Senecadawg's Top 50 Least Disliked DT Songs

[BlobVanDam]

3. Disappear

Beautiful ballad that I don't think gets the credit it deserves. Great choice.

[senecadawg2]

Didn't you say that Octavarium was your least favorite epic?

Hmm... That may have been a little misleading. Woops.

In my defense, I don't consider SDOIT to be an epic, more like a collection of smaller songs forced together ineffectively.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Ah, I see.

The other two are still
2. LtL
1. ACOS

[Scorpion]

Disappear.

Or, in the words of the mighty _floyd: Oh seneca, how you've warmed my heart this evening (even though it's morning).

[wasteland]

But it's my heart as well that has been warmed with the last couple of songs. It seems that our top 10 are quite similar, seneca. I'm dying to see the next two 

[Podaar]

3. Disappear

Beautiful ballad that I don't think gets the credit it deserves. Great choice.

Whenever 6 Degrees comes up in rotation it is always Disappear I anticipate the most. I love everything about this tune too! The sinister, vaguely threatening under tones to this song are brilliant!

[GasparXR]

I'm not going to make a guess as to what the final 2 songs are, since I don't remember what was on your list since I started following it.

But Disappear. Great choice for #3.

[senecadawg2]

2. Learning to Live

I doubt that I need to tell any of you why this is so high on my list, as it most likely appears similarly high on each of your own. Always a fan favorite, and for good reason, Learning to Live is the best song from Dream Theater's breakthrough album Images and Words. Serving as a fantastic closer to that album, Learning to Live features one of James LaBrie's best performance ever, one of the best keyboard solos ever, and stellar performances from everyone else involved.

Pros: I already mentioned it once, but that's honestly not enough. Although he sounds great on the entire album, and arguably even better on Awake, THIS is James LaBrie at his peak. I'm not just talking about that f# that everyone adores, but the entire song. Next up is Portnoy, who does a fantastic job of setting up the ever-shifting rhythmic tides which make this song stand out even more. Now obviously, I'm no drum expert, but I can recognize virtuosity when I hear it; and this is it. From the polyrhythmic intro, to the lovely beat he lays under Pertrucci's acoustic fling 5 minutes in, this is drumming that I love and appreciate. Of course I could also mention Petrucci, but let's be honest... Petrucci is always at the top of his game. Last, but not least, are the final 3 minutes of this song, Kevin Moore's got a lovely little Keyboard solo and James LaBrie goes out on an incredibly high note (both literally and metaphorically). Oh and one more thing... they lyrics are beautiful. So often I have found myself bashing Dream Theatre's lyrics, and often times I have to just ignore them. This is one of the few exceptions, and unsurprisingly it comes from John Myung.

DoL: 130

[Scorpion]

A good track, but a little overrated, in my opinion. Certainly not the best off of I&W for me. Great write-up tho!

[BlobVanDam]

A good track, but a little overrated, in my opinion. Certainly not the best off of I&W for me. Great write-up tho!

That. I would rank it last on the album by a fair margin though. It's just completely outclassed on IAW.




I'm going to hate #1 too, aren't I?

[Unlegit]

Great choice.

[senecadawg2]

A good track, but a little overrated, in my opinion. Certainly not the best off of I&W for me. Great write-up tho!

That. I would rank it last on the album by a fair margin though. It's just completely outclassed on IAW.




I'm going to hate #1 too, aren't I?

That would be a safe bet 

[BlobVanDam]

GOSH DARNIT, IT'S GOING TO BE "A CHANGE OF SCARRED" ISN'T IT?

[wasteland]

Oh, LtL is waaay to low, man!

And, blob, you are the king of controversial opinions on DT 

[BlobVanDam]

Oh, LtL is waaay to low, man!

And, blob, you are the king of controversial opinions on DT 

I'm not the king. I'm just one of the lesser princes that has no chance of gaining the throne.

[GasparXR]

This is getting really suspenseful. I hope there's not a 1.5 position to further increase the level of excrement in our snuggies while we wait for the end of the list with a bowl of doritos and bacon sandwiches. Bonus points if you're wearing crocks.

[Nekov]

Disappear is DT's worst song. There, I said it.

On the other hand, LTL 

[wasteland]

Disappear is DT's worst song. There, I said it.

You Go Now.

NOW.

[Nekov]

You Go Now.

Great album 

I may have exaggerated, there's Raw Dog and Never enough.

[Big Hath]

Disappear is DT's worst song. There, I said it.

I don't like Disappear either.  At all.  Always skip that track/eject the cd.

[Hayden]

Taste is a funny thing. I personally love "Disappear" (as I know may others do, too). I like the chord progression, the strange arrangements here and there, James's performance, the lyrics, and the sombre tone. I also love the way it builds, really subtly and slowly, until it hits its climax at 4:25. That great melody, with the multiple airy vocal tracks played underneath it, just combines perfectly with the long, heavy, drawn-out guitar chords that are pushed back in the mix. It's just an expertly written, perfectly balanced piece of music that is both soft and powerful simultaneously. It's just a great musical moment for me, and I never get sick of hearing it. Even if I wasn't very fond of the rest of the song, it would be worth listening through it simply to hear that one minute of music.

Luckily I do like the rest of the song. Some people say that the arrangements and all of the weird samples and keyboard parts feel out of place, and kind of ruin the song, and perhaps interrupt the flow. But I don't think this is the case at all. I think they succeed in delivering a feeling of eeriness and discomfort, which I think is very appropriate. The song is about losing your partner to a terminal illness; it's not meant to be entirely calm or soothing. This wouldn't be an experience where your mind is at rest; you'd be worried, you'd be scared, afraid, unsure; you'd feel cheated, frustrated, angry, but also hopeless. The arrangements in the song reflect that turbulence, and do so in a way that is both effective and tasteful.

I think it's a very clever song, all up. It's a divisive one; there are a lot of mixed opinions on it. But, I think, overall, it may just be a little misunderstood. Its unconventionality, which may ruin it for one person, might be exactly what another listener loves about it. It's just a matter of connecting with it in the right way. Just like anything, really.

[senecadawg2]

Very, very, very well said! 

Here we go!

50. A Nightmare to Remember
49. This is the Life
48. Hell's Kitchen
47. One Last Time
46. The Glass Prison
45. Through Her Eyes
44. On the Backs of Angels
43. The Silent Man
42. Anna Lee
41. Innocence Faded
40. Wait for Sleep
39. The Best of Times
38. Beneath the Surface
37. 6:00
36. The Great Debate
35. Lost Not Forgotten
34. Only a Matter of Time
33. A Fortune in Lies
32. Lifting Shadows Off a Dream
31. Beyond This Life
30. The Spirit Carries On
29. Hollow Years
28. Voices
27. Another Day
26. As I Am
25. Finally Free
24. Blind Faith
23. Peruvian Skies
22. Scene II: Overture 1928 and Strange Deja Vu
21. Under a Glass Moon
20. Endless Sacrifice
19. Bridges in the Sky
18. In the Name of God
17. The Killing Hand
16. Scene III: Through My Words and Fatal Tragedy
15. Misunderstood
14. Scarred
13. Octavarium
12. Surrounded
11. Breaking All Illusions
10. Take the Time
9. Space-Dye Vest
8. Home
7. Lines in the Sand
6. The Count of Tuscany
5. Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper
4. Trial of Tears
3. Disappear
2. Learning to Live

AND...

1. A Change of Seasons

Here we have it, the best song Dream Theater has ever made. Comprised of 7 parts, this is Dream Theater's first real effort at the 'big' epic. Obviously songs like Learning to Live and the Killing Hand share that 'epic' quality to them as well, but this, coming in at about 23 minutes, was by far their most ambitious effort yet. There is so much to like about this song, and so little to dislike.

Pros: Each of the 7 movements are unique, and critical to the completion of the piece as a whole, in their own way. The first 4 minutes are comprised of the instrumental opener 'The Crimson Sunrise' which could not do a better job of establishing the tone of the piece and showcasing the virtuosity of each member. Immediately upon the entrance of the opening riff, the listener can sense the grandeur and magnificent scope of what is to come. As far as intros go, this one is hard to match, remaining fresh throughout and introducing 'ii. Innocence' without lingering a moment too long. The second movement is equally as impressive, as James LaBrie makes his entrance felt. Next up is either my second, or third, favorite movement of the piece, signaled by the breathed 'Carpe Diem, Seize the Day' which brushes across my ears like a sweet breeze. John Petrucci's acoustic guitar work in this section is especially heart warming, while James picks up his performance even higher from where he left of in the second movement; soaring like a plane in flight. Speaking of which, I love the transition within this movement, leaving it off with the departure of our narrator's mother. 'The Darkest of Winters' is yet another instrumental transition, filling the space brilliantly, and encapsulating the darkness of the concept's location (i.e. death of the mother). The highlight here is the keyboard work reminiscent of the album Awake, and the lovely bridge into 'Another World.

We have now arrived. This is it. Another World... Not only is this my favorite movement in ACOS, but also my favorite 4 minutes of any Dream Theater song. Also my favorite 4 minute performance by James LaBrie ever, and 15:37: My favorite James LaBrie moment ever. I cannot say enough about this section.

The Inevitable Summer then carries the song on for another 3 minutes, serving as a transition out of the heart wrenching middle section and into the epic conclusion of this masterpiece. Like the other instrumental bits, The Inevitable Summer never lingers, touches repetition, or features any overplaying from anyone (as is, unfortunately, so often the case in other Dream Theater songs). The 6th movement then transitions seamlessly into the finale, which sufficiently ends this song in an incredibly satisfying manner, in the same blissful place in which it began.

Looking at what I consider to be Dream Theater's most epic song ever, it was impossible for me to not observe each movement individually. But the true magic of this song is in how each section is so unique and special, and yet how the whole is still so much greater than the sum of those parts. The metaphoric changing of the seasons could not have been executed more efficiently, or told the story any better. In this regard, a lot of credit must be paid to Mr. Mike Portnoy, whose lyrically contributions to this song are, without a doubt in my mind, the best of his career. They may even be my favorite ever from any Dream Theater song, with only those rare offerings of Myung really in the conversation at all.

While Dream Theatre will ultimately be a sort of 'meh' band, this song is certainly not overrated in the slightest. It may not be much, but hey... it's the best they've got.

DoL: 200


For those of you who followed, thanks for showing the interest! I enjoyed sharing my opinions, and I hope that feeling is mutual.

[Cedar redaC]

Never a bad choice, unless you are named blob.

[BlobVanDam]

Never a bad choice, unless you are named blob.

*checks username*
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

So, so overrated. It's like an 8/10 song at best.

[senecadawg2]

Also, for those of you keeping score!!! Album representation...

WDADU 3/8
I&W 7/8 (All but PMU)
Awake 7/11
FII 6/11
ACOS 1
SFAM 8/10 (No Regression or Dance of Eternity)
SDOIT 5/6 (All but the title track)
ToT 3/7
Octavarium 1/8 (Overrated!)
SC 0...
BC&SL 3/6
ADTOE 6/9

I will say that a couple of my picks from ADTOE will, most likely, fall a couple places over time. Still being the most fresh certainly gave them a little nudge, though I believe most will still be on my list in a couple years (even if a bit lower).

[Cedar redaC]

Never a bad choice, unless you are named blob.

*checks username*
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

So, so overrated. It's like an 8/10 song at best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s

[BlobVanDam]

SFAM 10/12

FTFY

[senecadawg2]

SFAM 10/12

FTFY

Good try 

[BlobVanDam]

SFAM 10/12

FTFY

Good try 

You don't math good, do you?

[The Letter M]

Also, for those of you keeping score!!! Album representation...

WDADU 3/8
I&W 7/8 (All but PMU)
Awake 7/11
FII 6/11
ACOS 1
SFAM 8/10 (No Regression or Dance of Eternity)
SDOIT 5/6 (All but the title track)
ToT 3/7
Octavarium 1/8 (Overrated!)
SC 0...
BC&SL 3/6
ADTOE 6/9

I will say that a couple of my picks from ADTOE will, most likely, fall a couple places over time. Still being the most fresh certainly gave them a little nudge, though I believe most will still be on my list in a couple years (even if a bit lower).

Wait.. SFAM is 8/10? Is it because you split "Scene Seven" by including "One Last Time" but not "The Dance Of Eternity"? Seems a bit... unfair considering you included "Scene Two" and "Scene Three" as wholes when they're two tracks as well.

Anyways, doing some math, here's how the albums rank for you, percentage wise...
1. Images And Words - 87.5%
2. Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence - 83.3%
3. Scenes From A Memory - 83.3% (or 80% as you have it)
4. Awake - 63.6%
5. Falling Into Infinity - 54.5%
7. Black Clouds & Silver Linings - 50%
8. Train Of Thought - 42.8%
9. When Dream And Day Unite - 37.5%
10. Octavarium - 12.5%
11. Systematic Chaos - 0%

I didn't include ACOS since it wasn't a full album, but if you're going for 1/1, then it's at 100%

Great list! Thanks for posting and I quite enjoyed following it!

-Marc.

[Unlegit]

Amazing song. Great list overall!

[wasteland]

ACOS used to be my first as well a couple of years ago, but it has fallen a few places since then.

Well, this was a cool thread to follow. My compliments, Seneca 

[Scorpion]

This was cool thread, and ACOS is completely deserving of the top spot. Good work!

[?]

This was cool thread, and ACOS is completely deserving of the top spot. Good work!

[Podaar]

A Change of Seasons is a great choice! 

I bought the CD during a particularly terrible winter in which I was required to drive slowly on snow packed roads across town every morning. It happened to be a great way to become familiar with the song and it's movements. I'll never forget being stopped at the base of a hill watching other motorists fishtail their way up the slope when James burst forth with, "Oh come let us adore him, abuse and then ignore him..." etc. at the 16:30 mark. It was inspirational.

There is very much to like about this song and your entire list. Great work.