Prog Snob's Compulsory Indelible Pragmatic DT Top 50 v. Top 10

[JiM-Xtreme]

Home is just a tad too low for me, but nothing too objectionable here. Like all these songs 

[Crow]

I had all of these higher but none of them are too horribly low for me to want to dismember you for them, you're in luck today 
And yeah Repentance is really amazing for JP's solo onwards but the LaBrie parts of the song are pretty good too.

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

I had Space-Dye Vest quite a bit higher, I believe. Also, I've never understood the (seemingly) over- exuberant love for Finally Free.

[jakepriest]

Finally Free is a very nice pick. So is Repentance.

SDV and Home are way too low.

[Prog Snob]

A bit of an interlude before I continue with the rest of the countdown.  Here are five songs that just missed the cut.

51. Illumination Theory - Great song.  It's too soon for me to say whether or not this will stand the test of time for me.  Epics works their way into my mind differently from shorter songs. 

52. Pull Me Under - Excluding WFS, this is my least favorite of the I&W songs.  However it is still a great song, so what does that tell you about I&W as a whole.   

53. Ytsejam - The first DT instrumental that made my jaw drop to the floor.  The problem is that every other DT instrumental released since this one has trumped it. 

54. Take Away My Pain (demo) - Yes, the demo version blows away Kevin Shirley's tropical vacation version.  A beautiful heartfelt tribute to The Bear's father. 

55. Fatal Tragedy - Another great track from the masterful Dream Theater sequel.

[Sacul]

Wow, interesting that TAMP(D) didn't make it. Looking forward to seeing your top 10

[Crow]

no yes no yes yes
by which I mean:
<yes/no>, I totally think that <should/shouldn't> be on your list

IT is laaaame. Worst DT epic. PMU is cool. Spoilers for your list though now we know all I&W songs we haven't seen are on there somewhere.  Ytse Jam is alright but I get a bit tired of it. TAMP demo is wonderful and better than 54 :< And Fatal Tragedy is also wonderful and the ending is still one of the coolest things.

[jakepriest]

Illumination Theory is an epic? I listen to it as a 12 minute song with the ambient/orchestral section cut out.  It is far from an epic in my eyes, just like TCOT (which is still a milion times better).

[Outcrier]

Illumination Theory is an epic? I listen to it as a 12 minute song with the ambient/orchestral section cut out.  It is far from an epic in my eyes, just like TCOT (which is still a milion times better).

"Epic just because it's long" case 

[Prog Snob]

Epic because it's epic.  I wouldn't call LTL an epic.  It's just a long song. 

[jakepriest]

I don't think LTL is universally considered an epic. Some people even consider ITNOG an epic though so 

The only four songs I consider epics are: Octavarium, ACOS, SDOIT (to a degree, i still feel like it's a bunch of songs bunched together in a weird way), ITPOE

[Prog Snob]

I don't think LTL is universally considered an epic. Some people even consider ITNOG an epic though so 

The only four songs I consider epics are: Octavarium, ACOS, SDOIT (to a degree, i still feel like it's a bunch of songs bunched together in a weird way), ITPOE

I wouldn't consider ITNOG an epic either. 

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Ytse Jam and TAMP I understand leaving out of the top 50. The other three not so much.

I don't think LTL is universally considered an epic. Some people even consider ITNOG an epic though so 

The only four songs I consider epics are: Octavarium, ACOS, SDOIT (to a degree, i still feel like it's a bunch of songs bunched together in a weird way), ITPOE

I wouldn't call INTOG an epic either, nor MOLS now that I think about it. I'll probably get some flame for the latter, but I consider IT and TCOT epics. But eh Every DT fan has their own way of rationalizing what makes an epic. I don't really think about it too hard.

[Prog Snob]

And now, back to the countdown...

27. Under A Glass Moon

"Beneath a summer sky,
Under glass moonlight,
Night awaits the lamb's arrival"

Next to Metropolis, this song has some of the most obscure and metaphoric lyrics the band has shown us. I'm not too sure what this song is about really...contemplation, indecision, or just some cool words thrown together.  I remember reading in an interview with JP that he was driving in his car and it was raining. He said the way the moon looked from the inside, morphed with the raindrops, gave it some glassy effect.  "Nervous flashlights" were the head lights of the cars coming from the other direction. Does anyone remember this interview?   Whatever it is, it fuckin works!  As many times that I've heard this song, I still never get tired of it. They should open shows with this again.  JP's solo is brilliant here. Listening to it now, it is really obvious how much the LNF solo mimics this one.

26. Innocence Faded

With so many great parts to this song, it is usually James' amazing vocal performance that gets the most attention. First time I heard him singing this I was blown away. He can't hit those notes perfectly anymore but even coming close is not easy.  Maybe a handful of rock singers could pull it off. Other than the vocals, JP's outro solo is one of my favorites by him. I've almost nailed it down completely on the guitar. My patience isn't there anymore to complete such arduous tasks.

25. Misunderstood

There is always some discussion about the meaning of the lyrics in this song.  I do remember reading in an interview that it was about Jesus and what some of his thoughts might have been while dealing with his life's occurrences.  The lyrics are powerful and one can feel some kind of sadness for such a troubled soul. I'm not religious but this song can reach out to anyone.  It can be any figure with compounding responsibilities that has the world expecting everything from them, but come to the realization that they are only human.   JP's solo is haunting and beautiful and the way he described writing it in ingenious. This song could have easily made it into the Top 20 but the ending goes on a little bit longer than needed.

24. Surrounded

"She whispers words to clear my mind. I once could see but now at last I'm blind."
A short song by DT standards, and sandwiched between two of their most popular lengthy pieces, this song still manages to hold its weight against the rest.  I can't think of many other simpler songs musically, but that doesn't take away from this at all. The melodies are perfect and JP keeps his parts practical and without excess. The lyrics, written by Kevin Moore, speak of enlightenment and discovery.  Along with Another Day, this is James' best vocal performance on I&W.

[Tom Bombadil]

Excellent update! Those are 4 fantastic songs

[Evermind]

They should open shows with this [UAGM] again.

Please, no. I like Images and Words, it's my second favourite DT album but I can't stand Under a Glass Moon. And I already saw them opening a show with it, so I really hope they'll do something else now.

[Prog Snob]

They should open shows with this [UAGM] again.

Please, no. I like Images and Words, it's my second favourite DT album but I can't stand Under a Glass Moon. And I already saw them opening a show with it, so I really hope they'll do something else now.

I'm sure they will; I was just hoping out loud.   

[Sacul]

Excellent update, but UAGM is a bit high. No problems with the others

[jakepriest]

Three great songs and UAGM. Eeeeh. Not a fan of it.

[Crow]

Yeah, can't complain about any of these picks all things considered.

[425]

I really like all of these. Misunderstood doesn't make my top 50 because I have serous issues with the ending, but I really quite like all of these picks. Still loving the writeups, too. They're quite a bit more concise than mine, but you say what you mean to say and you say it well, which is what matters.

[Outcrier]

The only four songs I consider epics are: Octavarium, ACOS, SDOIT (to a degree, i still feel like it's a bunch of songs bunched together in a weird way), ITPOE

[hefdaddy42]

PS, you aren't ranking the songs exactly the way that I would, but the actual song choices cannot be argued with.  Great job!

[Prog Snob]

PS, you aren't ranking the songs exactly the way that I would, but the actual song choices cannot be argued with.  Great job!

Thanks Hef!  Thanks everyone else too.  Here is the next batch of songs which will bring us up to the portal of Top 20.

23. Blind Faith

This song and TGD can be swapped at any nonspecific moment in time.

When I first heard the lyrics, I incorrectly assumed they were more JP lyrics because of the religious theme. I was surprised to see that JLB wrote them.  The music is more positive sounding while the lyrics paint a different picture, one of doubt.  Questioning the presence of faith and hope in the world today is something many people do. With so much hate and violence sometimes turning to a person's god would give some answers but having doubt in that supreme being raises even more questions. I would have preferred a more ominous, darker sounding theme to the music but the music is still beautifully written. The highlight for me is the guitar/keyboard solo that starts at 7:55. Admittedly one of JP's most difficult pieces to play, the solo was written by Jordan for keyboard. 

22. The Great Debate

The debate raged on during the time of this song regarding the use of stem cells and the moral aptitude surrounding it. The lyrics for the song portray the debate between both sides of the argument.  Is it morally acceptable to use life to save life or is it not?  The music is Tool influenced at times but with DT's added flair the song is one of my favorites.  The heavy riffs throughout the song hammer home both the lyrics and music. I could go on and on about the brilliance of all of the songs on 6DOIT, as this heavy piece showcases that brilliantly.

21. Eve

Beauty. A tear drops to the page as the ethereal soundscapes of Eve wash over me.

Beauty is one of the many adjectives which can be used to describe this song.  This is another Kevin Moore piece that reeks of genius. I prefer the version without the sound bites. This is a song I enjoy listening to in the dark, with only candles to light the room. I can truly tap into some deep places in my mind while I let the music of this song soak my entire being.  It frees my mind and my writing seems to almost pour itself onto the paper with my hand not being able to move fast enough for the words. A truly inspirational piece and one of mental enlightenment, this song needs no words to work its magic.  There are few moments in music that make me feel this way.

[Tom Bombadil]

Another great update! All 3 are great songs.

[425]

Eve is a brilliant choice and your writeup for it is quite good. Blind Faith is a pretty good choice too. Don't really love TGD all too much though.

[?]

21. Eve

Beauty. A tear drops to the page as the ethereal soundscapes of Eve wash over me.

Beauty is one of the many adjectives which can be used to describe this song.  This is another Kevin Moore piece that reeks of genius. I prefer the version without the sound bites. This is a song I enjoy listening to in the dark, with only candles to light the room. I can truly tap into some deep places in my mind while I let the music of this song soak my entire being.  It frees my mind and my writing seems to almost pour itself onto the paper with my hand not being able to move fast enough for the words. A truly inspirational piece and one of mental enlightenment, this song needs no words to work its magic.  There are few moments in music that make me feel this way.

I have no problem with the samples, but I heard the studio version first and am more used to it.

[Prog Snob]

21. Eve

Beauty. A tear drops to the page as the ethereal soundscapes of Eve wash over me.

Beauty is one of the many adjectives which can be used to describe this song.  This is another Kevin Moore piece that reeks of genius. I prefer the version without the sound bites. This is a song I enjoy listening to in the dark, with only candles to light the room. I can truly tap into some deep places in my mind while I let the music of this song soak my entire being.  It frees my mind and my writing seems to almost pour itself onto the paper with my hand not being able to move fast enough for the words. A truly inspirational piece and one of mental enlightenment, this song needs no words to work its magic.  There are few moments in music that make me feel this way.

I have no problem with the samples, but I heard the studio version first and am more used to it.

The samples don't bother me either.  The first version I heard was from the March 4, 1993 bootleg which includes the samples. When I bought The Silent Man single with the studio version of Eve, I was disappointed at first because I wanted to hear the samples.  However, I've grown to love the studio version more.

[hefdaddy42]

Eve is glorious.

[Crow]

Don't know what to really say. Two of those are the 6DOIT disc 1 songs I'm more meh on though both are still good songs. Eve is lovely to see on a list though, about where I had it too, even.

[Prog Snob]

So begins the top 20...

20. In The Presence Of Enemies 1 & 2

What a great way to start off the CD.  I had extremely high hopes for Systematic Chaos after hearing this first song.  Unfortunately this would be the best track on the CD and just about everything else failed to compare.  There were other good songs but this two part masterpiece bookended one of my least favorite Dream Theater's releases.  The JP solo early on in Part 1 reminds me of Steve Vai, filled with a beautiful melody and brazen simplicity. The lyrics seem to tell the story of good versus evil, god versus devil, or any other kind of binary scenario. I prefer the first part of the song to the second part.  The second part has some good riffs and heavier parts, but I find the melody more pleasing in part 1.

19. Stream of Consciousness

This is one of those songs that you either love or hate.  To many it's just pure musical masturbation and they are right.  That is something I love about it. One of the many reasons I fell in love with prog was for songs like this, where a band throws all conformity out the window and indulges in their musical preciouses.  The repetitive melody in the beginning is catchy and reappears again at random instances throughout the song.  Lots of different musical themes remind me of something one would hear on a LTE song, which I suppose makes sense since three quarters of said band is playing here.   I could listen to this track over and over and I think this is their best instrumental to date, save for one. 

18. Trial of Tears

When JM speaks, we listen.

A sweet tranquil entrance to song enraptures and takes us into a faraway place known as the Mind of Myung. There is beauty hidden within this song to which most dare not open themselves. As I listen to the first couple of minutes over and over, this masterpiece becomes more and more appealing. 

Under the sun, there is nothing to hide.

I read these lyrics over and over and I don't think there is one clear cut message.  I think each person can take something different from the words. Maybe it is even semi-autobiographical on JM's part.  I'd actually like some input from everyone on what the lyrics mean to them. 

If not for Lines in the Sand, this would be JP's best on the CD.  He adds some different flair to it that we are not used to with his solos and pulls it off succinctly. There is no overdone indulgence in this piece and this might possibly be Derek's brightest moment with the band.

[jakepriest]

Great three songs. SoC is awesome.

[JiM-Xtreme]

Three excellent songs. ITPOE is definitely the saving grace of SC for me, nothing else on that album even comes close. As for SoC being "pure musical masturbation", I'd have to disagree - for the most part it's very tastefully composed, and to me it feels like there was much more focus on the overall piece than "hey, let's try to write a sick instrumental" on the band's part.

Always happy to see some appreciation for Trial of Tears. Love everything about it. Never fails to give me chills, no matter how many times I listen to it. I too would love to understand more about the lyrics are about, for as beautiful as they are they're typically cryptic for JM's standards.

[Crow]

ItPoE: 
SoC: 
ToT: 

basically all there is to say.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Can't go wrong with any of these.