

• Plans to make the full Rushmore spreadsheet public for further fan engagement.

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

“This is the Fish song... Trey called it the Fish song. He said at one point, you know, in prison he would do bodily harm to himself just to have the chance to play YEM with his bandmates again.”
— Brian (44:41)

“This version, to me, says where the band will go with this song. It just took them a couple decades to get there.”
— Brian, on 12/2/99 (61:48)

“The whole process has been really, really enlightening. I really enjoyed it. I think that some of the songs that I thought I was going to be bored with, I wasn’t... it distills them down to their essence.”
— Megan (15:12)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:02 – 06:46: Holiday check-in, MSG-trek banter
• 06:46 – 13:04: 12/28 MSG recap, run-up to 12/29/12/30
• 13:04 – 21:53: Mount Rushmore series reflection
• 23:43 – 33:28: YEM segment breakdown, song stats
• 35:01 – 41:16: YEM Rushmore #1: 11/24/91 (Dartmouth)
• 46:08 – 52:56: YEM Rushmore #2: 10/31/95 (Rosemont/Halloween)
• 53:55 – 59:00: YEM Rushmore #3: 7/31/97 (Shoreline)
• 61:47 – 68:12: YEM Rushmore #4: 12/2/99 (Palace, Auburn Hills)
• 73:26 – end: Reflections, series wrap-up

Conclusion

This episode is a rich primer on “You Enjoy Myself” as both an artifact and living document of Phish’s ongoing journey. Brian and Megan’s Mount Rushmore exemplifies the song’s transitions—from classic, composed early-90s jams, through peak 1.0 explorations, into era-defining funk, and finally to spacious, melodic jams that preview Phish’s future. The episode is essential listening (or reading) for any fan curious about why YEM endures—and how it continues to inspire obsession, debate, and joy.

Mount Rushmore: You Enjoy Myself

• 11/24/91 - Dartmouth College
• 10/31/95 - Rosemont Horizon (Halloween)
• 7/31/97 - Shoreline Ampitheatre
• 12/2/99 - The Palace at Auburn Hills

Listen, dance, and compare your own YEM Rushmore!