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

[Sycsa]

The guitar solo
completely reminds me of Under A Glass Moon.

Yep, he even uses fluttering tremolo in both solos and he doesn't do that too often. I can't even even think of another song besides these two off the top of my head.

[Prog Snob]

44. Lost Not Forgotten
The guitar solo completely reminds me of Under A Glass Moon.

The whole song completely reminds me of Under a Glass Moon.

Funny how on ADTOE, LNF reminds everyone of UAGM and BAI reminds me of LTL.

[ReaperKK]

Just finished reading the first and second update:

None of the songs on the first update would have made it to my top 50 list. Status seeker isn't bad but it's not memorable in any way IMO. I do agree with your opinion about Charlie's voice fitting the song better.

Along for the ride is a great track along TMoLS. I think I would've ranked TMoLS higher. As for vacant I've never been a fan of the song but I can't pinpoint why.

Will keep following

[hefdaddy42]

Loved the second update, Prog Snob.  All great choices.

[Prog Snob]

I intended on doing this update last night but Johnny Walker and Glenlivet convinced me otherwise.  Also, sorry for the short write-ups for this set but Johnny Walker and Glenlivet are still with me.   

43. Afterlife
This is another one of those WDADU songs that I can never get out of my head, which is also another song on which I prefer James' voice.  Even though the remix of Charlie's version made it sound a bit better, it didn't make me feel like his voice fit the song better. I love the simple and upbeat guitar riff during the chorus.  It's one of those song parts that put me in a good mood. Seeing James sing it live at the RCMH show really took this song into a new direction for me.  Also, I love how on some of the older bootlegs the song was coupled with the Mission: Impossible. 

42. These Walls
I had this song higher on my list up until last night.  I was watching the Luna Park show and something about the song, or the way they performed it there, made me feel like it didn't transfer well to the live format.  That probably sounds strange to some people and maybe it was just that performance but it dropped the song a few places.  I feel like the studio version trumps the live version and normally that is not a good thing.  Why am I knocking the song instead of praising it?  Good question!  It's still an awesome fucking song on 8V and that outro is another one of my favorite DT moments.

41. Far From Heaven
It's a sad state when a person loses all chance of individuality, being controlled by someone else's desires and dreams.  Vicarious admonishment is selfish trait that becomes more prevalent with parents as they feel the need to control their children's every move.  I remember dealing with that while growing up and feeling so suffocated at times, not knowing how to stop it. This song really hits a spot in my heart that brings chills throughout my entire being because I can completely relate to the lyrics.   

To quote Forrest Gump: That's all I have to say about that.   

40. In The Name Of God
What a powerful musical and lyrical masterpiece.  From JP's heavy guitar riff intro to the musical masturbation interlude (not a bad thing) this song does all sorts of things that make me just go WOW.  JP's solo to close out the interlude is one of his best and watching him play it on the Budokan DVD just blows my mind.  It took me quite a few listens before realizing during the outro the song being sung underneath the music.  It actually is kind of haunting because I swore it was never there before.  The lyrics are some of JP's best and he ALWAYS seems to be able to convey a religious message succinctly.

[jakepriest]

Both These Walls and ITNOF are way too low.

[Sacul]

Both These Walls and ITNOF are way too low.

ITNOG is very low, but TW is fine for me.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

I've always felt quite personal with both Far From Heaven, and to throw in another ADTOE ballad, Beneath the Surface. While musically still quite good, the lyrics are what hit it home with me. I connect to them on such a deep and personal level. They're really great songs.

[Crow]

The first three are all in good enough spots that I can't yell at you for the placements, but ITNOG really is too low. Your writeup makes it seem like you like it a whole lot too, so... 

[mikemangioy]

ITNOG is 39 spots too low, but everything else is more and less okay! 

[Ruba]

Afterlife, TW, FFH = 

ITNOG = not so much

[Prog Snob]

39. To Live Forever

This is one of Dream Theater's older gems.  They have been playing it live since 1988 yet the studio version was never officially released until their Greatest Hit compilation. Sure you can count the B-side of the Lie single but most people don't exactly sprint for those singles.  I first heard this song on the Live in Tokyo VHS... Yes I said V H S!   Ancient shit.  JP penned the cryptic lyrics to the original version.  A later version included an additional verse whose lyrics were written by Kevin Moore.   

38. Beyond This Life

I struggled with this song at first.  I'm not that crazy about the heavy intro, nor about the verse but it has slowly grown on me altogether. Once I'm about a third of the way in the musical passages shed a whole new light on the song for me.  Everything from the Yes and Zappa inspired parts to the ridiculously insane unison at the end of the instrumental section makes this song worth the 11 minutes. 

37. The Bigger Picture

What a killer song.  This is the highlight of the new CD for me.  The first verse is beautiful, showing the softer side of the band.  Jordan's piano melody is inspiring and shuts up those who think he can only play technically proficient pieces of music. "Shed your light on me, be my eyes when I can't see."  This is one of my favorite DT choruses ever.  At about 3 and a half minutes the  guitar melody slightly reminds me of Finally Free but then goes off on its own.  At six minutes, the Marillion-inspired passage is brilliant. This might be my favorite part of the whole CD.

36. Another Day

This is the first of many appearances from the I & W CD, quite possibly my favorite CD of theirs.  One of the simpler pieces on I & W, the lyrics were written by John Petrucci. I have heard that the lyrics were written about his father's battle with cancer.  I've also read that the song portrays and anti-suicide message.  Combining both ideas it's obviously a fighting song for JP's father as he dealt with his struggles.  This is one of JLB's finest vocal moments. His power really comes through on this song, more than most of the rest of the CD. "Better to save the mystery, than surrender to the secret" is one of my favorite DT lines ever.

[Sacul]

Excelent choises, Another Day is a bit low, but the rest are great.

[Evermind]

Another Day was my #2, so it's too damn low. One of the underrated songs out there. And well, I'm not a fan of BTL verses too.

[Crow]

To Live Forever has never really done much for me, maybe not enough listens or something but ehh.
BTL and Another Day are both fine to see here, can't complain, two great songs~
The Bigger Picture is alright and the highlight of the album but still not good enough to be top 50 for me.

[Tom Bombadil]

All 4 are excellent

[hefdaddy42]

Liking these updates, with the exception of Afterlife.  I know a lot of people love it, but it's never done anything for me.

[jakepriest]

I think Beyond This Life is too low. I'm not that keen on the chorus but the instrumental passage is DT's ultimate best instrumental.

on The Bigger Picture. Great to see some love for it.

[Prog Snob]

Thanks guys! I am going to make the best attempt to do another update today instead of skipping a day like I've been doing.

Liking these updates, with the exception of Afterlife.  I know a lot of people love it, but it's never done anything for me.

I know what you are saying about that Hef.  It took me forever to get into it. Charlie's vocals just didn't seem to suit the song well for me.

[425]

Even your short write-ups are very well-phrased and interesting. I'm also liking almost all of your choices, though, like hefdaddy, I'm not a big fan of Afterlife.

[Prog Snob]

Even your short write-ups are very well-phrased and interesting. I'm also liking almost all of your choices, though, like hefdaddy, I'm not a big fan of Afterlife.

Thanks!  Sometimes I tend to write more than necessary so I am doing my best not to go off on a tangent.

[The Stray Seed]

Great picks!!

[Prog Snob]

35. Wither

Being a person who enjoys writing, I immediately connected with the lyrics. There are times when every word in my head tries to dump itself onto the page at once, where no matter how hard you focus and relax, your mind cannot separate the letters into something discernable. Some kind of dam lies between the visions in the mind and the nerves at the end of your fingers controlling the pen, keyboard, etc. The song starts of a little slow for me but once that chorus hits, I am instantaneously drawn in. The melody is catchy, the words are thought provoking. The best part of the song comes right after the solo.  JP pens one of my favorite lyrical passages ever:

I drown in hesitation
My words come crashing down
And all my best creations
Burn into the ground

The thought of starting over
Leaves me paralyzed
Tear it out again
Another one that got away

*chilllls*

34. The Way It Used To Be

Curse you who think the FII demos are not able to live up to the official release. This track outshines more than half of the songs on the final version.  This U2-sounding piece has always been a favorite of mine.  The version we have sounds raw but I can imagine how much greater it would sound if it were given the full studio effect. The upbeat rhythm and melodies throughout the song always bring me to a better place. The lyrics were a bit cryptic to me at first until I sat down and listened to them completely.  It's tough doing that in a Dream Theater song sometimes because one is understandably focused on the music.  JLB longs for a different time, a simpler place, one from his childhood perhaps.  We can all relate to this song in some way.

33. This Is The Life

This song didn't jump at me right away.  It was another one of those songs that become an instant favorite after seeing it performed live.  Atlantic City, 2012, I had no intentions on seeing this show.  Funds were limited and they weren't supposed to play there originally.  Fate was on my side though. After hearing that the venue was changed to a casino, I immediately tapped into my favorite Atlantic City resource for freebies: my wife!  She gets comp all of the time, including to concerts and comedy shows.  So I asked her if there was a snowballs chance in hell that she could get her host to comp us a couple of Dream Theater tickets.  The next day she let me know the good news. I called my best friend and he met us down there.  Not only did my wife score us two free tickets to the show, it came with two free drink vouchers!  Anyway...They performed This Is The Life at the show and I fell in love with the song.  Now it's one of those songs I always repeat when I listen to ADTOE.  Below is a photo of my daughter wearing the DT shirt my best friend bought her at said show:



32. The Mirror/Lie

I chose to combine these two songs for some obvious reasons, the main one being the link back to the beginning of The Mirror at the end of Lie. I think these songs go so perfectly together that keeping them apart sometimes seems wrong.  Oh, I also combined them to free up an extra slot for another song on here.  Both songs are packed with power and ferocity and rank near the top of JP's heavy riff list. The solo at the end of Lie is a beautiful madness with JM's commanding bass line providing some extra chunk and balls. This is the heaviness I miss with the band and make songs like ANTR and TDEN seem like bad dreams. Not that those two songs are terrible because I enjoy TDEN in a live environment, but it's just not the same.

[Crow]

nononono you cannot combine those two they're waaay different and one is super better than the other ;;
the other three picks
I don't care for any of them at all :B

[JiM-Xtreme]

I agree. Lie contains an instrumental reprise of The Mirror towards the end and of course the two segue into each other, but other than that they're completely unrelated. Each song is written by a different lyricist about a totally separate subject matter. Ergo, "combining" them doesn't make much sense to me.

[425]

The Mirror and Lie and very good, though I do disagree with combining them and think that The Mirror is rather significantly better.

I like the choice of This Is the Life a lot as well (and your daughter is adorable).

As for Wither, that's my favorite section, too! I love those lyrics.

The only one I don't straight-up agree with is The Way It Used To Be, but I honestly don't know where I would rank that song because I don't listen to it that frequently due to the sound quality of the demos.

[Joshin U]

It seems that so far your list is comprised solely of songs that I have the same "yeah that song is good, I guess" reaction to 

With the exception of Mirror/Lie, which, while both great and great together, can't really be combined like segments of SDOIT or SFAM can. Cheater! 

[Prog Snob]

I combined them because they share musical  themes and a bit more for me.  I knew most people would disagree with it but sometimes life makes you go 'WTF' and I'm happy to provide some of those moments for people.   

I like the choice of This Is the Life a lot as well (and your daughter is adorable).

Thanks! 

[jakepriest]

Don't care one bit for the first two picks.
This Is The Life and The Mirror / Lie are awesome.

[Lucien]

Following. TW is too low 

[Sacul]

Awesome to see songs from the FII demos and Wither here.

[hefdaddy42]

Great picks!

[ReaperKK]

Just catching up on the updates. I would've ranked TLF and The Way Is Used To Be Higher, both have some fabulous solos.

[Prog Snob]

31. Finally Free

"You are once again surrounded by a brilliant white light"

This is the first Dream Theater song I ever learned on guitar from start to finish.  I love the chord progressions during the intro and chorus.  One of the things about JP that always seems to be overshadowed by his virtuosic playing is his ability to structure a beautiful melody. 

"Feeling good this Friday afternoon..."

This song wraps up one of Dream Theater's most compelling and innovative releases.  The story comes to a close and answers are revealed.  One of my favorite parts is at around 6 minutes. "As their bodies lie still..." I love everything going on with the music there and JLB's vocals are soaring up until "shining throuuuuuuugh."

And then the end – static – and so begins the metasong. 

30. Repentance

It took me a while to get into this. I thought it sounded too much like Opeth and boringly unoriginal.  I thought – MP is up to it yet again, first Muse and now this.  Well, it has grown on me, but not for the main part of the song.  While the lyrics are easily inspiring and thoughtful, the song hits its pinnacle with JP's solo. This is easily one of the most beautiful musical passages he has contributed to any song.  Closing my eyes and feeling the solo, chills fill my entire being.  You can immediately put yourself into a sweet song that unravels dreams and enraptures the mind. Even though this is MP's song, it is JP who creates the beauty here.  The outro is also a brilliantly written part. It's such a musically emotional song that ranks up there with SDV. 

29. Home

"Help – he's my brother, but I fucked love her."

There are so many great things about this song, but I'll try to keep this short and sweet. Let's start with the powerful guitar riffs throughout the song.  WEOW WEOW.  Even though you can hear the Tool influence, it's not so overly done. The Middle Eastern tinge works perfectly here. Maybe a tad too much wah wah throughout the song but it's not so bad that it turns me off.  It does help the WEOW WEOW part sound much cooler but leave excessive wah wah to Metallica. WEOW WEOW... wah wah.

Anyway, the final solo by JP is KILLER.  Again, that Middle Eastern flavor sounds incredible here. Just when you thought the solo was kicking your ass, JM doubles JP's guitar part near the end!

28. Space Dye Vest

"Love is an act of blood and I'm bleeding, pool in the shape of a heart."

Holy fuck that line could be one of the most beautiful lyrics every written. So many chills throughout this song that could make a grown man cry. The main piano riff throughout the verse is perfect. Kevin Moore – creative genius.

We've all had our hearts torn out at one point or another in our lives.  I don't know many people who would not be able to relate to this song in some way. There is something to be said about catharsis and this is Kevin's way of moving on. Pouring your heart onto the page and wearing the proverbial heart on the sleeve works here. When you want to connect with a listener, you find something with which they similarly struggled. I call this song a masterpiece and would lead one to question why a masterpiece is so low.  That is the crux when dealing with Dream Theater and attempting to rank their music. So many great moments to choose from that something ingenious is going to be slighted. 

"I could never be open again."

We know, Kevin, but because of your masterful words of wisdom, we have all learned to move on towards a greater moment in our lives with a harder spirit and new found resilience.

[Joshin U]

3 good songs with decent placement.
and then there's Repentance