npiazza91's Top 50 Dream Theater Songs

[npiazza91]

Ok, so I finally decided to make my list.  I'm still fine tuning it, but I have a few songs to get started.  First, I have to explain why there won't be certain songs on this list.

Ok, so you might have remembered what I say from my "Any love for BC&SL?" thread.  There are two albukms I do not own and have listened to them maybe twice.  When Dream and Day Unite and Falling Into Infinity.  With that being said, there is 1 (yes, only 1) song from Falling into Infinity that will be on this list that basically hit an emotional chord with me right off the bat.  The others have not sunk in yet, unfortunately.  As for WD&DU, no  songs will make my top 50, just because I don't think Dominici's voice comes even close to the effect that Labrie can have.  However, I do have some honorable mentions, where I will explain why they are not in my top 50.  Now, before I start, just remember that these aren't songs that just missed my top 50, these are songs that are not in my top 50 for a more specific reason than just "I don't like them as much".  On last thing, I don't know a whole lot about music theory and all that, and I'm definitely more of a "personal music listener" where I could interpret the lyrics and music in a personal manner, which may or may not be different than what was originally intended.  Just an FYI.


Honorable Mention #1: Peruvian Skies- Ok, like I said this album as a whole hasn't really sunk in yet, but listening to this song the first time I really liked it.  I don't remember much of it, but I'm sure it will become a classic in my top 50.

Honorable Mention #2: Fortune in Lies- Ok, the only Dominici song I actually like.  This song works...for its time.  Still, I have to give credit where it's due.  I figure I'd mention one Dominici song on here.  It's a nice, catchy tune.

Honorable Mention #3: Ytse Jam- The best song on the debut album.  Can you guess why?  Well, besides the fact that Dominici isn't here (nothing against the guy, his voice just never did anything for me) the musicianship here is fantastic.

Honorable Mention #4: In The Presence of Enemies- I'm about to make a lot of people very mad.  Ok, for the longest time, I LOVED the first part, and sort of neglected the second part.  Now, I LOVE the second part, and the first part has kind of worn off for me.  I can't seem to find a healthy medium for this song and it's sort of like a love/hate relationship for me.  I really wish it was just a 25 minute song on one track, maybe then I would enjoy it more.

Honorable Mention #5: A Change of Seasons: Sorry guys.  I've only heard this song once all the way through.  From what I remember, I enjoyed it, but it's definitely the kind of song you have to keep listening to over a long period of time before it sticks.  I can't get that initial heavy riff out of my head, though.

Next, I will go through numbers 55-51.  These are the songs that just didn't make it.  Oh man, this was so hard.


#55: Honor Thy Father- This song and I have a love/hate relationship.  I love the riffs and the musicianship is awesome.  However...the lyrics.  I like the idea of writing a song about being neglected and/or abused by a parent, but the lyrics come off as hate or rage to me, when instead it could have been way more emotional.  I know what Portnoy was going for here, I just think it was a missed opportunity.  There were better ways to tackle this subject.  Also, the rapping.  In the nicest way possible, I have to say that the rapping here embarrasses me.

#54: The Silent Man- I'm not too sure what this song is about, but it's a nice, short, sweet song that comes across as "good' to me.  The chorus is easily the high point, but some parts of the song comes across as a little boring.  Compared to most of Awake, this song is nothing special to me.  It's good, but not great.

#53: The Answer Lies Within- I used to adore this song, but I find myself listening to it less and less.  It's good, and I really like the lyrics, but DT has so many songs that cover "boosting your self confidence" and "how to live your life" that this one doesn't really stick out as much.  Labrie does a great job singing here though.

#52: Far From Heaven- A very melancholy song.  This one I used to love as well, but ADTOE has really good ballads on it to begin with that I just feel this one feels the most "filler" out of them all.  Still, this song is pretty personal to me as I went through something similar when I was a teen, as I'm sure many others go through as well.  A nice song that gets overshadowed by others in their discography.

#51: Lifting Shadows off a Dream- JUST misses the Top 50, I'm sad to say.  This one is the standout of these 5 in that it's just an obvious step up in song writing and the lyrics are fantastic.  I think the best part about this song is the atmosphere.  However, I do feel the song goes on for a bit too long and it could have had a little variety in it.  I feel like the same things gets repeated the entire time.  Still, great atmosphere and lyrics, I just think this song would have benefitted from being cut just a little bit.


I'll probably post the next 5 tonight, so stay tuned.  Remember this is just my opinion and I would love to hear what you have to say.

[yeah_93]

Petrucci's delay does wonders with the atmosphere of Lifting Shadows.

[425]

A Fortune in Lies, In the Presence of Enemies, A Change of Seasons and ESPECIALLY Far From Heaven are just criminally low and the rest are criminally high .

Nah, on that second part, I could definitely see Ytse Jam, HTF, TALW or LSOAD fitting in close to those spots for me, but none of them made my list when I did it.

Also listen to ACOS more! And WDADU! And FII!

[npiazza91]

A Fortune in Lies, In the Presence of Enemies, A Change of Seasons and ESPECIALLY Far From Heaven are just criminally low and the rest are criminally high .

Nah, on that second part, I could definitely see Ytse Jam, HTF, TALW or LSOAD fitting in close to those spots for me, but none of them made my list when I did it.

Also listen to ACOS more! And WDADU! And FII!

Yeah I definitely plan on it.  My list is sure to change a bit when in the months to come, but every time I want to listen to FII songs, I always listen to the DT songs I know instead.  Like I said, what I heard from it is pretty good so far, but FII seems like it's going to be a grower to me.  ACOS is DEFINITELY one that I'll be listening to again very soon.  I can't get that damn riff out of my head, it's awesome.  As for WD&DU...I just can't get past his voice.  It just doesn't feel like DT to me.  I'll get around to it, but for now I'm fine with liking AFIL and Ytse Jam.

[425]

If you really just can't stand Dominici, there's always the When Dream and Day Reunite Official Bootleg (here's the link: https://ytsejamrecords.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=20&idcategory=8) that was the 15th Anniversary of WDADU show where they performed the whole album, with James, of course, singing. It's not the best mixed record and it wasn't exactly a great night for James, but it's there. There's also as I'm sure you know a number of live albums with WDADU songs on them performed by James that are well-mixed. There's AFIL on Live at Luna Park, Afterlife on Score, The Killing Hand on Live at the Marquee (I HIGHLY recommend this one; James absolutely kills it) and Only a Matter of Time on Live at Budokan.

FII is definitely a grower; it's only just started to grow on me recently. At first I thought it was one of their worst, but I really love the album now. It's a very groovy, jazzy piece.

And then there's A Change of Seasons. What I wouldn't give to be in your place of learning ACOS all the way through for the first time again.

[npiazza91]

Here we go.  Just an FYI, it was REALLY hard putting these bottom songs in order.  Actually, from numbers 40-55, most of them could probably be interchangeable depending on the day or mood I'm in.

#50: The Dark Eternal Night- Yeah, I'm going to get a lot of hate for this.  Actually, I think this entire list is going to get some hate.  Anyway, yeah I get it, the Portnoy vocals are "meh".  However, the guitar riffs and drums are just awesome in this song.  I really like the chorus as well, as it just fits really well in contrast to the verses.  Sure, the lyrics are silly, but not every DT song has to be deep or epic.  This is just a great headbanging song and I still give it a spin every now and again.  Call it a guilty pleasure.  Oh yeah, the outro's cool too.

#49: I Walk Beside You- This was one of my favorites when I was first getting into DT.  Why not?  It's simple, it's catchy and it's a great gateway song.  It doesn't hold up the best for me today, but I still think the lyrics are meaningful and it's just a simple song with a nice structure.  I also have the unpopular opinion of liking the final "higher" chorus.

#48: Innocence Faded- Definitely one of Labrie's best vocal performance that beats the crap out of anything American Idol contestants have done vocal-wise.  Sure, it has that 80's feel to it (or at least to me it does) but, like "I Walk Beside You", it has a very simple structure, nice lyrics and is all around a beautiful song.  Nothing really special, especially compared to other songs on Awake, but I still have a lot of respect for it.

#47: Another Day- One of the first DT songs I ever heard and I immediately fell in love.  I feel similar about this song as I do about the other ballads I have above.  It's really nice, and Labrie is amazing here, but it just doesn't hold up to anything more than just "a nice, beautiful, sweet song".  The lyrics here are really, really good though.  I'm a suicide prevention counselor, so I can definitely relate.

#46: Repentance- I used to HATE this song.  I mean HATE it.  However, I started listening to the entire 12 step suite as one song and I have a new appreciation for this section.  It's a nice contrast to the other heavier songs, and doesn't feel as long as I used to think.  The second half, while definitely weaker, I still enjoy.  I like how the chorus sings over the atmospheric chords and just takes you away for a little while.  Definitely the weakest song in the suite, but I like it a lot more now than I used to.


More coming tomorrow night!

[425]

I think all of these are very good choices for this part of the list. Another Day was the only one that made my own list, and it was somewhat higher, but realistically any of the others potentially could have made it. Also, I already noticed a controversial opinion of yours: you put what you believe to be the weakest song of the 12SS in your top 50, meaning they're all going to be in here... I'm not sure anyone I know of has ever done that before...

[npiazza91]

I think all of these are very good choices for this part of the list. Another Day was the only one that made my own list, and it was somewhat higher, but realistically any of the others potentially could have made it. Also, I already noticed a controversial opinion of yours: you put what you believe to be the weakest song of the 12SS in your top 50, meaning they're all going to be in here... I'm not sure anyone I know of has ever done that before...

Yeah it's funny because it never really hit me how many ballads DT has done until I started making this list.

Also, really?  I think the entire 12 step suite is fantastic, I'm surprised people would leave out one of the songs.  Well, there's sure to be a song or two left out that is REALLY going to piss a lot of people off.  It's funny, as I was looking through all the songs, after I made the list, I found two that I still really liked, but I couldn't find anywhere to put.  Those two songs are Build Me Up, Break Me Down and Enigma Machine.  I like them, but I didn't want to knock anything off the list for them.  I probably should have put them in the honorables now that I think about it.  Oh well.  Man, this is so hard.

[425]

Yeah, I found that I was leaving a lot of truly great stuff off when I did mine, too. I found that it was really hard also to say "well, this song I like a little better than this one, so it's 21 and that's 22." So I found myself spending most of my countdown stressing that the numbers were only a rough approximation. It was fun to do the writeups but I'm not sure I could handle the stress of making the list again! And I'm sure it's changed significantly despite the fact that it's only been a few months since I did it. There'd probably be a lot more FII and ADTOE, for example, but I don't know what I'd kick out!

I think most people like a few of the songs on the Twelve-Step Suite and either don't like or are lukewarm on one or two. The first three tend to be the most popular. Personally, I like all of them, but The Root of All Evil missed my top 50 and would probably not make my current top 50 either. Repentance missed it before but might be in it now (borderline), The Glass Prison was in it before and might not be now. I would say the only ones that would definitely make it today for me are This Dying Soul and The Shattered Fortress, though the other three would either be in or close.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Cool! There hasn't been one of these in a while. Will follow.

Hey, TDEN is a pretty cool song. Others loathe it, but something about that sludgy heaviness I dig on this song in particular.

Another Day's main melody is one of my favorites from DT. So emotional and captivating.

[Evermind]

Also, really? I think the entire 12 step suite is fantastic, I'm surprised people would leave out one of the songs.

Well, I had none of them in my top50.

I also had ITPOE as my #1.

Oh well.

[son_ov_hades]

Following! Though it seems we will disagree on most everything.  Listen to Falling Into Infinity! Easily one of the best albums.

[Crow]

You should listen to ACoS more, yeah. And FFH is a fair bit lower than I'd like. The rest I can't really complain about.

Oh man someone's finally doing one of these again yay

OH WAIT THERE IS ANOTHER POST
uhh TDEN is one of my least favorite DT songs so nah
Repentance is nice to see even if too low, and it being the weakest means that the other ones are all on the list yay 

[npiazza91]

Ok, I might fall asleep early today due to only sleeping for 2 hours last night because of my dog barking, so just in case I pass out without adding to my list, I'll do my next 5 now.

#45: Learning to Live- I'm going to get a lot of people telling me that this song is too low.  While I do think this song is overrated and DT have much better epics, it's still a great song.  Some parts do feel a bit uneven to me though and it doesn't fully resonate with me.  Images and Words, as a whole, is overrated in my opinion, but this is still a great song that I listen to every now and again.

#44: The Spirit Carries On- A very sad, but happy song (if that makes any sense).  Sure it's a bit simplistic, but it flows really well and the solos here really shine.  I don't have much to say about this one because while it does have a place in my heart, there are just 43 songs that I like more.

#43: Constant Motion- I had a hard time deciding where to put this.  It's thrash metal, and I love thrash.  Heck, I listen to Megadeth just about as much as I do DT.  The thing is...DT is NOT a thrash band, and DT doing a thrash song comes off as "cool but you guys are better than this".  I'm not saying thrash is beneath DT, just that their music is so diverse and complex, that going a very basic thrash route just doesn't feel right.  When Megadeth did prog metal with a bit of thrash (Good Mourning/Back Friday, Lucretia) it sounded awesome.  When DT does thrash with a bit of prog (Constant Motion) it doesn't sound as good.  Now, don't get me wrong, Constant Motion is a kickass song for headbanging, but I cannot put this any higher just because DT doesn't sound like DT here.

#42: The Best of Times- I feel bad putting this song so low, because the lyrics usually get me a bit emotional, as I can heavily relate.  I love the chorus as well.  However, I'm probably in the minority when I say that I think the song goes downhill in the second half.  I never understood what everyone saw in that final solo.  It kind of bores me to be honest.  This song is definitely much longer than it should be, and for that reason I cannot put it any higher.

#41: The Shattered Fortress- The second weakest song in the suite.  It kind of feels like a direct to DVD sequel of a great movie, where things gets rehashed and are not as good as the original.  The beginning is pretty weak and doesn't really shine until the "I once thought it better...to be right".  Once those lyrics kick in, the song gets much better.  Actually, the last five minutes or so ranks among the best in the entire suite, but the beginning is so weak that this is where I have to put this song.


These 5 were also very hard to place, because I have things I both like and dislike about them.  I'll be back tomorrow, hope you guys are liking (or disliking) this list!

[425]

Learning to Live is WAYYYYY too low
So is The Spirit Carries On, actually.

Constant Motion is a bit high, and the other two are good. Except The Shattered Fortress is too low compared to the other songs in the 12SS. And you don't like that intro? That's my favorite intro in the whole suite, bar none, with the way it builds up and all on those great musical themes.

[Nearmyth]

 

Agree somewhat with TSF, the last 5 minutes is one of my favorite parts of the whole suite.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Learning to Live is WAYYYYY too low

Yeah, this.

Other picks are pretty good, and probably right around where I'd put them.

[son_ov_hades]

Learning To Live was my number 2. We will not be friends. 

[Crow]

Nah, LtL isn't really too low at all. I have it a bit higher up but I think it's overrated as hell, not even close to the best DT song. TSCO is the song too low here if anything, though part of that's just me loving it a lot. The other three picks are good songs, nothing outstanding, but in the 40's range that's not too terribly problematic

[Grizz]

Following! Though it seems we will disagree on most everything.  Listen to Falling Into Infinity! Easily one of the best albums.

[Scorpion]

Following! Though it seems we will disagree on most everything.  Listen to Falling Into Infinity! Easily one of the best albums.

 

I see you repeatedly clicked the wrong emoticon there. I took the liberty of fixing that for you.

[npiazza91]

#40: Wither- This is a really nice song and shoes that Labrie can really sing despite his accident.  The only drawback is being the only short song on an album pretty much comprised of epics.  I think it feels a bit out of place on that album.  Not much else to really say about this one, just a really nice song with great lyrics and a healthy dose of emotion.

#39: As I Am- A lot of people say that ToT sounds like a Metallica album.  I disagree, however, there is one part in this song that sounds exactly like Hetfield.  It's the part right at the end of the chorus when (is it Labrie or Pornoy?) screams "AS I AMMMMM!  YEAH!".  Besides that one part, I don't see the connection.  The solo here is fantastic.  The first time I heard it I thought it sounded like a musical version of a tornado or a vortex.  Besides the amazing solo, this song isn't really that special.  It's a nice rocker, but DT does it better in other songs.  Still solid overall, though.

#38: Erotomania- A great instrumental that has a very catchy guitar hook.  You know the one I'm referring to.  It's not the best instrumental they've done, but it's still a great song.  I also feel this song is hard to remember all the way through.  Could just be me, though.

#37: Behind The Veil- I might be biased because this song sounds like DT doing Megadeth, except for a few synth sections.  This is what Megadeth would sound like with Labrie instead of Mustaine.  I like it, but it's slightly generic, and I hate the long intro, I always skip it.  Still, that main guitar riff is awesome and the chorus is catchy as well.

#36: Through Her Eyes- Despite this song being a sad one, I actually feel happy listening to it.  It has so much emotion in it and it's so nicely done.  I actually like the female voice in the beginning, I think it really helps set the mood of this song.  Again, Labrie does a fantastic job here.  The rest of the band doesn't have much to work with, but that's ok.  There are many DT songs like that, this song is great for relaxing.


I'll be back tomorrow with more songs.  Again, I don't really know anything about music theory so the write-ups really only describe the things I like or don't like about it or how a certain part makes me feel.

[Grizz]

By 2009 LaBrie was pretty much fine. That was 15 years after he threw his voice, you know!
Through Her Eyes makes you happy and The Spirit Carries on is sad? 

[npiazza91]

By 2009 LaBrie was pretty much fine. That was 15 years after he threw his voice, you know!
Through Her Eyes makes you happy and The Spirit Carries on is sad? 

Yeah I knew the accident happened in 1994, but there is still a difference between how he sounds on Awake, to how he sounds now.  I was pointing out Wither as one of those songs where he sounds better than he usually does, almost like how he used to sound.

And yeah I know it's weird.  Through Her Eyes gives me more of a "this might be bad, but there's still hope" kind of feeling, whereas TSCO gives me just a very somber feeling, kind of like a funeral or something.  I'm not talking about the lyrics, just the melody.  While the story on that album is great, I much prefer to personalize songs and interpret them into something that's meaningful for me.  Music is a personal journey for me.  If I want a story, I read Stephen King.  Reading "Joyland" now, it's actually very good, I wasn't expecting much.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

The intro to BTV is a part of what makes that song so great. And I disagree that the rest of the band besides JLB don't work with much in Through Her Eyes; Myung's weeping bass pretty much establishes the mood.

As I am is alright, but I definitely wouldn't have it this high. It's probably my least favorite from TOT. Erotomania however

[npiazza91]

The intro to BTV is a part of what makes that song so great. And I disagree that the rest of the band besides JLB don't work with much in Through Her Eyes; Myung's weeping bass pretty much establishes the mood.

As I am is alright, but I definitely wouldn't have it this high. It's probably my least favorite from TOT. Erotomania however

Yeah the weeping bass is great, but I mean it's a very vocal heavy song.  Sure, the mood and emotion throughout are fantastic, but the rest of the instruments don't do much except keep the beat going.  If you take The Dance of Eternity or any of the songs in the 5 step suite (along with many other DT songs), the instruments have a lot more free reign and all get their moments to shine.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

JLB surely does contribute leagues to the amount of emotion in the song (same could be said for all of SFAM imo), but I just thought that some of the instrumentation shouldn't be glossed over either is all.

[Scorpion]

I'd say that my favourite version of THE is the live version, precisely because not all of the focus is on the vocals - instead, we have an amazing guitar solo at the end that is extremely emotional as well and kinda gives the song... well, an awesome guitar solo.

[yeah_93]

I love that you give some love to Behind the Veil, but Learning to Live is far too low.

[425]

It's the part right at the end of the chorus when (is it Labrie or Pornoy?) screams "AS I AMMMMM!  YEAH!".  Besides that one part, I don't see the connection.

It's definitely James. Both he and Mike have pretty distinctive tones to their voices. At least, I've never really had trouble telling them apart when neither is drowned in effects.

As to your update... my flippant response would be "lolnope." My more serious response would be: This is around where I would put Wither, and all the of the rest are good but I would put them significantly lower. Only As I Am I think would have a possibility of making my top 50 though.

[Crow]

Two more of my least favorite DT songs here, woo 
And Wither is at least a nice breather on BC&SL though taken on its own it's nothing special IMO. Erotomania is always nice to see though.

[npiazza91]

Two more of my least favorite DT songs here, woo 
And Wither is at least a nice breather on BC&SL though taken on its own it's nothing special IMO. Erotomania is always nice to see though.

I'm guessing the two are "As I Am" and "Behind The Veil" right?  I take it you don't care for some of their more heavier material?

[npiazza91]

#35: Beneath The Surface- I loved it when this album first came out, but some of the love has worn off slightly.  It's amazingly emotional and the final minute or so after the solo usually makes me tear up a little.  The solo is great as well, the only main complaint I have is that the song doesn't have the best replay value; especially once the emotional aspect starts to wear off a bit.  It can also get a bit boring.  Still, it's a very underrated gem that I feel often gets overlooked.

#34: Panic Attack- I feel like this song is slightly overrated.  I wouldn't call it one of the best, but it's still a great DT song.  I also feel like this is the perfect introductory song for someone just getting into DT.  It has most of their elements all in one, isn't that long of a song and remains to be catchy at the same time.

#33: The Enemy Inside- I think of this song along the same lines as Panic Attack.  It's a great introduction to the band, it's fast, it's heavy, and sums up most of what the heavier side of DT is all about.  It's a very well written song and definitely should have won the Grammy.  Oh, well.

#32: Sacrificed Sons- I originally had this at #30, but I moved it down two spots at the last second.  It's fantastic and emotional, but I feel like it takes a while to get started.  The chorus is amazing, though, and the last few minutes is great as well.  Is it just me, or do the voices in the beginning kind of freak you out a bit?  If I'm by myself in a dark room and play the song on my headphones, it gives me the creeps.  Maybe it's just me.

#31: Under A Glass Moon- This was a grower for me when I originally bought Images and Words.  It definitely paid off though.  This is definitely an underrated classic, albeit with a couple of small problems.  Despite being only 7 minutes, this song feels twice as long.  It's not necessarily a bad thing, though, as I usually find something new I like every time.  This song is nothing ground breaking, but it definitely deserves the praise it gets among DT fans.

[425]

This is a much better update for me than your last one! The only one that wouldn't make my top 50 is The Enemy Inside and that track is still close. Under a Glass Moon is my favorite of this set and I'd put it a fair bit higher, but this is an okay spot for it too by me!

I will disagree that Panic Attack is the perfect introductory song. It's a fair bit heavier than the mean of DT. I would probably (other things equal) introduce someone to the band with On the Backs of Angels.

[npiazza91]

This is a much better update for me than your last one! The only one that wouldn't make my top 50 is The Enemy Inside and that track is still close. Under a Glass Moon is my favorite of this set and I'd put it a fair bit higher, but this is an okay spot for it too by me!

I will disagree that Panic Attack is the perfect introductory song. It's a fair bit heavier than the mean of DT. I would probably (other things equal) introduce someone to the band with On the Backs of Angels.

True, but the thing about Panic Attack is that it has a great hook, and people love hooks.  And while yes, it's heavy, it's not heavy heavy, like something from ToT.  What I'm trying to say is that it's not a dark song, like something off Awake.  It's relatively lighter in tone, so it gets away with being heavy a bit.  Let's face it, DT is as far removed from "mainstream" and "power chord" rock and metal than almost any band.  However, Panic Attack has some elements that are found in commercial rock and metal, especially the verses.  What makes it stand out from the mainstream though, are the drums and bass mostly.

I do agree with "On the Backs of Angels", though.  It's basically the "Pull Me Under" of later DT.