Whatsername's Top 50 Songs: now with unnecessarily wordy explanations!

[425]

The streak of me agreeing with your entire list is over. The only one out of HK/TALW/FFH that I would put in my top 50 is Far From Heaven (which is exceptional). I like The Mirror and Disappear, but not as much as you. I'm really not a fan of As I Am.

And Learning to Live at #27...

Your list is very good, actually. I do have some significant disagreements (like "Learning to Live" following a double-digit number), but that's what makes these things fun.

[Whatsername]

I'm going to say it again just to make it ABUNDANTLY clear. I'm a really new fan. This'll all change bunches once I listen to them more. Also once DT12 comes out all of our song lists will probably chance at least a bit.

It's funny, I expected to get slammed for that update.

[JoeG]

I'm going to say it again just to make it ABUNDANTLY clear. I'm a really new fan. This'll all change bunches once I listen to them more. Also once DT12 comes out all of our song lists will probably chance at least a bit.

It's funny, I expected to get slammed for that update.

I chose to simply ignore your LtL placement, and save the description of its undeniable glory for my own list.  It was certainty a grower for me though. I remember hearing it a few times, not thinking much of it and moving on, then hearing the outro in The Spirit Carries On documentary several months later, causing me to go "WHAT WAS THAT AWESOMENESS," listening to the whole thing about 20 times on repeat, and falling in love with it.

That, plus my view that The Mirror is a bottom 5 DT song, but that's just my strange, probably objectively incorrect opinion.

[425]

I'm going to say it again just to make it ABUNDANTLY clear. I'm a really new fan. This'll all change bunches once I listen to them more. Also once DT12 comes out all of our song lists will probably chance at least a bit.

It's funny, I expected to get slammed for that update.

I'm actually a pretty new fan too, though probably not as new as you. My first DT album was Train of Thought, which I got 13 months ago. Then 9 months ago I got Images and Words, and then over the course of the following 7 months I got the rest of the discography. So I've had *a* Dream Theater album for over a year, but I've only had *all* the Dream Theater albums for a couple of months. I'm still not certain where some songs will fall for me (I'm sure you could find a place on this forum where I said I didn't like a song but later said I do like it, probably because it clicked in that time period), but I do know a few things for certain about my list, and one is that LtL is a top 10 DT song.

[Whatsername]

I'm sure you could find a place on this forum where I said I didn't like a song but later said I do like it, probably because it clicked in that time period

This is happening to me constantly. By the time this list is done I'm sure a few of the songs in the bottom will have switched. xD

[eviljust]

So happy to see The Mirror here. I'm a huge fan of it. LTL is one of my fav, but I'm definitely not a new fan

[iamtheeviltwin]

Great to see As I Am on the list.  Some of the best self-empowerment lyrics in the DT catalog and the tune is a straight up metal rocker.   

[Whatsername]

Sorry for the delay! I, like everyone else, got swept up in DT12 madness. Now that the dust is settling I'll get this to my top 25. I promise I'll be updating more regularly now.


26. Honor Thy Father | Train of Thought
Expecting everyone to bow and kiss your feet. Don't you see respect is not a one way street?

BEST DRUM INTRO. Go Portnoy! This song is face-melting in its metal epicness. This is the perfect song when I am pissed as hell and just want to get fired up. I relate to these lyrics so SO personally that it's almost like Portnoy went into my head and wrote these about my dad. As such, it's really hard for me to be objective about it, but I'm gonna try my hardest.

I love the intro where it goes from all these crazy riffs and drums and then transitions to the super quiet and moody verse. I also really REALLY love the layered thing on the vocals. Is Mike singing with James? That's what it sounds like, but it adds such a perfect aspect to that section that gives me chills. And then it opens up in the chorus, and James proves how talented he is. Seriously, the guy can sing the quietest ballad and the most balls to the wall metal tracks. Absolute madness.

I'm less fond of his voice in the second verse, just because I feel like it hits an odd range in his voice and he sounds a little thin. But when it comes to the "don't you see respect is not a one way street" section I am just all over that shit. Damn, this song kicks so much ass. And we haven't even reached my favorite part yet. Oh no, first we get the bridge again.

AND FINALLY. I'm one of the people who loves the part where he goes, "DON'T CROSS THE CROOKED STEP" and then it goes into that really heavy section. It's so energy... power!! It's so angry, and the monstrous loud guitars sound so good, and then JR with his atmospheric stuff in the background. So good. I don't feel this section is too drawn out at all. I like it. AND THEN WE GET A JR SOLO. And then the wizard just has a grand old time making me so ridiculously happy. And JP gets his little moment before we transition back into the main riff, and he continues to wail over top of it and it's just like.. can this get any more metal? AND THEN IN CASE YOU HAD FORGOTTEN, JAMES IS THERE TOO. I heard my local radio station use the intro to this as a play-in from a commercial break, and I got so excited to hear it, because they aren't big Dream Theater fans, but if THEY liked this stuff then that's awesome.



25. Under A Glass Moon | Images And Words
Outside the soundness of your mind, bathing your soul in silver tears

What. An. Opening. That is such an anthemic riff, and I can just imagine the crazy chills I would get if I heard this ever performed live. That just echoing out through the venue and the crowd just going WILD. Wow. I still hold out hope to see this one day. Seriously, there are some AMAZING performances on this track. JLB's wonderful vocals, MP's crazy drums, I could just go through and list the entire band. And the lyrics! They're so beautiful and poetic. And I don't understand exactly what they mean but they evoke such beautiful mental images that I don't really care! Labrie sounds INCREDIBLE on this track. One of his best vocal performances on Images And Words. Just so beautiful. And the range he displays is INSANE. He goes from really low all the way to "praying for TIMEEEE to disappear." I showed this to a friend who was a bit iffy on Dream Theater, and his eyes went really wide when he heard that note. He was so impressed with that kind of control. And then Labrie gets soft and almost tender and it's so beautiful.

And let's just appreciate this song for a moment in that it is 7 minutes long, but never once does it actually FEEL like a 7 minute song. Never once do I feel like there needs to be anything trimmed. Each part is important and each part is one piece in this beautiful puzzle that is Under A Glass Moon. And then keys and guitar! I'm always going to be a bigger fan of Jordan than some of Dream Theater's other keyboardists because he was the first one I was exposed to, but my goodness there is amazing stuff going on in this album that I just have to give MAJOR props to Kevin. And then Petrucci steps into the spotlight with such an incredible solo that I just can't help but smile every time I listen to it. I know my best friend is watching this list, so he should know that after he declared this his favorite Petrucci solo, I went back and listened to it again and my jaw hit the floor. I could not believe how phenomenal it was. Good job, dude!

And not to be outdone, James comes back in for a killer last note. And the ending is so perfect and satisfying, with the intro reprise and wrapping it up and tying it with a bow. Fantastic song.

[425]

I like but do not love HTF. But UAGM is PERFECTLY placed.

I do think this is a good opportunity for me to say that I LOVE your write-ups!

[Whatsername]

Thanks! They end up being a bit stream of consciousness, so I'm glad someone does like them!

[hefdaddy42]

That batch is all killer, no filler.   

[Tom Bombadil]

Both of those are excellent.

[Lucien]

I like but do not love HTF. But UAGM is PERFECTLY placed.

I do think this is a good opportunity for me to say that I LOVE your write-ups!

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

These are both okay songs.

[BlobVanDam]

Both great songs.

[JoeG]

Love both of those! Honor Thy Father has brilliant heavy part after brilliant heavy part, and Under a Glass Moon, while overshadowed by many of the songs it shares a disk with for me, is a great one too.

[Ruba]

Honor Thy Father is underrated, nice pick.

Under a Glass Moon doesn't give me chills anymore, but it's still a damn nice track.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

lucien whatsername. why u no update



         


             why

[Lucien]

lucien whatsername. why u no update



         


             why

[Destiny Of Chaos]

Please wrap this up. You've hit the one month mark.