A Change of Seasons Original Version

[JayOctavarium]

He's also said something like getting booted from DT was the best thing to happen to him in his musical career

Or something like that.

[bosk1]

I have never really cared for the earlier versions.  It does not sound cohesive and focused.  The official version is much better to me.

And as far as performances go, the LSFNY version slays them all.

Except all the cute little additions ruin it.  Here we have a beautiful song about a teens last time seeing his mother alive, his gratitude to his teacher for telling him that very day to never take his loved ones for granted, the uncertainty about his future as he now navigates life with people trying to give him their sympathy without really understanding what he is going through, and lets just throw in a little Simpsons melody and a baseball ditty.  Blah. 

I get what you are saying, but I think there are a couple of things to remember in context:  (1) Since the song is largely about events that occurred in Mike's childhood, I always took those sections as being a reference to that time in their lives when they were young and innocent.  Having silly, childhood references feels appropriate to me.  (2) The song was played as an unexpected, VERY long encore at the end of a very serious and very long show, at the end of a very long tour.  If the band intended that part to be just kind of screwing around and having fun in a live setting in that context, that is kinda the place to do it.

I have not idea whether the reason those were included is closer to #1 or #2, but each of those seems like a valid, appropriate reason to include them to me.  I have never had any problem with those sections being in there in that version.

[jdprsaga]

Interesting, I've never paid much attention to the change of season demo until now that you brougth it up. I  love that solo, but mostly I like Chris Cintron voice. I like his phrasing and clarity a bit better than labrie version. I understand what he is saying clearly.

(controvertial comment) I belive to Non DT fans, his voice wouldn't be as annoying as Labrie's. - That's what throws off most of my friends.

[TheCountOfNYC]

I just listened to the version from the Limelight show. The final version is by far the superior version (I mean the original doesn't have the "Oh come let us adore him" part). I will say that I wish they had kept the keyboard harmony at the end of the guitar solo. The last guitar solo in the final version is better, but I dug the harmony at the end of the original version as well. Also, now having heard Kevin's parts for this song, I can officially say that I prefer Kevin to Derek. His parts and patches are more pleasant to the ear. He complimented John Petrucci better than Derek did and as well as Jordan does. I like Derek, but I'll take Kevin or Jordan any day. Going back to the song, the changes made for the EP are definitely for the better with the exception of the end of the solo harmony. But even then, it probably would not have sounded as nice with Derek's lead tone so maybe getting rid of that was for the better as well. Overall, the original is ok, but the final version is a masterpiece.