The Count of Tuscany's Place in the Ranks

[Metabog]

Top 15 for me. It's a good song, definitely the best from BCSL.

[Metrovarium]

Top 25 for me, I'd say, though since I haven't really ranked my favorite songs, it could be ranked higher. I like the song, but there are others that might keep it from getting into the Top 20.

[mrjazzguitar]

probably top 25... for a moment I was thinking of The Best of Times, which I think is one of their worst songs to dates, so I accidentally clicked "other"

[energythief]

I've certainly seen quite a few people hate TCOT for its lyrics, and more than a couple people say they dislike BC&SL in general...

That's my issue precisely. TCOT is ranked #83 for me overall.

[Global Laziness]

16th, so Top 25.

[Mr. Beale]

Voted top 15, maybe top 10.

[KevShmev]

Top 25 (probably in the 16-20 range).  It might have been higher with better lyrics and if minutes 5-10 were better.  Not that I don't like those five or six minutes, but they just aren't as awesome as the rest of the song. 

[N4Player]

#1 for me. When I heard it live it made me a Dream Theater fanatic. The flow of the song is so musically brilliant that I won't ruin it by trying to describe it. It's the epitome of Dream Theater's music in my book.

[?]

Top 25 for me.

[Mosh]

Top 10 I think. But I'm new to DT and only have 4 albums

[Nick]

Top 5, specifically 3rd.

[Jirpo]

Used to be top 5, but I've overlistened, and now it would sit around #20.

[vindrums]

I said "Other"  I just can't get passed how bad the lyrics are.  TCOT wouldnt make my top  50...nor would any tune off of BCSL.  Bad Lyrics usually don't bother me, but BCSL has some REALLY BAD lyrics!!!

[bosk1]

I don't care for the song structure.  The middle instrumental section with the atmospheric keybards and guitar volume swells sounds nice, but kills the momentum of the song and feels too long to me.  I wish they either cut that part out or used it as an intro instead (although if they did the latter, I'm sure they would have been accused of making a song that sounded too much like Octavarium).  Still a good song overall, but the structure keeps me from ranking it as highly as I probably otherwise would.  Probably top 47.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Top 25.... while I enjoy it... I can't quite understand the super-love it gets.

[Dream Team]

Top 25 (probably in the 16-20 range).  It might have been higher with better lyrics and if minutes 5-10 were better.  Not that I don't like those five or six minutes, but they just aren't as awesome as the rest of the song.  

I agree with this. MP craps on the chorus with the "I!!!!!!!!!" part, and that Meshuggah-ish chunk riff for the third verse really doesn't fit with the rest of the song. Also maybe shorten the volume swell part a little and it'd be Top 10 for me instead of Top 25, lyrics aside.

[ZirconBlue]

"Other".  There's a lot of good stuff in the song, but IMHO, both the music and lyrics needed a lot more work put in on them to tighten them up. 

[ubit]

Wow, the lyrics really affect some people's liking of a song more than I realized.  I like good lyrics, but it is hard to drag down 19 minutes of great music simply because the lyrics are a little goofy. 

LaBrie could sing "donkey balls" over and over that whole 19 minutes and I would still rank it higher than some of you guys (83rd???).  Oh well, I'm glad lyrics don't bother me as much as some people.  That would suck to not love TCOT.  It is amazing.

[energythief]

That would suck to not love TCOT.  It is amazing.

Nah, it doesn't suck. It means I have more room at the top for the actually good songs. 

[hefdaddy42]

Top 25 (probably in the 16-20 range).  It might have been higher with better lyrics and if minutes 5-10 were better.  Not that I don't like those five or six minutes, but they just aren't as awesome as the rest of the song. 

This.

[RG93]

16. The Count of Tuscany

With The Count, Dream Theater returns to its musical roots, with an emphasis on both melody and technicality. John Petrucci and Jordan Rudess steal the show here, both musicians having equally stellar moments. While Labrie no longer goes for the high notes, his tone here is as great as something on his pre-accident days (especially the last verse). Petrucci uses a variety of tones here, from spacey to acoustic and Rudess has a circus-esque section that blends in with the whimsical mood of this song. Sadly, this song is also plagued with laughable lyrics, the infamous "cookie monster" vocals and also sub-par drumming.

From my top 50 list. /shameless plug

[ubit]

RG93, you thought TCOT had sub-par drumming?

[wammabe]

IMO, the song needs more instrumental stuff. At the very least, the vocals should come late like ITPOE pt.1

[Global Laziness]

IMO, the song needs more instrumental stuff. At the very least, the vocals should come late like ITPOE pt.1

Don't the vocals in both songs come in around the five minute mark?

[wammabe]

IMO, the song needs more instrumental stuff. At the very least, the vocals should come late like ITPOE pt.1

Don't the vocals in both songs come in around the five minute mark?

It still feels too short for me in TCOT.

[PS Head]

Top 5 without doubt......I love DT's epics and TCoT must surely rank amoungst their best.The begining is very Rush..the swell guitar parts in the middle is tooooo long...and the ending is superb,DT at their emotional best.....a truly wonderful track.

[Global Laziness]

IMO, the song needs more instrumental stuff. At the very least, the vocals should come late like ITPOE pt.1

Don't the vocals in both songs come in around the five minute mark?

It still feels too short for me in TCOT.

But at 19 minutes, that's more than a quarter of the length of the song...

[wammabe]

IMO, the song needs more instrumental stuff. At the very least, the vocals should come late like ITPOE pt.1

Don't the vocals in both songs come in around the five minute mark?

It still feels too short for me in TCOT.

But at 19 minutes, that's more than a quarter of the length of the song...

Feels like a lot less to me.

[DejaVu]

It's definately a top 15 for me, I'm torn between TBOT and TCOT for the best song on BC&SL, I just love the intro to TBOT, totally gets me going

[lithium112]

MP craps on the chorus with the "I!!!!!!!!!" part, and that Meshuggah-ish chunk riff for the third verse really doesn't fit with the rest of the song. Also maybe shorten the volume swell part a little and it'd be Top 10 for me instead of Top 25, lyrics aside.

Oh man.. I respectfully disagree with ALL of this. Especially the "I!!!" part. The second I heard that listening to the song for the first time, I was like "That. Is. AWESOME." My only regret is that it doesn't sound as powerful when they play it live.

I also wish the volume swell part could go on for longer. I can make peace with its untimely conclusion only because the part that comes after is equally astounding.

I know people have a big issue with the lyrics and I agree that certain parts are a little goofy ("SUCKING ON HIS PIPE!" lol). However, I think the song also features some pretty interesting lyrics that, coupled with JLB's vocal delivery send shivers down my spine. Specifically the last two stanzas of the ending part.

Overall, TCOT is a Top 3 song (and #1 on a good day) because I find that it has smoother transitions than most of DT's other epics.

[VioletS16]

In my worst 5

Haters gonna hate.

[ubit]

In my worst 5

Haters gonna hate.

You must be really into lyrics.  I can't think of how the music could possibly make you hate this more than most of their songs. 

+1 for liking the IIIIIIIIIIII!! part.  People here don't seem to like the shouting, but fans of heavier music will.

[Obfuscation]

It most defitnely is Top 10 for me.

[JayOctavarium]

I put top 47...


I love it and hate it...

the lyrics are great and horrible at the same time...

Its too long... yet just right...

But there are a lot of songs I reach for before TCOT... yet I have been listening to it alot lately...

[dongringo]

Top five for me. I've listened to it more than any other DT song and never get tired of it.