Official DT Top 50 Thread Mark II (bss4life15 up now - starting page 79)

[BlackInk]

Lifting Shadows of a Dream and Peruvian Skies should not be this high up.

[Elite]

Why not? 

[Pols Voice]

Lifting Shadows and Stream of Consciousness are amazing.

[Scorpion]

Your list rocks. LSOAD wouldn't be on my list, but it's a very very good song anyway. And SoC is great, not random wankery, glad to see some love for it. It was my favourite DT instrumental before I discovered Eve.

[theseoafs]

Why not? 

Because they're really not all that good. LSOAD doesn't even make my top 50 and Peruvian Skies is fine but a little odd structurally.

[Jaffa]

Scene Two.   

Stream of Consciousness.   

Home.   

Other ones are cool, too, though LSOAD has never really clicked with me.

Nice batch.

[TheGreatPretender]

Scene Two.   

Stream of Consciousness.   

Home.   

Other ones are cool, too, though LSOAD has never really clicked with me.

Nice batch.

My thoughts exactly.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

  HOME

[MoraWintersoul]

No, the worst instrumental would be The Dance of Eternity

Finally, I am not alone anymore!!!

Thumbs up for the LSOAD love, and for not splitting the scene two. Also huge thumbs up for Stream Of Consciousness, it is one of my fave DT songs to this date. One of the first "more complicated" songs that made me say "whoever says this is random noodling sucks".

[BlackInk]

Why not? 

Because they're really not all that good. LSOAD doesn't even make my top 50 and Peruvian Skies is fine but a little odd structurally.

Yes.

[Elite]

No, the worst instrumental would be The Dance of Eternity

Finally, I am not alone anymore!!!

Thumbs up for the LSOAD love, and for not splitting the scene two. Also huge thumbs up for Stream Of Consciousness, it is one of my fave DT songs to this date. One of the first "more complicated" songs that made me say "whoever says this is random noodling sucks".

*\o 

[hefdaddy42]

19. Scene Two: I. Overture 1928 & II. Strange Deja Vu
Well, it goes without saying that these songs are one together.

No it doesn't.  In fact, it goes without saying that they are two separate songs.

[TheGreatPretender]

19. Scene Two: I. Overture 1928 & II. Strange Deja Vu
Well, it goes without saying that these songs are one together.

No it doesn't.  In fact, it goes without saying that they are two separate songs.

Two great halves making an even better whole.

[Tomislav95]

LSOAD is great song, it makes my top 20, too.

[Jaffa]

I know that scene two technically is two songs, but with Dream Theater's catalogue - a single song split in half to bookend an album, many individual songs divided into multiple movements, five songs across five albums forming a suite, a single 42 minute song divided into eight tracks - the lines are sometimes a little blurred.  I do find it pretty reasonable to think of some pairs as being 'together'.  Especially when it comes to an album like Scenes from a Memory, where some pairs of songs actually are grouped together as 'scenes'. 

To me, the only difference between Scene Two and SDOIT is that with Scene Two, the band said, "these are two separate songs," while with SDOIT they decided, "these eight tracks are actually one song."  Aside from the artists' intent, there really isn't anything making SDOIT any more cohesive or inseparable than Scene Two. 

So yes, it does go without saying that the two songs are, in fact, two songs.  But I don't think it's wrong to suggest that they are also one piece of music together. 

... Sorry for the tangent.  Just felt like chiming in since I ranked Scene Two as one song as well.

[Elite]

Jaffa is awesome and he is right.

[BlobVanDam]

So yes, it does go without saying that the two songs are, in fact, two songs.  But I don't think it's wrong to suggest that they are also one piece of music together. 

Two wrongs don't make a right. They just make a pattern of wrong.

[Jaffa]

 

Honestly, though, I don't see where I'm wrong.  Even looking at the back of the SFAM cover, it lists one song length for Scene Two (8:49), not one each for track two and track three (3:37 and 5:12).  Does the fact that they were grouped this way make them one song?  No.  But does it validate considering them, as a pair, to be an individual entity?  I think so.

Jaffa is awesome and he is right.

[Elite]

Update time with the next five. I'll start the top 10 after that with three, then two and then 1 every time for the top 5. Seeing as to how I already took out a couple of fan favourites or favourites of this board, we're in for a couple of surprises with the top 15. Let's see how it goes. Here we go with 15-11!

15. Scarred
The longest and one-before-last song of Awake makes its appearance on the 15th spot of my top 50. This song has always had very mixed reactions. Some people really hate it (you know who you are) and some people really love it, with little folk floating in between those extremes. I'm obviously in the second group, as you can see by the placement in my top 50. If you go through Dream Theater's discography chronologically, this is probably first song that's experiment and it's to date one of the weirdest songs they have ever done, I'll grant that. It doesn't really have any structure with lots of different things going on. Well, for that reason alone, I guess I really like it. James is on fire as ever on Awake and John Petrucci lashes out riff after riff, greatly backed up by Portnoy's great drumming. Frankly, the lyrics don't really make any sense either, and there doesn't really seem to be any structure in them either, apart from a couple of recurring phrases. Still, I can't really describe why it is that I really enjoy this song. I think it's the combination of everything that's going on this song, the verses, choruses (if you can even call them that), the wacky instrumental parts and all the riff. I think the very reason I like it is the same why people dislike it. It is the most discontinuous song, probably in Dream Theater's entire discography, and that makes it very memorable. I'll make people happy placing it this high and other will frown upon me. I'll just keep listening to it as one of my favourite Dream Theater tracks.

14. Hell's Kitchen
I have never been more glad that a band took out a part of a song to create a new song. Hell's Kitchen didn't fit within Burning My Soul at all. In fact, Burning My Soul is, in my opinion, one of the worst songs Dream Theater have ever written while Hell's Kitchen is the best instrumental they have made. Based mostly on a guitar solo, like Eve, this song lays a very nice atmosphere under Petrucci's great guitar work. Later this gets picked up by Derek Sherinian as the band produces a very cool part loosely based on the beginning motif. The ending is among one of the most epic things they have done, accentuated ever more so in the performances of the Instrumedley, where those fantastic (albeit very cheesy) bells take over the guitar sound in the outro. This track is one in a million and one to really love. Outstanding, amazing work. No vocals needed at all. Beautiful.

13. Under a Glass Moon
Under a Glass Moon will always hold the great privilege of being the first Dream Theater song I heard on my own. When I was younger and in my mother's car, one of two Dream Theater CD's would be playing (among others); either Images & Words or Metropolis Pt. 2; Scenes from a Memory. Years later, when looking for new music I stumbled upon this track on Youtube and recognised it. I quickly discovered the entire album, but this one always stood out to me in a sense, be it because of James's vocals or Petrucci's guitar solo (one of the more technical solos in his entire career, if you ask me, though not particularly difficult), I loved this track. Now there's other tracks from the same album I love even more (Images & Words is my favourite album ever), but this one I always kept in high regard.

12. In The Presence of Enemies
In other words; come at me. I really don't get why people dislike this song. I ranked it here as a whole, even though it's been split on the record, but when played in full, only then the full message gets brought across. Particularly the second parts gets way too much hate, especially considering the fact I find Pt. II way more interesting than Pt. I. A couple of years ago, like with Stream of Consciousness, this song probably would have been in my top 5, and then I'm talking about Pt. II only. I learned to appreciate the first part as well though, but it doesn't beat the second. Well, what is this? technically, if you group it together as one, it's Dream Theater's second longest epic, falling behind Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (and I don't really count that as one track). On an album full of dislike-able stuff, the first and last song (oh, and The Dark Eternal Night, which showed earlier on my list) really stand out in a way that's hard to explain. I like it, mainly because of its non-linear structure and the themes and motifs in both songs. It is an example of badassery in Dream Theater's catalogue and the best thing on their past 3 albums. So there, Systematic Chaos is out as well. It is the fifth album to disappear, which means we will enter the top 10 with tracks from 6 albums yet to go.

11. Take The Time
Hold it now, wait a minute, COME ON. Whew. Oh, my, oh my. Where do I start with this one? Take The Time is almost universally loved within Dream Theater's fanbase, and obviously that's not without reason. It doesn't happen often that this song doesn't appear in a top 10 (yes, I plead guilty) and I've seen it placed at #1 at least twice. Take The Time is an amazing example of great songwriting. Being the only non-epic multiple Dream Theater members contributed lyrics to (well, that's without counting Breaking All Illusions, which has both John's credited) it also has a status of a song being written together. I don't really know if that makes any sense, but for some reason it's evident that this wasn't written by just one member. The song has everything, from a fast start, to an awesome chorus, a slow verse, great solos and a false ending. And then I didn't even mention the 'pensive fear' verse, one of the most awesome James LaBrie moments ever. He owns the song and outdoes himself on this very track, wonderfully. If Dream Theater hadn't written ten songs even better than this, this would be their magnum opus, though it is still one of the songs I point people to whenever they want to discover Dream Theater. It can get you hooked, it grabs you and doesn't let go. Find all you need in your mind, if you take the time. Stunning.

So, any guesses for the top 10?

[BlobVanDam]

All great choices, aside from Scarred, which for me ranks first from the other end.

Although I'd personally put TTT about 9 or 10 places higher.

[MoraWintersoul]

Scarred! Hell's Kitchen! Rainbows!

I too am one of the people that only paid attention to Scarred when I read it was James' fave song to sing. I thought:"Why the hell that one?" and then saw it in a whole new light. It just makes a lot of sense in its nonsensical way.

[TheGreatPretender]

Pretty good batch. Personally, I don't think there's anything special about Hell's Kitchen, so I wouldn't include it. But aside from that, everything is solid.

[Nekov]

Scarred! Hell's Kitchen! Rainbows!

This was my reaction. It's always great to see people show love to Hell's Kitchen, it's one of my favorite DT songs 

[SeRoX]

I love this list but Scarred is too low.

[Elite]

It's always great to see people show love to Hell's Kitchen, it's one of my favorite DT songs 

Though we don't always agree on stuff (*cough* Haken survivor, among others), it's awesome to see stuff like this.

[Nekov]

 

[BlackInk]

In the Presence of Enemies, greeeeeeaaat one.

[Jaffa]

So, any guesses for the top 10?

I'd love to make some guesses, except I really don't feel like going back through and making a list of everything you've already included.  If you want to make a quick list of your 50-11, I'll gladly take a shot at figuring out some of your 10-1.  =D

Anyway, cool songs for sure.  All of these are within ten places of where I would rank them - except for Hell's Kitchen, which wouldn't make my list at all.  But other than that, great choices. 

Take the Time.   

[Mladen]

Seeing Scarred on the lists makes me happy. 

[RuRoRul]

All good songs - Scarred, ITPOE and Take The Time are near where I would rank them. Before I came on this site I'd never have considered it a controversial pick to put ITPOE in (or near) the top 10, don't know why it is so here.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Blob, wich one one is worse, Scarred or Space-Dye Vest?

[TheGreatPretender]

Predictions?
Metropolis
A Change of Seasons
Learning to Live

[Jaffa]

Before I came on this site I'd never have considered it a controversial pick to put ITPOE in (or near) the top 10, don't know why it is so here.

I adore ITPOE, myself.  But at the same time, I do have to jump on the bandwagon a little bit and say that The Reckoning drags the song down quite a bit for me.  I like Part 2 as a whole, but The Reckoning itself is... well.  The two things I've seen Dream Theater criticized for most (not that I agree with these criticisms in general) are out-of-place instrumental wankery and lack of emotional playing.  To me, The Reckoning is the epitome of both of those issues.  So, ITPOE would probably be in my top ten if they'd handled that section a little differently. 

[Elite]

So, any guesses for the top 10?

I'd love to make some guesses, except I really don't feel like going back through and making a list of everything you've already included.  If you want to make a quick list of your 50-11, I'll gladly take a shot at figuring out some of your 10-1.  =D

Sure!:

50. Vacant
49. Outcry
48. Afterlife
47. The Glass Prison
46. Scene Seven: II. One Last Time
45. Eve
44. Lines in the Sand
43.Erotomania
42. Disappear
41. Pull Me Under
40. Raise The Knife
39. Blind Faith
38. The Silent Man
37. The Dark Eternal Night
36.Wither
35. 6:00
34. Far From Heaven
33. Another Day
32. Caught in a Web
31. On The Backs of Angels
30. Another Won
29. Wait for Sleep
28. The Killing Hand
27. The Root of All Evil
26. Misunderstood
25. Breaking All Illusions
24. Hollow Years
23. Scene Nine: Finally Free
22. Bridges in the Sky
21. Voices
20. Lifting Shadows off a Dream
19. Scene Two: I. Overture 1928 & II. Strange Deja-Vu
18. Stream of Consciousness
17. Peruvian Skies
16. Scene Six: Home
15. Scarred
14. Hell's Kitchen
13. Under a Glass Moon
12. In The Presence of Enemies
11. Take The Time

[Jaffa]

Why thank you good sir. 

I'd say Surrounded, Metropolis, and Learning to Live are locks, given your adoration for Images and Words and the fact that Metropolis and Learning to Live make top ten lists all the time anyway.

Given your love for Awake as well, I suspect it will make a few appearances.  But logically, it will make three at most, because you said you've got songs from six albums left, so there need to be at least four that aren't from I&W or Awake.  I'll go with Space Dye-Vest and Innocence Faded to make it.

Which leaves five others, one each from three albums and two from one... Hmm.  Trouble is, I haven't been paying attention to which albums you're finished with.  But just at a guess: Trial of Tears, Fatal Tragedy, The Spirit Carries On, Octavarium, and The Count of Tuscany.