A "better" Life Left Behind

[ClarkeMSmith]

Don't shoot me because I changed someone else's work....but I can't tell you how much I hate the ending of this song. Its such an amazing, heartfelt, moving, beautifully written song...and then it goes strait to hell. Everyone I show the song to goes, uh what is happening? Why can't they just let a nice song be a nice song? This album does that a lot.   So I fixed it. I edited it to my liking.  Check it out:

https://www.timeaxismedia.com/DreamTheater-ALifeLeft%20Behind(ClarkeMix).mp3

[RoeDent]

Because it's not supposed to be structured like a normal song. It's supposed to go dark at the end because that's the way the story goes. We are introduced to Daryus and his evil scheme at that stage of the album. So for that purpose DT's version is perfect.

[gzarruk]

Because it's not supposed to be structured like a normal song. It's supposed to go dark at the end because that's the way the story goes. We are introduced to Daryus and his evil scheme at that stage of the album. So for that purpose DT's version is perfect.

This.

[ClarkeMSmith]

I respect all that.  But I don't like it.  The Wall has plenty of "stand alone" songs on it, as do other concept albums.  Most people don't care about the storyline, but thats besides the point.  You can still tell the story and have stand alone songs.  As it is, this is a frustrating change that doesn't belong in my opinion. At least 3 other songs do the same thing, and it REALLY drives me crazy. Most frustrating album of all time!  This record could have had fewer and longer songs, been just as long in total minutes, and told the same story.

[bosk1]

Just listened.  Um...cool that you prefer the fadeout, I guess.  But you fixed something that didn't need to be fixed and basically created an inferior song by removing the climax, so it doesn't really work for me.  Sorry, I can't consider it a "better" version.

[hefdaddy42]

I respect all that.  But I don't like it. 

*shrugs*

The Wall has plenty of "stand alone" songs on it, as do other concept albums.

OK.  I mean, kind of irrelevant, but OK.  And there are stand-alone songs on The Astonishing as well.  This just isn't one of them.

Most people don't care about the storyline, but thats besides the point.

By "most people" you mean YOU.  You can't possibly know what "most people" think in this regard.

You can still tell the story and have stand alone songs.

OK.  And they did.

As it is, this is a frustrating change that doesn't belong in my opinion.

Sorry you feel that way.

At least 3 other songs do the same thing, and it REALLY drives me crazy.

Maybe next time JP will consult you before writing/recording the next album, to cater it to your personal tastes.  We can hope for the best.

Most frustrating album of all time! 

Come on.

This record could have had fewer and longer songs, been just as long in total minutes, and told the same story.

Yes, it could have.  But there is no reason that it SHOULD have.

[Madman Shepherd]

This is one of the few songs on the album that I actually like.  I can see what you're saying but I don't think a fade out at that point is any better.  In general I don't like fade outs.  If they could actually put an end to the song around the point you faded out, I think that would be better. 

[ClarkeMSmith]

Thanks for listening and commenting.  hefdaddy42 you are funny!  I do believe JP should consult with me!  But seriously, I think there is a more of a general dislike (or, disappointment) with this album than a like.  I think it could have been a WHOLE lot better.
BTW I did more than just fade it out before the weird ending that goes off base so bad for me; I mixed the chorus 3 times and repeated it, hopefully not too noticeable except the discerning DT ear.  It was harder than one might think!  Came out pretty seamless I think.
I just can't stop hating the original. I just hate the left turn it takes there.  Imagine if another fantastic ballad-type song like This Is The Life did that!  Song ruined.  You go from I'm waking up from a life left behind to see what lies ahead....to justice will be served.  WTF?  It was an uplifting song.  I know - its part of the damn rock opera.  That ruins the song for me.  Can't help it.  I despise what they did to the song in the last section.

[Madman Shepherd]

I wouldnt necessarily say there is a bigger dislike than like.  To me in my completely non-scientific view, it seems to be about 50/50.  I'm definitely disappointed in it but I'm surprised to see so many people on this board say good things about it. 

I was also surprised at the Chicago show (which I left shortly after the second set began) that a lot of people seemed to be singing along.  My friend and I who are pretty hardcore DT fans thought about not even going even though we already bought tickets before we found out how much we dislike the album. 

[Mladen]

The ending to A Life left behind is actually my favorite part of it. The intro is fun and cheerful, very Yes-sounding, then the ballad itself is pretty and melodic with an infectious chorus, but at one point, all of a sudden, the melodies take a dark, morbid turn and that gives me chills.

I love it when bands have the ability to get you comfortable with a certain vibe, and then just smash you over the head with an insane sounding twist. That's what the guys did here, and they did it extraordinarily well.

[jakepriest]

Damn. Ravenskill seemed to be such a nice ballad... and then some idiot decided to play fucking distorted power chords and ruined the song. I despise it! I want it changed Petrucci!

[DragonAttack]

I'm with the OP, and mentioned it somewhere in the 119 pages of TA comments.  I listened to my edited version a day before the post, and I hummed in my head what the OP did here (btw, thanks for the needed extra choruses so that it doesn't 'jump fade').   A really nice, upbeat track without the ending.  Perhaps the ending could/should have been a one minute stand alone.

[erwinrafael]

The only edit I want in an individual song in The Astonishing is for When Your Time Has Come not to start with "...eyes"

[noxon]

On the original promo release, When Your Time Has Come was not its own track...

[erwinrafael]

That's how I listen to it, always a combo.

[hefdaddy42]

hefdaddy42 you are funny!

[ClarkeMSmith]

Thanks, so nice to see someone agree with me. I'm all for a concept album. A double one no less.  I just ask for complete songs. Again, The Wall...Comfortably Numb for example. Its a complete song. Not go whackadoodle all of a sudden.  I love when DT makes a crazy left turn into progressive insanity as the next fan, but not like this.

I guess I like to see DT do something I can show my wife once in a while!  She likes This Is The Life, and REALLY likes I Walk Beside You.  Even Wither. But on a personal thing, I wanted her to like this one too.  She does...up to that stupid, stupid change!!!!   Grrrrrrr.....
She sure approves of my version though 

[legenden1]

Don't shoot me because I changed someone else's work....but I can't tell you how much I hate the ending of this song. Its such an amazing, heartfelt, moving, beautifully written song...and then it goes strait to hell. Everyone I show the song to goes, uh what is happening? Why can't they just let a nice song be a nice song? This album does that a lot.   So I fixed it. I edited it to my liking.  Check it out:

https://www.timeaxismedia.com/DreamTheater-ALifeLeft%20Behind(ClarkeMix).mp3

Couldn´t disagree more. I think the ending is the very best part of the song

[pcs90]

If I am listening to the song on its own, I think your version works great.
As part of the story, that darker ending is perfect.
So for me it just depends in what context I listen to the song in. I mean without knowledge of the story, like if you were just showing that song to a friend, the ending is out of place, so I can see where you're coming from there.

[ClarkeMSmith]

Yes PCs90, that's exactly it!  I do have friends and family I like to show how GREAT DT is and why I'm essentially obsessed with them and have been since 1996...so yeah, I would show them this song ordinarily, but it does not work.  I guess I'm not that big a fan of concept albums, and especially not "rock operas".
But I'll say it - I despise what they did to this song. Just despise it. My face falls every time.

[jakepriest]

On the original promo release, When Your Time Has Come was not its own track...

Maaan... that would have been so much better IMHO.

[Architeuthis]

The ending is one of my fav parts of the song, I find the rest of the song a bit boring at times. I love the intro though. TA album is fantastic as a whole, still can't get enough of it..

[erwinrafael]

I guess I like to see DT do something I can show my wife once in a while!  She likes This Is The Life, and REALLY likes I Walk Beside You.  Even Wither. But on a personal thing, I wanted her to like this one too.  She does...up to that stupid, stupid change!!!!   Grrrrrrr.....
She sure approves of my version though 

It's not a stupid change. It serves a narrative purpose, so it's not stupid. The Astonishing is not comparableto The Wall which is a straightforward concept album. The Astonishing is a rock opera and you will hear this kind of transition in songs from other rock operas and musicals.

If your beef is you want DT to write a song your wife would like, there are many other songs in the album that you could make her listen. I made my wife listen to Chosen, Our New World and The Gift of Music and she loved them. Mangini fanboy that I am, I was especially thrilled when she explicitly pointed out the drumming in Our New World as great.

[RoeDent]

I don't understand how someone can be so infuriated by something like this.

[noxon]

I think anyone who complains about The Astonishing should listen to Jesus Christ Superstar - as its pretty obvious where a LOT of the inspiration for the album comes from. Right down to transitions.

[KevShmev]

To each his own, but that ending with the fadeout sounded very rushed.  I don't have the problem with fadeouts that some people do, but that one just didn't work.  The ending they did on the album is just fine. 

[Stewie]

Don't shoot me because I changed someone else's work....but I can't tell you how much I hate the ending of this song. Its such an amazing, heartfelt, moving, beautifully written song...and then it goes strait to hell. Everyone I show the song to goes, uh what is happening? Why can't they just let a nice song be a nice song? This album does that a lot.   So I fixed it. I edited it to my liking.  Check it out:

https://www.timeaxismedia.com/DreamTheater-ALifeLeft%20Behind(ClarkeMix).mp3

If you have to change someone else's art in order to like it, you're missing the point. I understand that not everything is black and white, and there may be certain parts of the song you like, and others not so much - but if you have to go out of your way to literally tweak the song on your computer, in order to enjoy it, that's fucking absurd (and also kinda sad). Why not just settle for disliking it? Why go to the lengths of hacking it up in order to listen to it in your own little make believe world where the album is great? It's okay to not like the album...you do realize that, right? Lol.

While you're at it, go ahead and edit some movies too - maybe chop out the scenes you didn't like, which were "irrelevant" to the story line! Also, don't forget to pack your brushes and oil paints next time you stop by an art exhibit; that way you can make any changes that may help you enjoy the piece better 

[Madman Shepherd]

Wow...that was one of the more bitter posts I've read. 

The dude didn't like the end so he wanted to tweak it.  Big deal. 

I think Octavarium is a great song but the Jack the ripper owens wilson phillips part makes me gag.  If I had any technological know how, I would try to edit that part out. 

Or...someone posted an Illumination Theory edit, not because they didn't like it, but because they just wanted to get to the big parts sooner.  I actually have listened to their edit many times.  I love everything about that song but sometimes I don't have 20 minutes to listen to it.  If I'm running to the store, sometimes I'll throw on the edit.  If Im going out of town, I'll listen to the original. 

Big deal. 

It's not like Clarke is chopping up every DT song.  He had a legitimate gripe with a beautiful song that makes a sharp turn to continue the rest of the story of the album. 

[Stewie]

Wow...that was one of the more bitter posts I've read. 

The dude didn't like the end so he wanted to tweak it.  Big deal. 

I think Octavarium is a great song but the Jack the ripper owens wilson phillips part makes me gag.  If I had any technological know how, I would try to edit that part out. 

Or...someone posted an Illumination Theory edit, not because they didn't like it, but because they just wanted to get to the big parts sooner.  I actually have listened to their edit many times.  I love everything about that song but sometimes I don't have 20 minutes to listen to it.  If I'm running to the store, sometimes I'll throw on the edit.  If Im going out of town, I'll listen to the original. 

Big deal. 

It's not like Clarke is chopping up every DT song.  He had a legitimate gripe with a beautiful song that makes a sharp turn to continue the rest of the story of the album.

Lol, relax shepherd. I just thought it was funny - although how very noble of you to defend him! There's all kinds of sections in DT songs that make me "gag", as you say. The MP-midlife-crisis cookie monster vocals in ANTR; the outro vocals in Illumination Theory that go on too long and are anti-climactic (the scale runs JLB does after "know that you're alive")...the difference is I don't feel compelled to bastardize someone else's work in order to make it suit my preferences. If I don't like it, that's fine. Typically a section I don't like doesn't keep me from enjoying the whole song. If there are more parts that I dislike than like, then I just don't listen to that song. But hey, whatever bakes your cake.

[pcs90]

I've made several edits on songs. In most cases, it takes a few minutes tops if you know what you are doing. Not sure why that seems to be such a big deal to some. ANTR as mentioned was one example, I completely cut out Portnoy's vocals and shortened a few other sections and the song is better than it was, for sure. Would I rank the song based on my edits? Absolutely not, because it's not the original. But if you don't want to hear a section and you can fix it without making the song sound chopped up, then why not?

[Stewie]

I've made several edits on songs. In most cases, it takes a few minutes tops if you know what you are doing. Not sure why that seems to be such a big deal to some. ANTR as mentioned was one example, I completely cut out Portnoy's vocals and shortened a few other sections and the song is better than it was, for sure. Would I rank the song based on my edits? Absolutely not, because it's not the original. But if you don't want to hear a section and you can fix it without making the song sound chopped up, then why not?

Like I said, whatever bakes your cake. I personally think it's in poor taste, and probably wouldn't be appreciated by the original artists, but I suppose if you're only doing it for your own enjoyment, no biggie.

[KevShmev]

I've made several edits on songs. In most cases, it takes a few minutes tops if you know what you are doing. Not sure why that seems to be such a big deal to some. ANTR as mentioned was one example, I completely cut out Portnoy's vocals and shortened a few other sections and the song is better than it was, for sure. Would I rank the song based on my edits? Absolutely not, because it's not the original. But if you don't want to hear a section and you can fix it without making the song sound chopped up, then why not?

Agreed.  I do it sometimes with songs I am going to put on mp3 CDs I make for my car, and I am talking very minor edits.

For example, I rarely put The Dance of Eternity on my DT CD for the car, but will always put Home.  However, the very end of Home has the 2-second intro from the original Metropolis, so I've edited that to fade out that last guitar chord while chopping off those two seconds at the end, so as to avoid the jarring cutoff.  I've also done that with various songs from certain concept albums, when those albums are not ones where I will always put every song.  It makes for more natural listens in the car, instead of jarring cutoffs.  I get enough of those already with mp3 CDs since they never play uninterrupted from track to track (always get that half second of silence while it transitions from one mp3 song to another).

[Madman Shepherd]

Wow...that was one of the more bitter posts I've read. 

The dude didn't like the end so he wanted to tweak it.  Big deal. 

I think Octavarium is a great song but the Jack the ripper owens wilson phillips part makes me gag.  If I had any technological know how, I would try to edit that part out. 

Or...someone posted an Illumination Theory edit, not because they didn't like it, but because they just wanted to get to the big parts sooner.  I actually have listened to their edit many times.  I love everything about that song but sometimes I don't have 20 minutes to listen to it.  If I'm running to the store, sometimes I'll throw on the edit.  If Im going out of town, I'll listen to the original. 

Big deal. 

It's not like Clarke is chopping up every DT song.  He had a legitimate gripe with a beautiful song that makes a sharp turn to continue the rest of the story of the album.

Lol, relax shepherd. I just thought it was funny - although how very noble of you to defend him! There's all kinds of sections in DT songs that make me "gag", as you say. The MP-midlife-crisis cookie monster vocals in ANTR; the outro vocals in Illumination Theory that go on too long and are anti-climactic (the scale runs JLB does after "know that you're alive")...the difference is I don't feel compelled to bastardize someone else's work in order to make it suit my preferences. If I don't like it, that's fine. Typically a section I don't like doesn't keep me from enjoying the whole song. If there are more parts that I dislike than like, then I just don't listen to that song. But hey, whatever bakes your cake.

Perhaps you need to relax.  Getting offended because some artist might be offended their work is bastardized (which they probably aren't) is a bit presumptuous and uptight.  But have fun baking your cake.  I hope it's a delicious chocolate layered cake.

 

It makes for more natural listens in the car, instead of jarring cutoffs.  I get enough of those already with mp3 CDs since they never play uninterrupted from track to track (always get that half second of silence while it transitions from one mp3 song to another).

There are some mp3 programs that cut out that silence.  I know jackshit about technology but I had one a while back that worked like that.  Now I have an ipod and it also makes it "seamless."  Wish I could be more of a help but I guess my point is there are programs out there.  I think I just lucked out and got one that was seamless since I barely knew how to use it other than to burn discs. 

[Stewie]

Lol, relax shepherd. I just thought it was funny - although how very noble of you to defend him! There's all kinds of sections in DT songs that make me "gag", as you say. The MP-midlife-crisis cookie monster vocals in ANTR; the outro vocals in Illumination Theory that go on too long and are anti-climactic (the scale runs JLB does after "know that you're alive")...the difference is I don't feel compelled to bastardize someone else's work in order to make it suit my preferences. If I don't like it, that's fine. Typically a section I don't like doesn't keep me from enjoying the whole song. If there are more parts that I dislike than like, then I just don't listen to that song. But hey, whatever bakes your cake.

Perhaps you need to relax.  Getting offended because some artist might be offended their work is bastardized (which they probably aren't) is a bit presumptuous and uptight.  But have fun baking your cake.  I hope it's a delicious chocolate layered cake.

Lol, you were the one who replied all butthurt. Perhaps you shouldn't presume to know what offends me. I don't get offended by what some anonymous person on the internet says or thinks about something. I may find it funny or amusing though   

[Madman Shepherd]

Wow...that was one of the more bitter posts I've read. 

The dude didn't like the end so he wanted to tweak it.  Big deal. 

I think Octavarium is a great song but the Jack the ripper owens wilson phillips part makes me gag.  If I had any technological know how, I would try to edit that part out. 

Or...someone posted an Illumination Theory edit, not because they didn't like it, but because they just wanted to get to the big parts sooner.  I actually have listened to their edit many times.  I love everything about that song but sometimes I don't have 20 minutes to listen to it.  If I'm running to the store, sometimes I'll throw on the edit.  If Im going out of town, I'll listen to the original. 

Big deal. 

It's not like Clarke is chopping up every DT song.  He had a legitimate gripe with a beautiful song that makes a sharp turn to continue the rest of the story of the album.

Lol, relax shepherd. I just thought it was funny - although how very noble of you to defend him! There's all kinds of sections in DT songs that make me "gag", as you say. The MP-midlife-crisis cookie monster vocals in ANTR; the outro vocals in Illumination Theory that go on too long and are anti-climactic (the scale runs JLB does after "know that you're alive")...the difference is I don't feel compelled to bastardize someone else's work in order to make it suit my preferences. If I don't like it, that's fine. Typically a section I don't like doesn't keep me from enjoying the whole song. If there are more parts that I dislike than like, then I just don't listen to that song. But hey, whatever bakes your cake.

Perhaps you need to relax.  Getting offended because some artist might be offended their work is bastardized (which they probably aren't) is a bit presumptuous and uptight.  But have fun baking your cake.  I hope it's a delicious chocolate layered cake.

Perhaps you shouldn't presume to know what offends me. I don't get offended by what some anonymous person on the internet says or thinks about something. I may find it funny or amusing though   

Sorry.  I figured you were into presumptions since thats what your entire post was