In the Name of God

[Captainchaos204]

I couldn't find anything about the Battle Hymn of the Republic part of ITNOG ever being played live.    If they haven't, does anybody know why, or could post a link to a video where they did?

[wasteland]

I couldn't find anything about the Battle Hymn of the Republic part of ITNOG ever being played live.    If they haven't, does anybody know why, or could post a link to a video where they did?

Because the live outro, with the mindblowing guitar solo is, well, mindblowing 

As far as I know, and I have live recornding dating back to the first performance of the song, the studio outro was never played live. In the JR solo DVD Keyfest something (2004), he performs the song on the keys, with a full-band backing tape, and the song concludes with the original Battle Hymn. In 2009 the song was played with no outro at all (a  blunder, in my opinion), ending with a power chord on the last Wooooooaaahooohaaah.

[nattmorker]

I guess i'm in the minority but i prefer the studio outro, with the hymn and the piano outro, i just love it, it feels so powerful. I rarely listen to the budokan version for that reason. 

[Western Ninja]

I love the battle hymn, but I prefer the Budokan version because you can hear the bass filss in the background 

[SeRoX]

Surprisingly there are many DT fan out there or (maybe) here think that the last part was sung by LaBrie in the studio recording. Btw, it sure adds to the studio recording but I don't care so much. I'm fine without it as well.

[YtseJamittaja]

The studio version has one of DT's best, maybe the best outro. So energy! Powah!

But L@B version works really good in live version, much better with live audience. But I still prefer the Studio version.

[theGonz]

I was thinking of making this same thread yesterday! It's a very cool outro and it's a shame it hasn't been performed live.

I couldn't find anything about the Battle Hymn of the Republic part of ITNOG ever being played live.    If they haven't, does anybody know why, or could post a link to a video where they did?

Because the live outro, with the mindblowing guitar solo is, well, mindblowing 

As far as I know, and I have live recornding dating back to the first performance of the song, the studio outro was never played live. In the JR solo DVD Keyfest something (2004), he performs the song on the keys, with a full-band backing tape, and the song concludes with the original Battle Hymn. In 2009 the song was played with no outro at all (a  blunder, in my opinion), ending with a power chord on the last Wooooooaaahooohaaah.

You have the bootleg from 1-16-2004?

[iamtheeviltwin]

Love the outtro with the Battle Hymn. 

Since they have been using more tracked backing vocals recently and JR has the ability to trigger them with his rig if needed, there is no reason they couldn't do it now. 

They just haven't before.

[wolfking]

IMO the whole song is one of DT's most underrated.

[PetFish]

^^

I'm the complete opposite in that I feel it's one of their most overrated.

[Progmetty]

Marking the calendar for the first time ever to agree with PetFish

[Adami]

I disagree with all of you. It is not overrated or underrated. It is ....well..........rated.

[yorost]

I don't care how it's rated, it's my favourite Dream Theater song.

[wolfking]

^^

I'm the complete opposite in that I feel it's one of their most overrated.

How is it their most overrated.  It was only played live in its entirety on the TOT tour as far as I know and is no where near praised as much as some of their other songs.

[theseoafs]

It gets its fair share of praise, definitely.  In my view it's the worst song on TOT, otherwise a very strong album.

[Adami]

It gets its fair share of praise, definitely.  In my view it's the worst song on TOT, otherwise a very strong album.

I agree with the first half. The song is very well praised. However I really can't stand ToT as an album, but ITNOG is a pretty cool song minus a few parts.

[hefdaddy42]

^^

I'm the complete opposite in that I feel it's one of their most overrated.

How is it their most overrated.  It was only played live in its entirety on the TOT tour as far as I know and is no where near praised as much as some of their other songs.

It is praised a lot, and it's been played more than on the TOT tour.

[wolfking]

^^

I'm the complete opposite in that I feel it's one of their most overrated.

How is it their most overrated.  It was only played live in its entirety on the TOT tour as far as I know and is no where near praised as much as some of their other songs.

It is praised a lot, and it's been played more than on the TOT tour.

Fair enough, didn't know that.  I knew about the Schmedley Wilcox, but wasn't aware they have played the whole thing again since the TOT tour.

[PetFish]

@Progmetty

*high five*

[Ben_Jamin]

A top song it is.

[RuRoRul]

This is potentially the best DT song (my favourite alongside ACOS) - the  outro works perfectly in studio, but the live solo outro works even better in a live setting, imo. So yeah, its perfect in both live and studio forms (well, maybe live could use a bit better Labrie in the chorus, but the ending solo is amazing).

[Adami]

There's 3 main things I don't like in this song.

In order from less bad to more bad.

1. The keyboard solo after the unison......just seems pointless and bad. JPs solo after it blew it away.
2. The chorus. I don't like a lot of DT's choruses and this is no exception, just feels awkward.
3. The post chorus at the end. The vocal melody is just really bad and JLB didn't help it at all.



Beyond those 3 things, the song is great.

[SystematicThought]

What is the chorus on ITNOG? I've never really identified it as having one, even though most every song does.

[Adami]

What is the chorus on ITNOG? I've never really identified it as having one, even though most every song does.

Seriously?

Listen, when the prophet speaks to you.
Killing, in the name of god.

[SystematicThought]

That's what I thought it was, but it just never seemed worthy of the name "chorus" to me.

[Adami]

That's what I thought it was, but it just never seemed worthy of the name "chorus" to me.

DT have a tendency to say "Hm, this is a high energy song.....I say we kill the energy and go half time for the chorus and drag everything out" a lot.

[MoraWintersoul]

I think that chorus is huge.

[Ruba]

Actually, I think they repeat the chorus too much. Otherwise a great song, but last time I listened to it and the third chorus kicked in, I was like "Oh great, this again  ".

Lyrically ITNOG is one of the best DT songs.

[Adami]

Lyrically ITNOG is essentially an opinion column in a news paper.

[YtseJamittaja]

Actually, I think they repeat the chorus too much. Otherwise a great song, but last time I listened to it and the third chorus kicked in, I was like "Oh great, this again  ".

Lyrically ITNOG is one of the best DT songs.

I'm with you!

[John94]

It's my favourite DT song, so I was delighted when it was played PN09.

I couldn't find anything about the Battle Hymn of the Republic part of ITNOG ever being played live.    If they haven't, does anybody know why, or could post a link to a video where they did?

Because the live outro, with the mindblowing guitar solo is, well, mindblowing 

As far as I know, and I have live recornding dating back to the first performance of the song, the studio outro was never played live. In the JR solo DVD Keyfest something (2004), he performs the song on the keys, with a full-band backing tape, and the song concludes with the original Battle Hymn. In 2009 the song was played with no outro at all (a  blunder, in my opinion), ending with a power chord on the last Wooooooaaahooohaaah.

Speaking of Keyfest, the vocals sound different at certain parts, are they the demo vocals or some live dubs?

[SuperTaco]

This was my very first DT song so it is more special for me. The whole song is a masterpiece but that outro just oozes power and grace.

[wolfking]

I think that chorus is huge.

This.

[?]

I think that chorus is huge.

This.

As for the outro, I prefer the studio version with the battle hymn and the piano ending but having a guitar solo in there instead of the hymn fits the live version better.

[wolfking]

Yeah, I never was a huge fan of the live outro, the studio finishes the song perfectly and in the most epic way.