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

[Prog Snob]

Amazing song

I read "JM pens" as "JM's penis"

I wonder if IT speaks more than he does?   

[jakepriest]

LTL totally deserves top 3, but I think the lyrics are a tad bit overrated. I've never understood the love for Myung's lyrics.

[Prog Snob]

2. A Change of Seasons

What can one say about this song that hasn't been said already.  Like it or not, this was the first Dream Theater epic.  While the original version was an amazing piece of music, the revamping this song received in 1995 was perfection.  Only one other song by DT is an example of their perfection, IMHO of course,  in creating an excellent and brilliant piece of music. As soon as I hear that open B note on the 7th string, there is nothing but elation emanating from me. I also must pat myself on the back and can play, or used to be able to play, a good amount of this song on the guitar. It's been a while since I tried again.  Anyways...even the lyrics are inspiring and heartfelt. One can relate to them and use them in any aspect of their lives. I hope the band decides to play this live again soon. 

[yeah_93]

I find A Change of Seasons a bit tedious at times, but it's definitely one of their top 10. Which means the first is Octavarium?

[Prog Snob]

Octavarium was #10.   

[Sacul]

Your top #1 is... the Canadian Rap.

[Crow]

ACoS is a surprisingly easy song for DT on guitar, indeed. I'd learn it better if I had a 7-string myself 
And no complaints from me at all. ACoS was my #1 when I still liked long huge epics but I've gotten tired of them in general as of late x3;
...and yet ACoS is still top 10 for me, which says a lot about its quality.

[Laughingplace56]

#1 is The Glass Prison calling it.

[Prog Snob]

#1 is The Glass Prison calling it.

I'll give you a hint.  The Glass Prison is the only song on 6DOIT that did not make the countdown.

[yeah_93]

#1 is The Glass Prison calling it.

I'll give you a hint.  The Glass Prison is the only song on 6DOIT that did not make the countdown.

BLASPHEMY. On a side note, I must have missed Octavarium at number 10. Looking forward to N° 1.

[Onno]

My #2 too

[hefdaddy42]

I have LTL # 1 and ACOS # 2, so we are obviously both men of quality. 

[jakepriest]

I think ACOS is a tad bit overrated. The part after Another World really drags on. Still worth a top 10 spot.

[Prog Snob]

I have LTL # 1 and ACOS # 2, so we are obviously both men of quality. 

There is no denying that. 

I think ACOS is a tad bit overrated. The part after Another World really drags on. Still worth a top 10 spot.

There is no overrating ACOS -  Outlander!!

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

A Change Of Seasons is also my number 2, so I cannot complain here.

Well, no, that's not true. I could complain, I just have no cause to. 

[Prog Snob]

A Change Of Seasons is also my number 2, so I cannot complain here.

Well, no, that's not true. I could complain, I just have no cause to. 

Well,  there is still one more song to go.  So you might have a reason to complain after all. 

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

True, and as that song cannot be SDOIT, expect violent disagreement from this corner.

[Prog Snob]

*readies sword collection*

[The Stray Seed]

Metropolis Part I - The Miracle and the Sleeper

[Prog Snob]

Before I announce my #1 DT song, I wanted to crunch some numbers to see which album I favored most if using this countdown as a gauge.  Each song received points based on it's position in the list.  Song #50 received one point, Song #49 received 2 points, etc.  You get the idea.  I calculated the number of points for each album and this is what the final verdict was.

Non-Adjusted
1. Images and Words (204)
2. Awake (194)
3. Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (164)
4. Metropolis Part 2 (142)
5. A Dramatic Turn Of Events (111)
6. Octavarium (82)
7. Falling Into Infinity (69)
8. Black Clouds & Silver Linings (62)
9. Systematic Chaos (57)
10. DT12 (53)
11. A Change of Seasons (49)
12. When Dream And Day Unite (12)

Now, some CDs have more songs than others which would give them more of a chance to get a song in the Top 50, so I took the CDs with the most number of songs: FII & Metropolis 2 with 11 each.  Yes I discounted Regression on Metropolis 2. I adjusted the points to represent all of the CDs having 11 songs each.

Adjusted:
1. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (301)
2. Images and Words (281)
3. Awake (268)
4. Metropolis Part 2 (142)
5. A Dramatic Turn Of Events (136)
6. Black Clouds & Silver Linings (114)
7. Octavarium (113)
8. A Change of Seasons (108)
9. Systematic Chaos (78)
10. Falling Into Infinity (69)
11. DT12 (65)
12. When Dream and Day Unite (17)

Why did I do this?  Because I was bored and like messing with numbers. 

At the end of the day neither of those two lists give a great representation of the order in which I would place the CDs (outside of the Top 5, that is).  DT12 definitely ranks higher than FII, SC, and BC&SL for me.



AND NOW....



1. Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle & The Sleeper

The Stray Seed guessed it correctly. 

I fumbled with the idea of making A Change of Seasons number 1 but Metropolis is just too perfect of a song for me.  This song has been my favorite Dream Theater song for years now. It contains everything about prog that makes me love prog. From the beautiful vocal melodies to the cryptic lyrics to the technical instrumental passages.  That is the one thing that ACOS is missing - the overly technical instrumental passage that most humans cannot count out.  I know prog is more than just technically proficient musicians playing at warp speed in 63/32 time.  However, that is an aspect of the style that has always attracted me to it.  I enjoy brainsmashing prog metal riffs as much as I enjoy Marillion-esque melodies. 

So there you have it.  The ultimate Dream Theater song to which none other can compare.

[Sacul]

Damn, I thought the Canadian Rap was your fav song. Anyways, Metropolis is awesome, but as the entire I&W, I think is a bit overrated.

[jakepriest]

Anyways, Metropolis is awesome, but as the entire I&W, I think is a bit overrated.

This. The only I&W song that deserves all the hype it gets imo is LTL. Metropolis is a top 20 song, but not worth a top 1 spot.

[Crow]

Won't complain about Metropolis as #1, it's the band's signature song for a reason 
Really anything in my top 20 or even 25 I have no complaints about seeing in the top 10 or at #1, DT just has that many good songs 

[ori.elias5]

Before I announce my #1 DT song, I wanted to crunch some numbers to see which album I favored most if using this countdown as a gauge.  Each song received points based on it's position in the list.  Song #50 received one point, Song #49 received 2 points, etc.  You get the idea.  I calculated the number of points for each album and this is what the final verdict was.

Non-Adjusted
1. Images and Words (204)
2. Awake (194)
3. Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence (164)
4. Metropolis Part 2 (142)
5. A Dramatic Turn Of Events (111)
6. Octavarium (82)
7. Falling Into Infinity (69)
8. Black Clouds & Silver Linings (62)
9. Systematic Chaos (57)
10. DT12 (53)
11. A Change of Seasons (49)
12. When Dream And Day Unite (12)

Now, some CDs have more songs than others which would give them more of a chance to get a song in the Top 50, so I took the CDs with the most number of songs: FII & Metropolis 2 with 11 each.  Yes I discounted Regression on Metropolis 2. I adjusted the points to represent all of the CDs having 11 songs each.

Adjusted:
1. Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (301)
2. Images and Words (281)
3. Awake (268)
4. Metropolis Part 2 (142)
5. A Dramatic Turn Of Events (136)
6. Black Clouds & Silver Linings (114)
7. Octavarium (113)
8. A Change of Seasons (108)
9. Systematic Chaos (78)
10. Falling Into Infinity (69)
11. DT12 (65)
12. When Dream and Day Unite (17)

Why did I do this?  Because I was bored and like messing with numbers. 

At the end of the day neither of those two lists give a great representation of the order in which I would place the CDs (outside of the Top 5, that is).  DT12 definitely ranks higher than FII, SC, and BC&SL for me.



AND NOW....



1. Metropolis Part 1: The Miracle & The Sleeper

The Stray Seed guessed it correctly. 

I fumbled with the idea of making A Change of Seasons number 1 but Metropolis is just too perfect of a song for me.  This song has been my favorite Dream Theater song for years now. It contains everything about prog that makes me love prog. From the beautiful vocal melodies to the cryptic lyrics to the technical instrumental passages.  That is the one thing that ACOS is missing - the overly technical instrumental passage that most humans cannot count out.  I know prog is more than just technically proficient musicians playing at warp speed in 63/32 time.  However, that is an aspect of the style that has always attracted me to it.  I enjoy brainsmashing prog metal riffs as much as I enjoy Marillion-esque melodies. 

So there you have it.  The ultimate Dream Theater song to which none other can compare.

Great idea!!!

[ThatOneGuy2112]

No complaints at all. It's one of the band's shining masterpieces.

[Tom Bombadil]

Great list! Enjoyed following it. Unfortunately I think Metropolis is a bottom 10 song. But the rest of your list was great. 

[The Stray Seed]

Following your list, I got a general idea of your taste in DT music, which is actually quite close to mine. It just seemed impossible to me that someone with your taste would not include Metropolis in his top 50. And so this is why I guessed correctly.

I agree with your no.1 pick. Metropolis Part I is just unbelievable. First song I heard by DT, favorite alltime song since that day, challenged from time to time by Surrounded and Learning To Live, but still holding ground on top of the mountain.

I had great fun following this thread, so THANK YOU!!! for all the write ups and the care you have put in them.

[Prog Snob]

Thank you for your kind words, my friend.     

[Sacul]

It was nice to follow and disagree with this list.

[Prog Snob]

It was nice to follow and disagree with this list.

We'll do it again sometime. 

[hefdaddy42]

Great choice for # 1.  Awesome list, buddy!

[Prog Snob]

Great choice for # 1.  Awesome list, buddy!

Thanks Hef!